Michigan State Welcomes MSU AD Dan Bartholomae

For all these reasons, I am thrilled and excited to welcome Dan Bartholomew as Michigan State's next Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. And I'm pleased to also welcome Dan's wife, Lauren, and their children, Dylan and Lily, into our Michigan State family. But before I welcome Dan to the stage, I just want to share a quick story about our new Athletics Director. I was wrapping up a meeting with him just about a week ago, and I noticed on his cell phone there was a picture, a screensaver picture. And I said, is that your family? He said, yes, it's my family. He was quick to open it and show me his phone. And he said, you're not going to believe this, but that picture was taken last year at Spartan Stadium. Sparty liked that. So I think that he and his family were destined to join our Spartan family and to be back in Spartan Stadium for this year's kickoff game. And for many, many years to come. But we'll always be wearing the Spartan green and white. So please join me in welcoming Michigan State's new Athletics Director, 22nd Athletics Director, Dan Bartholomew. Kevin said it first, is it a great day to be a Spartan? Let's go. Let's start, okay? How about a nod to the band?