Broad MBAs Unite: A Fall Ball to Remember

The 2025 Fall Ball wasn’t just a Broad MBA celebration; it was the culmination of a semester where a group of strangers truly became a Spartan family. After a whirlwind few months of navigating new team dynamics in the Minskoff Pavilion and adjusting to the fast-paced business environment, stepping into the ballroom at the newly opened One North Kitchen & Bar in East Lansing felt like a collective deep breath.

Walking into the room, you could immediately feel the shift in energy. The stress of late-night study sessions where we’d huddle together to help clear each other’s doubts before exams was replaced by laughter, music, and the sight of everyone dressed to the nines. It was a rare moment for the classes of 2026 and 2027 to pause and celebrate everything we had tackled in the past few months, from complex finance cases to “leap into the unknown” moments for those of us coming from non-business backgrounds.

The highlight of the night started even before the music did. The VP of Major Events for the MBA Association, Kiah Holdsworth, did an incredible job hosting the “Paper Plate Awards,” which perfectly captured the quirkiness of our cohort. The categories were hilariously spot-on, ranging from “Most Likely to Use AI for Everything” to the inevitable “Most Likely to say ‘Well, actually…’” during a heated class discussion about real-world operations. Watching the pure shock on my classmates’ faces as they won facetious awards was priceless. It was a great reminder that while the Broad MBA is rigorous, we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

As the dance floor opened, the atmosphere felt like a high school senior prom in all the best ways. For many of our international classmates who didn’t grow up with that specific American tradition, it was amazing to see them dive in, celebrating and dancing with the same joy. Between songs, the conversations flowed from reminiscing about tailgates and football games to shared relief for those who had just secured their summer internships.

The photo booth was a constant hub of activity, filled with people ribbing each other over their new trophies and speculating on who would be the “Well, actually” winner of 2026. Looking around at that room, it hit me that we aren’t just a cohort, we’re a support system. Whether it’s sharing interview tips or celebrating cultural milestones like Diwali together, the generosity of this group is what makes the Broad MBA experience special.

I left the night feeling incredibly proud to be a member of this community. I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world, and honestly? I’m already counting down the days to Fall Ball 2026.