Each year, 80 of MSU’s top freshmen are selected to serve in Tower Guard, an honor society that, since the 1930s, has helped make MSU a welcoming place for students with disabilities that affect reading.
In the founding days, students read textbooks aloud for peers who were blind. Today, students work with the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities producing state-of-the-art, accessible materials in Braille, large print and audio/electronic formats. These leaders build community where disabilities do not stop students from achieving their highest aspirations.
Every Tower Guard member pledges to volunteer at least 120 hours. The commitment can make it difficult to also find the time to work, but thanks to donor support, exceptional Tower Guard members with financial need can receive scholarship support.
The bright young men and women of Tower Guard inherit a legacy of service that leaves a lasting mark on them, and they in turn leave their own mark on the university, on each other, and most importantly, on the students with disabilities whom they serve.
Current Tower Guard president Mackenzie Desloover, an MSU Nursing junior, said the work ethic and dedication to service within the organization continues to amaze her.
“I am honored to volunteer alongside who I believe are some of the most incredible people, not just on campus, but in this world,” said Desloover. “I am so proud of Tower Guard’s impact on the community. We had an incredibly successful year, despite facing much adversity with the unforeseen shift to online learning. I am eager to see all that the incoming Tower Guard class will accomplish in the coming year.”
MSU gave me a wonderful undergraduate education, the foundation for a teaching career, life-long mentors and friends. MSU has grown even better over the years, and so has my ability and enthusiasm for giving back.