Alumna Almay Alday (’97, Spartan Loyal) is one of the 352 Spartans who made recurring monthly gifts to MSU last year.
It’s the kind of support that helps ensure that critical support is in place for students, day in and day out. And, it’s a great reflection of the ways that MSU remains part of Almay’s everyday life too.
As an MSU student in the School of Packaging, Almay got the opportunity to study abroad in Sweden. “It was like a packaging mecca,” she recalls. “I saw that packaging could be functional but also beautiful and artistic. And I was completely hooked.”
The experience had another long-term benefit: she became very comfortable with new experiences. The adaptability she gained has served her well in her career as a packaging engineer, since she travels about 50 percent of the time, working collaboratively with marketers, chemists, logisticians, and others.
Downtime often centers around another MSU-inspired passion: Spartan sports.
Rooting for the Spartans has become a family tradition, especially after her brother-in-law and sister both became alumni. The entire clan, spouses and kids included, traveled to Texas to see MSU in the thrilling 2016 Cotton Bowl.
Last year, Almay opted for the recurring gift option to support two of her favorite green-and-white causes: study abroad and the Spartan Fund.
“I like making a small gift every month through my credit card,” she says. “I don’t have to come up with a big chunk all at once. But, it makes it automatic that I’m giving to things that matter to me and have shaped
my life.”