Five months after shooting, the Rock at Michigan State is repainted

EAST LANSING — Michigan State University's famed icon and landmark, the Rock, has been repainted after five months of bearing the same message, "Always a Spartan," in the wake of February's tragic campus shooting.

The Rock had gone perhaps the longest without a new paint job since landing in its current spot in 1985. Then its facade changed.

The Rock has been repainted twice since the week of July 17, according to The State News.

The message as of Thursday afternoon was "Spartan Strong," with colors similar to the five-month "Always a Spartan" message.

The Rock is constantly repainted by students and others - with messages including proposals, protests, rivalries and recruiting - and is often repainted every night or even more frequently during the school year. Previous long-term memorials at The Rock have lasted days.

The Rock served as a symbol of the university's mourning after the Feb. 13 shooting that killed three and injured five. Flowers and other memorabilia left at The Rock have been collected for composting or reuse.

Contact Mike Ellis at mellis@lsj.com or 517-267-0415

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Five months after shooting, the Rock at Michigan State is repainted