Sparty has been revealed: Cory Hilton was Sparty!
The electrical engineering major wasn't able to walk across the commencement stage this spring in the famous shiny green boots because the COVID-19 threat cancelled the ceremony. But that didn't take any sparkle out of his years of service as MSU's beloved mascot.
"It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I loved every minute of it," Hilton said. "Being in the College of Engineering was extremely useful when designing props for use in skits. I would absolutely recommend any engineering student to give it a shot."
Hilton was the first Sparty to successfully dunk a basketball while filming a commercial, even though he couldn't see out of the suit! It's just one of many cherished memories he shared during the MSU Alumni Sparty Reveal. Those memories include:
• The 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Sweet Sixteen game against Duke. When Coach Izzo drew up that last play with Kenny Goins hitting a three-pointer in the last second of the game, I had never been more nervous, yet excited as I was in that moment.
• My first Big Ten 10K. It was my first experience with the other mascots, and I got to experience media days with people who were so similar to me which was so much fun. You could never get a group of people who have never met and have them mesh so well together.
• The Quicken Loans basketball commercial shoot in 2017. I was the first Sparty to ever successfully dunk a basketball in suit. I couldn't see out of the suit and could barely feel the ball. It took me 13 tries and only three of the balls actually went in. When I finally got the one that made the cut, I was running around that court like I'd just won the national championship. You would've thought that too by the way the crew and other mascots reacted.
• What kind of Sparty would I be if I didn't list the 2019 Final Four? The pep rallies, the alumni outings like meeting Magic Johnson and Kirk Cousins, hanging with my Goldy friends. Despite the outcome of that game, when asked about what college was like for me in 20, 30, 50 years, that's going to be one of the things I have to talk about.
"I want to say thank you to all the professors who accommodated the busy schedule that came with the job of being Sparty," Hilton continued. "They were all so understanding and made things as easy as they possibly could for me. I will always be grateful for that."
Hilton plans to stay at MSU and begin graduate studies in electrical engineering this fall. He will focus on the design of electrically small antenna.
"There was no greater opportunity getting to do what I did at State while also getting to make use of what I learned to enhance the experience," Hilton added.
Read more on the #SpartansWill of this #SpartanEngineer in the State News.