Aaryan Patel’s journey to finding home at Michigan State, both in the classroom and in many IM spaces, started with hope. He applied to Michigan State in 2021 and was accepted in early 2022.
Patel, a native of India, came to the U.S. for the first time in Fall 2022, and stepped on to the MSU campus as an excited and nervous freshman. He was once a promising elite soccer player, but COVID and moving countries several times left him wondering where life would take him.
He came to MSU to major in engineering, and create a new home.
“I grew up in the Middle East and lived in six different countries: India, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Now I’m here,” said Patel. “And growing up, I played football; soccer, as the Americans call it.”
Patel, who is set to graduate this December with a degree in environmental engineering, has created a second home and community at MSU through his love of sports. He is the Intramural Sports coordinator at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, a position that brings him joy.
“Over the summer, I was recruiting referees and telling them what rec sports did for me. How I enjoy being a referee, all the sports and love for the environment,” Patel explained. “I recruited about 100 people so far and it’s going really well.”
Sports has been a touchstone for him, helping him make friends and ground himself in community despite being far from home.
“Moving around and making friends was the hardest part,” said Patel. “Sports helped me find people and make friends.”
Patel played professional soccer in the Bahraini Premier League for Sitra Club, primarily as a striker and central attacking midfielder when he was 17-years-old. He found success as a player and had hopes of signing a professional contract in 2021.
What once looked like the beginning of a promising sports career came to an abrupt stop after he contracted a serious COVID infection that same year.
His lungs were damaged. His health had declined. His dream of playing soccer at the next level, such as college or professionally, quickly faded.
“It was Division I or playing professionally for me but all of that was cut out,” Patel said. “For a long time, I found myself breaking down and thinking, ‘What am I going to do? I’m not where I want to be.’”
Patel was also fighting other battles.
Tensions in the Middle East led him through five different countries before he came to the U.S., while still searching for a place that felt permanent.
He thought it was all over.
No more soccer. No more school. Nowhere to call home, and a fear of not belonging.
“When I arrived freshman year, I still couldn’t play. I couldn’t breathe. I just gave up on sports,” said Patel. “Then something clicked in the second semester. I said, ‘You know what? I’ll give it another shot. How can we ball?’”
Unexpected opportunities at MSU turned into something bigger than just playing again for Patel. He discovered value in creating new relationships that led to a renewed identity.
“It’s hard fitting in as an international student, but meeting people through rec sports really helped me,” said Patel. “They were the first people I hung out and bonded with. Some have graduated, but now I’m friends with their families and friends.”
Sports were always a safe place for Patel growing up, connecting with like-minded people and experiencing the pride of belonging through teamwork and discipline.
This time, recreational sports at MSU gave him something more.
“When I first started playing recreationally, I didn’t know what I was getting into,” he said.
“I looked at the team list and emailed a random dude saying, ‘This is my experience. I play these sports.’ They were like, ‘Okay, yeah. Come play for us.’”
Patel’s pride in leading by example started to grow. He thinks it is important to make sure people know that if he can do it, they can do it.
“I’ll mentor people when they don’t ask for it,” Patel, 22, said. “I’ll give advice and encourage students to come play sports, stay active and do something fun together.”
Patel has a new goal to leave the university better than it was when he arrived and he continues to pay his experience forward, particularly in leadership and coaching.
MSU senior Erika Wagner, also a Student Recreation and Wellness Center employee, took notice of those traits in Patel.
“Over the years, Aaryan has immersed himself in multiple areas of rec sports, allowing him to build connections with countless people,” said Wagner. “He’s a very outgoing person and rec sports has given him a space to flourish, both as a person and an employee.”
What began with a single email turned into several achievements Patel likes to refer to as wins.
Patel is exploring career opportunities in environmental compliance and auditing. He hopes to make another home in Texas, Florida or Arizona after he graduates.
“Winning isn’t just winning. For me, it’s about meeting people,” said Patel. “It’s about doing it together. Making one pass is a win. Showing up is a win. But making a new friend is a huge win. I’m winning here at MSU, and I am grateful for this university.”