As a middle school student, Ella Spooner didn’t think much about the meaning behind West Ottawa Public School’s Purple Power games, sporting events that raised funds for Van Andel Institute. It was an excuse to wear lots of purple and go to a basketball game, with fundraising happening in the background. A few years later, and now a high school senior, she got an opportunity to play in a Purple Power basketball game, cementing what would become a meaningful relationship with VAI Purple Community.
“My teammates, the school, the administration, the parents, everyone came together to raise funds — and I realized it wasn’t for a nebulous cause somewhere else, but for real, tangible change happening just a few miles away,” Spooner said.
Playing in the game ignited a passion for getting involved. As captain of the girls lacrosse team, she saw an opportunity to host their own Purple Power game, and her teammates bought in right away.
“It’s the kind of thing that’s daunting at first, but once you get the ball rolling, friends and teammates get involved, you find yourself taking action and focusing on getting things done,” Spooner said.
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The inaugural game was a success, further inspiring the boys lacrosse team to host their own Purple Power event. After graduating, Spooner sought to bring this purple passion with her to Kalamazoo College. She saw it as a new challenge, introducing a research institute to a community farther away, where students were less likely to know about it. She employed the same strategy that worked on her as a young student: She introduced her teammates to the idea of a fun event, then showcased the impact of biomedical research.
“Once you get people to listen to the message, to see the impact we can have just by coming together and organizing a lacrosse game, people buy in,” Spooner said. The Purple Power lacrosse games at Kalamazoo College have raised nearly $8,000 in support of research at VAI.
Spooner would see the impact of the fundraising efforts firsthand. She joined the Institute in summer 2025 as an intern in Dr. Stephanie Grainger’s lab. She walked across the sky bridge, into VAI’s facilities, and “saw a whole new world of science, research and things I never thought were happening in Michigan.” Much like Purple Power ignited a passion for fundraising, the Institute itself sparked a new interest: Spooner is exploring medical degree programs where she can remain involved in research. She has returned to VAI as a research assistant in Dr. Grainger’s lab.
“It’s been an interesting path, from attending basketball games, to organizing Purple Power events, to somehow finding myself in the lab,” Spooner said. “It’s not something I ever saw myself doing, but it’s been an incredibly rewarding experience, and it’s an honor to try to make a difference along the way.”