It's a regular business office in City Hall, but the air smells like a birthday party.
The sugary-sweet aroma of cupcakes draws in almost anyone who enters the second floor where Meghan Schwarb works. On the table lies Schwarb's tools - a ruler, measuring tape and a notebook filled with mathematical equations.
Schwarb's task is to figure out how to build a world-record cupcake tower before Saturday.
The communication senior is the face behind the city's centennial events. She planned the "Human 100" in January, when 108 people formed the number 100, Saturday's East Lansing Birthday Bash and all the smaller events in between.
Now, she is checking and re-checking her math to see if a free-standing tower comprised of 2,000 cupcakes can logistically be erected 7-8 feet.
Soon she'll discover if her idea, which was derived from a wedding cake on the Internet formed by cupcakes, will turn into the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
"I bit off a little more than I could chew," Schwarb said. "Hopefully, it will work out fine."
Last summer, Schwarb was ready to head home to Warren and work for a radio station to help plan their events, when she landed a job as East Lansing's centennial coordinator.
"I never thought I'd have a job that dealt with cupcakes," said Schwarb, who will stay employed with the city until she graduates in December.
But that's what has come with Schwarb's new job.
Since February, she has been planning the cupcake tower.
She's e-mailed the Guinness Book of World Records for the specific guidelines to set the record and has already done a test run with 500 cupcakes.
"This is what has been my life for the past couple weeks," Schwarb said, motioning to all her utensils on the table.
Already, she can recite obscure facts about cupcakes, such as the area of a Meijer cupcake is 7 inches and she knows the diameter for the tower's base must be 32 inches to be sturdy enough.
Saturday will be the culmination for her months of studying cupcakes.
In keeping with community building, graduate student Brad Love said the celebration will bring people together.
"Certainly, the downtown festivals have been an important part of living in East Lansing," said the four-year resident. "Anything community building is important because there is such a mix of people in East Lansing, from the old professors, to the young families and students.
"Anything that forces people to interact in a positive way is a good idea."
As for Schwarb, she anxiously awaits the festivities that will ensue Saturday.
"I began focusing on this event after the 'Human 100,'" Schwarb said. "This event has been my everything. I can't wait to see if the community likes it."
