Sebring, along with about 400 other ROTC cadets and alumni, gathered Saturday night at the Spartan Club in Spartan Stadium for the Spartan Battalion’s 103rd Military Ball.

The ball is an annual tradition that started alongside the founding of the Department of Military Science in the 1884-85 academic year. It is a chance for ROTC cadets to share in the traditions and customs of the military, said Lt. Col. Jeff McDonald, chairman for the department.

“We’re able to teach them the fundamentals and give them the opportunity to see it, so when they get to an instillation, they’ve experienced it,” McDonald said.

The night began with different toasts. Cadets toasted to the army, MSU and as the gentlemen seated the ladies, the men toasted to the women. The event included a formal dinner serenaded by the Spartan Dischords. Various awards also were given to officers and squads for their contributions to the battalion.

After dinner concluded, Brig. Gen. Daniel L. York — currently serving as division commander of the 86th Training Division at Fort McCoy, Wis. — spoke to the cadets about leadership. He outlined five qualities every leader should possess: vision, teamwork, character, attitude, conduct and wisdom.

“Men and women, I’m going to tell you that in life, if you want to be a successful leader, it is not about you. It’s about the team, and you better build a strong team,” York said.

The ball took months of planning, said physiology senior Lindsay Stone, a cadet and event coordinator.

“It was a bit stressful some days, but it turned out to be a great night,” she said. “It’s so formal, but you get to mingle with people and hang with other cadets outside of ROTC.”

Lights emanated from the disc jockey’s station as the cadets cha-cha slid across the dance floor later in the night.

International relations senior Shane Rauss said he enjoyed the ball and how it brought the cadets together.

“It was well executed,” he said. They’re good for unit cohesion.”