March 8
Last day to apply for May 2019 degree via myState with $50 fee
March 9 - April 24
Late May 2019 Degree Application via myState - $50 fee plus $100 late application fee
March 11 - 15
Spring Break – No classes scheduled
Residence Halls will remain open
March 18 - 29
Faculty advising for pre-registration
(Some departments begin advising earlier)
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Are you looking to advance professionally or change careers altogether? Maybe you're a big believer in learning new skills to keep the aging mind sharp! Now that your student is part of the Bulldog family, you may want to consider pursuing your own academic goals at Mississippi State.
The Center for Distance Education at Mississippi State University offers online bachelor, master, and doctoral degree programs. While your child is immersed in an on-campus experience, you could be completing a degree through one of MSU's convenient online programs.
Some of the topics covered in this e-newsletter:
- current announcements and important reminders
- distance education readiness and opportunities offered
- personal testimonies from Distance Education students
- summer school opportunities for your student through distance education
- information on an alternative spring break option for your student
As always, please reach out to us any time you have questions or concerns. Also, feel free to shoot us an email if you have a specific topic you'd like to learn more about and we will try to include it in a future communication. We love your ideas!
Hail State, friends!
Cat Walker and Becky Faulk
Office of Parent & Family Services
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Tailgates & Tees was a little wet but we made the best of it!
We thoroughly enjoyed meeting each of you and hope you loved being with your student.
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If you didn't get a chance to join us for our spring Tailgates and Tees event, Bulldog Family Weekend will be here before you know it. Join us
October 25 - 27, 2019
for an amazing time with your student and other families.
MSU football takes on the Texas Aggies in College Station and we will be hosting a Starkville tailgate and watch party.
We are working out the details now but we sure hope you will make plans to join us.
Important information about registering will be posted on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and our website
family.msstate.edu
so be sure to follow us.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS & REMINDERS
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Do you want to know 25 things to see & do next time you are in Starkville? Visit
Starkville Magazine
to find out.
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Scholarship and Financial Aid Opportunities
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Students who would like to be considered for scholarship opportunities for the 2019-2020 academic year need to have their scholarship application updated/completed.
Departments will begin reviewing qualified applications in April.
MTAG
- As a reminder, all in-state students wishing to be considered for
State Aid
must complete a new application each year. We encourage students to complete the State Aid application before each fall semester.
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The Mississippi State University Alumni Delegates will hold its 11
th
Tuition Drawing in April to give one student the opportunity to win one academic semester of free in-state tuition. Any student
returning in the fall is eligible to enter. The winner of the drawing will receive
one in-state semester
at MSU paid in full.
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The parents of each student from the state of Mississippi will receive six tickets as well as specific instructions in the mail. Parents can mail back tickets for the cost of $5 each or $25 for 6 tickets. Additional tickets can be purchased online at
alumni.msstate.edu/tuitiondrawing
or requested from the Alumni Association at 662.325.7000.
Brittany Corder, President of Alumni Delegates, is excited to continue the drawing and give one student such a great opportunity. “We are so excited about this unique fundraiser here at MSU to support a student with a semester of tuition,” Corder said. “Our hope is that we will raise funds exceeding the cost of a semester of tuition and be able to use the proceeds to benefit programs and scholarships at Mississippi State.”
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Fall 2018 Winner - Jonathan Presley
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Is your junior or senior interested in a little more independence next year? Mississippi State University has partnered with Greystar to offer students an apartment-style living experience in
College View
, scheduled to open in August 2019
.
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Student Counseling Center
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The Student Counseling Center offers a variety of workshops during the semester to help students understand the effects of stress, anxiety, the importance of sleep, as well as how to practice positive thinking skills. Encourage your student to join one of the following workshops:
Stress and Anxiety 101:
March 20 from 6 - 7 p.m.
Changing Unhelpful Thoughts:
March 27 from 6 - 7 p.m.
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Barnes & Noble at Mississippi State University would like to invite all May graduates to the
Spring Graduation Fair
.
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Tuesday, March 26
10 a.m. - 6 p.m
.
During the Graduation Fair, students will be able to place reservations for commencement regalia.
Information concerning graduation announcements and diploma frames will also be available.
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As a reminder, graduation fees paid to MSU do not include the cost of the regalia rental. All regalia orders and payments must be done through the bookstore. Students unable to attend should contact the bookstore at 662.325.8361.
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Students will be making plans soon to move back home from their residence hall or off-campus apartment. While it's an exciting time, it can be a little stressful trying to figure out how to get all of their belongings back home.
Renting a storage unit near campus can give you a place to store your student's belongings over the summer. Check out several of Starkville's storage options by viewing the
Off-Campus Student Guide
.
As you shop around, consider the following:
- Cost - could sharing a storage unit with a roommate or friend help?
- Climate control - necessary for your student's belongings?
- Moving trucks - some facilities may have their own moving truck; be sure to ask before renting your own.
- Student discounts - does the storage facility offer discounts to current students?
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DISTANCE EDUCATION READINESS
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Alth
ough distance education is a convenient alternative to the traditional classroom, be sure that distance education is right for you. Successful and happy distance students have a few characteristics in common.
The Smarter Measure Learning Readiness Indicator, a free tool, will help you determine your strengths and weaknesses related to those of successful distance students based on personality and habits. This assessment does not determine whether you are eligible to take a distance course, rather it provides a summary of information that will better assist you in making decisions related to your education.
The assessment takes approximately 20-25 minutes to complete. At the end of the assessment, you will receive a detailed report of your results to help you better understand your readiness to succeed in online classes. Click the button below to take the assessment.
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Who is earning an online degree?
Individuals who:
- began college but did not finish
- are balancing family & work obligations
- wish to change fields or move up in their careers
- are looking to expand their knowledge and creativity.
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If distance education is new to you, you may be wondering what is involved in taking an online course or completing a degree program online. The following resources are available to assist you in the transition to online learning.
Technology Assistance
Center for Distance Education provides students registered in online courses technical assistance through the Center's help-desk. Additional information on these services can be found on the
Technical Assistance
page.
Distance Student Services
MSU and Center for Distance Education provide support and assistance for all students registered for a distance learning course. Additional information on these services can be found on the
Student Services
page.
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BENEFITS OF DISTANCE EDUCATION
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Taking an online class can be a little nerve racking at first, especially if you've only taken face-to-face classes. Even if you are tech-savvy, being a little apprehensive at the beginning is normal. Taking an online course or two has its perks. Here are four advantages to studying online.
Career advancement
Taking courses online helps you gain more work experiences and learn new skills that will help you advance in your career. You're able to correspond with fellow online classmates from across the globe who come from all walks of life and experiences.
Flexible schedule and environment
You get to choose your own learning environment that works best for your needs: be it your bedroom, your car on lunch break, the café across the street, or your local gym listening to your instructor’s lecture through podcast as you run on the treadmill. Taking an online course also means that you don’t have to commute to class; no parking dilemma, no decal, and no traffic!
Lower costs and decreased debt
Studying online means that you pay the tuition fee, possibly book supplies, an online application fee, and few other items. You don’t incur the costs of housing, transportation, out-of-state tuition, or printing fees.
More choice of course topics
When selecting your classes for a face-to-face class environment, you are not only looking at what day of the week a class is offered but also what time. This can be quite a headache especially if a class you need (or want) isn't available on the day and time you need it. Taking online courses will rid you of that headache. You no longer have to worry about the location of a class, the times available, and what works with the other classes you're taking. Online courses are much more flexible.
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My daughter, who is a senior Civil and Environmental Engineering major at Mississippi State University, said, "Mom, you should finish your degree." Before I could respond, she was sending me MSU's Distance Education information and discovered there were numerous programs and excellent degree possibilities. What I thought was unattainable to finish was very attainable! I am enjoying the convenience of studying from home and plan to complete my degree in December 2019.
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Jeanie G.
Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies
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December 14, 2018 marks the completion of a dream that was 22 years in the making. After graduating from high school, I went right into the workforce. It was sixteen years later when I earned my undergrad degree and by that time I was a wife, a mother, and 8 months pregnant with our youngest daughter.
I started working on a master's degree shortly after receiving my undergrad but life and motherhood took precedent...I dropped out. In January 2018, I decided to start the journey in completing my master's degree. The past 12 months were very hard and long. If it were not for my daughters, I would not have completed this journey. They encouraged me, proofread papers, and helped me prepare for tests. This has been such an amazing journey and I am so glad I took it. Now when I attend games and other MSU activities I won’t just be a fan; I'll be an ALUMNA!
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Joyce is pictured with her youngest daughter at MSU's December 2018 graduation ceremony. Not only did she accomplish her goal but she was able to graduate with her daughter.
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Joyce P.
December 2018 Graduate
Master of Science in Workforce Education Leadership
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Working as a full-time high school registrar, I struggled to find the time to complete my bachelor's degree. My son, who is a junior at MSU, encouraged me to consider the Distance Education program. I was incredibly pleased to see the Bachelors in Business Administration option. I am nearing the end of my first semester as a full-time MSU Distance Education student and have been pleasantly surprised at how well-designed the program is for working students. The professors are very helpful and encourage class discussions, which imitates the atmosphere of a classroom environment. Mississippi State University's Distance Education program has been a life-changer for me. Thanks to the MSU Distance Education program, I will finally achieve my goal of earning a bachelor's degree after thirty years of postponement. I plan to graduate with honors one semester behind my son.
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Kimberly S.
Bachelors of Business Administration
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SUMMER OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS
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This summer, is your student...
Working a full-time job?
Needing classes?
Needing to graduate?
Try DISTANCE!
Taking online classes through MSU is a convenient option for students who want to stay on track to graduate. MSU offers online general education, upper-level, graduate-level and free elective courses that meet the same criteria as main campus courses.
For a complete list of undergraduate and graduate courses for all 2019 summer terms, check out the Master Class Schedule in Banner and choose the following items from the drop-down menu:
Term
: Summer Semester 2019
Part of Term:
All Parts of Term
Campus:
Center for Distance Education (501)
Subject:
All Subjects
Level:
Undergraduate or Graduate
It is the goal of the Center for Distance Education to provide the highest quality of support to distance education students. Since most distance students are not on campus in Starkville, the center serves as the liaison between distance students and campus. Each distance student is assigned a distance program coordinator who is the primary contact for their online program.
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Students looking for something to do over spring break should consider the Maroon Volunteer Center's Alternative Spring Break.
During this opportunity, 30 MSU students will travel to the Mississippi Delta to live history, see the future, and make a difference in the lives of others. Participants will embrace the rich history and culture of the Mississippi Delta during Blues, Civil Rights, and Native-American history experiences.
Students will feel the contrasting power and peace of the Mighty Mississippi while paddling in 30-ft handmade canoes with the Quapaw Canoe Company. Participants will explore the Delta’s complementing and conflicting facets of natural resource management, modern agribusiness, local fresh-food initiatives, and high-tech manufacturing. Most importantly, throughout the entire week, students will be making a positive difference in the lives of others by completing a range of service-learning projects with youth development programs, Mississippi River conservation groups, locally grown food initiatives, and health education organizations.
Fees do apply to help cover food, travel, and lodging costs. To learn more and to share with your student, visit the
Maroon Volunteer Center
today.
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Need more information on Distance Education?
Call 662.325.3473
Toll Free 844.362.3706
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Don't forget to visit us on social media and at
family.msstate.edu.
Make sure you mention
#MSStateFamily
when you make a post.
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Office of Parent and Family Services | 662.325.3611 | family@msstate.edu
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