Sign Up Today!

To unsubscribe, please click the unsubscribe link located at the bottom of this email.

Dearest Bulldog Families,

Well, we hope y'all are hanging in there. Final exams are on the horizon and we hope your students are buckled down, doing well, and finishing strong. Honestly, as you can imagine, the end of the semester can be a particularly stressful period for many students, for many reasons. It is important to support your students during this time with positive encouragement and compassion. Please know we are here for support if your student needs to "talk things out" and isn't sure where to go.

In this issue, you will learn about our Holmes Cultural Diversity Center, hear from a current student, receive details regarding commencement and the schedule for finals, and learn about upcoming student events. MSU consists of a wide range of students, faculty, and staff that make up the diverse population of campus. We want to make sure our diverse population of students and families knows that MSU is for YOU.

Good luck to our students and families in the final stretch. As always, do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. We are always here to lend an ear and point you in the right direction.

Hail State, y'all!

Cat Walker and Becky Faulk

662.325.3611

Thank you for participating in this year's Bulldog Family Weekend event. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting each of you and hope you loved being with your student. If you did not get a chance to meet with us and need to chat, please feel free to give us a ring or send us an email.

We are working on scheduling our 2022 Bulldog Family Weekend and will release the dates soon.

Mississippi State University is happy to announce details for the fall 2021 commencement ceremonies. We will be hosting two, in-person ceremonies on Friday, December 10, 2021 in the Humphrey Coliseum on the Starkville Campus.

For the safety and wellness of everyone in attendance, the following precautions will be taken and enforced during the ceremonies:

Professional photography, Pro Pics, will be available at the commencement ceremonies to take portraits of graduates. Photos of the graduates with the President, as well as individual portraits, will be available for purchase from Pro Pics following the ceremonies. There is no cost for students to have their photo taken and no obligation to purchase. In order to identify your photos and receive proofs, please visit MSU Photos to submit your information. Questions about these photo opportunities can be emailed to Pro USA. 

Doors will open to the Coliseum one hour prior to each ceremony. Please give yourself plenty of time for travel, parking, and for the security screening that will be performed before entering the Coliseum.

The Holmes Cultural Diversity Center (HCDC) is named after Dr. Richard E. Holmes, the first African American alumnus. He made history by becoming the first African American to enroll at Mississippi State University in July 1965. Completing his Bachelor's degree at MSU, he would later go on to attend Michigan State Medical School and receive a Doctor of Medicine degree. In 1991, MSU recognized Holmes’ campus achievements and medical career by naming the University’s multicultural center in his honor.

HCDC exists to enhance the cultural college experience of students at Mississippi State. We accomplish this goal by facilitating a wide range of academic & cultural programs and by providing resources and leadership opportunities to students. HCDC offers over a hundred programs a year - cultural and intercultural celebrations, heritage and awareness events, dialogues, workshops, student leadership training and social justice engagement courses. We offer 2,000 square feet of open space for students to study, relax, and hang out.

The Holmes Cultural Diversity Center will be hosting a diversity, equity and inclusion workshop titled 'What Can YOU Do to make Our University Inclusive?' Students will have the chance to engage in conversation about implicit bias and microaggressions and present with opportunities on how they can think of actions to create inclusive and equitable spaces. Students can register for free by visiting Cowbell Connect.

This year’s International Education Week festivities will be held November 15 -19. The week of events will focus on providing a place to celebrate the benefits of world-wide educational exchange. The Holmes Cultural Diversity Center at Mississippi State University will commemorate this world-wide celebrated week by extending an opportunity to experience a variety of other countries customs and traditions to students, staff, faculty and the Starkville community. We would like to encourage all students to step out of their comfort zones, explore the world at a glimpse, and find new possibilities to explore.

will be updated in Cowbell Connect soon.

Harry J. - Senior | Biochemistry Major with a Concentration in Science

For me, diversity and inclusion means allowing spaces to be diversified and integrated by affording opportunities to students who may not have found their sense of belonging on campus. It's the sharing of a feast with others and enjoying both the meal, as well as each other as a unit. That's what HCDC is to me. I would like to encourage any student on campus to try not to be afraid at putting yourself out there. It be scary but very rewarding as well. Do not allow fear to stop you from having an enriching college experience.

Kerry M. - Senior | Secondary Education with a Concentration in Social Studies

Preparing for final exams can be one of the biggest challenges students have to face. While your student may have some professors that provide clear exam expectations, other professors may not. This can be frustrating, confusing, and cause anxiety or fear of failing.

Help your student start thinking about how and where they will prepare for their upcoming finals. Students can easily get stuck in the same routine and find themselves making very little grade improvements. Encourage your students to find a new location to study, to form a study group, and/or to utilize online resources to improve their study habits. (i.e. YouTube or Khan Academy). The Princeton Review provides students with an ultimate guide to studying to help students better prepare for exams. Take a moment to browse through this resource and share it with your student so they can start preparing now!

The Fall 2021 exam schedule is available and can be viewed through the Office of the Registrar. Students are encouraged to view their course syllabus against the exam schedule and reach out to their instructor/professor with any questions they may have about their schedule for exams. (Triple check exam times!)

Through the MSU Winter Express, students can choose from an updated, expanded selection of more than 200 online courses that begin December 14 and conclude January 4. The condensed, five-week semester allows students to earn up to six hours of course credit while getting a head start on the spring semester, finishing core course requirements, taking classes within majors, or picking up extra credits to accelerate graduation. They also may want to explore new subject areas, concentrate on difficult courses and/or benefit from smaller classes taught by MSU’s world-class faculty.

Students can learn more about this program, the courses offered, tuition expenses, financial aid, and more by visiting MSU Winter Express today.

Located on the 3rd floor of Montgomery Hall, the Career Center is excited to serve your students on their academic and career journey. The Career Center will help your students discover, develop, design, and deliver on their career goals. Whether this is your student’s first semester or last, we hope you will encourage them to engage with the Career Center through one of the following methods.

Students can meet with their coordinator via phone or video chat to answer questions about career goals, search strategies, career-readiness skill development, interview preparation, and more. The team of coordinators cover each college, school, and program at MSU…even undeclared majors! Students can make an appointment through their Connections account, by calling the Career Center at 662.325.3344, or by emailing career@career.msstate.edu.

Students can utilize InterviewStream to practice their interview skills. This platform is especially helpful right now as more interviews will take place via phone or video than in-person. When students complete their mock interview in InterviewStream, a member of the Career Center will review it and provide feedback. Students who would like to practice a phone interview can make an appointment in their Connections account.

Encourage your student to check out the Career Center's handbook for advice and samples. Students can send a resume document for review and recommendations.

If your student is looking at changing their major or selecting one for the first time, we'd like to encourage your student to consider taking one of the two (or both) assessments the Career Center offers or enroll in the Career and Academic Planning class (COE 1323) to assist with major exploration. The Career and Academic Planning class is provided to students each semester and is designed to provide freshmen and sophomores with information, tools, and skills that help with exploring majors and making career decisions.

The goal of the MSU Career Center is to aid in your student’s preparation for a lifetime of career fulfillment.

If you would like to view the October e-Newsletter, please visit Get Connected.

Mississippi State University (MSU) has launched a new online networking and mentorship platform which will harness the full power and potential of the Mississippi State alumni network and put it at the fingertips of all MSU Bulldogs. Join us and be part of this global Bulldog Network Mentoring Program that offers a digital space to forge meaningful, personal and professional connections.

Registration is quick and easy! Once signed up, you can network with fellow alumni in the larger community while waiting to be paired with a student in the mentoring program.

Thank you for your consideration to serve in this meaningful role as a mentor to support MSU students. Learn more about the program.

November 3 at 7:00 PM

Encourage your students to get out and do something new this month. A great event to watch is our MSU Volleyball team. Coach Julie Darty Dennis' MSU Bulldogs are taking on the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Newell-Grissom Building on Wednesday, November 3. Admission is free.

November 9 at 8:00 AM

Join Mississippi State's G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery Center for America's Veterans on the MSU Golf Course for its first Veterans Week Golf Tournament. Proceeds from this fun day of golf, fellowship, and friendly competition support the MSU Veterans Scholarship Program. Visit the Center for American's Veterans to register.

November 9 at 6:00 PM | Sanderson Center

We would like to personally invite you to become an inaugural member of our Maroon Family Alliance. The Maroon Family Alliance will financially support programs and events that enhance your student's experience and our campus community as a whole.

You can be a part of the Maroon Family Alliance by following the “JOIN NOW” link below to make your annual contribution of $2,500. You may also call Jana Berkery, Director of Development, at 662.325.9129 to make your contribution by phone.

Visit MFA.MSSTATE.EDU for more information and we look forward to working with the new Mississippi State Maroon Family Alliance!

Visit us on social media and at family.msstate.edu.

Make sure you mention #MSStateFamily when you make a post.