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Attending college is an exciting life experience for our students, but it can also be a time of stress, change and adjustment. Mississippi State University has partnered with My Student Support Program (MySSP) to help our students be successful. MySSP provides free, confidential mental health and well-being support to all Mississippi State students. MySSP includes many resources such as 24/7 free mental health support by phone or text through the app. 

Students can receive help anytime with:

• adapting to changes or challenges
• being successful at school
• navigating relationships with friends and family
• handling feelings or sadness, loneliness, homesickness, or more
• or to just to talk to someone.

Make sure your student downloads the app today! Students can search "MY SSP" in the app store to download the My SSP App and get connected.

Hello Bulldogs, 

Well, we hope y'all are hanging in there. Final exams are on the horizon, and we know your students are buckled down 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, receive details regarding commencement, the schedule for final exams, and highlights from the Career Center. Mississippi State 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 during this 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

family@msstate.edu

Bulldog Family Weekend 2022 was a success! Thank you for participating in this year's event and for being a part of the Bulldog Family. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting you and hope you loved being with your student and meeting other families. We have included several snapshots from the event below.

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 2023 Bulldog Family Weekend and will release the dates soon.

The Family Club was started in 2008 to help parents stay informed about Mississippi State University. By joining, you will receive email notifications of important dates, be informed of the latest campus news, and stay connected to campus life and resources for your student. We believe that the Mississippi State family extends beyond our campus borders to include students, parents/guardians, grandparents, siblings, alumni, staff, and faculty.

The Family Club enables you to be an integral part of the Mississippi State family! The Family Club membership is open to parents and family members of current, former, and future Mississippi State University students. Benefits of joining include:

• Mississippi State Family Club Padfolio
• Family Programming Support

Checklist for students planning to graduate:



• Confirm with advisor that all degree requirements have been met. CAPP degree audit system is a guide for this, but we recommend consulting advisors to be sure.
• Log in to myState (Banner) and select “Apply for a degree.”
• Complete ALL steps of the application and select SUBMIT.
• Students will receive a confirmation number signifying the application was successfully submitted.
• Account balance must be paid in full. This includes everything from tuition to parking and library fines. (Students with an unpaid balance will not receive a diploma.)
• Students who plan to walk in the December commencement ceremony must order caps and gowns through Barnes & Noble bookstore.
• Students who have taken courses away from MSU at any time (summer courses at home, etc.) need to have all transfer transcripts sent to MSU. If a transcript containing a required course has not been received, a student may not be eligible to graduate.

The Fall 2022 main campus commencement ceremonies will be held on Friday, December 9, 2022, in the Humphrey Coliseum on our Starkville Campus (details below). Graduates must arrive no later than 30 minutes prior to their ceremony start time and should be dressed in their regalia at check-in.

Please read through these important notes about the ceremonies:

• Security screening will take place upon entry and all bags are subject to search.
• Please DO NOT bring personal items into the Coliseum. There will not be any storage areas available, and anything left in seats will be thrown away.
• Guest attendance is limited to 8 guests per graduate and all guests must have tickets to enter (regardless of age). Ticket information can be found in the section below.
• Guest seating will be general admission and first-come, first-served. Please DO NOT sit in the roped off sections behind the stage.
• Graduates will be seated after check-in and an entrance processional will not be included in the ceremonies. However, graduates will still walk across the stage as they are announced and congratulated.
• Graduates will receive a diploma cover as they cross the stage. Physical contact with anyone on stage is prohibited.
• Once graduates are recognized by walking across the stage, they will not return to their seats. Instead, they will be guided to the photography area to take a professional photo before exiting the Coliseum.
• Guests are expected to begin leaving the Coliseum once their graduate exits the stage. Please do this quietly with respect to other graduates and guests.
• Re-entry into the Coliseum will not be permitted, and each ceremony should last roughly 1.5 hours total.
• There will be no concessions available during the ceremonies. Guests may bring one clear water bottle into the Coliseum.
• Please plan to remove all vehicles from the parking areas promptly following the morning ceremony to make space for guests attending the afternoon ceremony.
• Any guests who are unable to attend may view a livestream of the ceremonies online (links can be found below).
• All cords, stoles, pins, etc. that are worn with graduation regalia come from the individual organizations that the graduates may be involved with. Graduates can reach out to the MSU-affiliated groups that they are part of to see if they offer any graduation adornments. These items must be approved in order to distribute them to graduates.

Instructions for claiming guest tickets will be emailed to graduates and updated online here in late November 2022. There is no cost, and each graduate may claim up to 8 tickets. Please check back in late November for additional information regarding commencement guest tickets.

Fall 2022 Ceremony Divisions are as Follows:

Friday, December 9, 2022, 9:30 a.m. 

(Doors open at 8 a.m.)

Academic Affairs

College of Architecture, Art & Design

College of Arts & Sciences

College of Education

Friday, December 9, 2022, 3:30 p.m. 

(Doors open at 2 p.m.)

Bagley College of Engineering

College of Agriculture & Life Sciences

College of Business

College of Forest Resources

College of Veterinary Medicine

GRADUATES MUST APPLY FOR THEIR DEGREE

THROUGH BANNER IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THEIR DIPLOMA.

(Diplomas are mailed 4-6 weeks after the ceremonies.)

To access the Fall 2022 commencement parking map, ADA parking accommodation information, commencement seating diagram, regalia order and professional photography details, please click the button below.

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.

The Holmes Cultural Diversity Center works to enhance the cultural experiences of students here at Mississippi State University. The center provides services through the programs and events offered each year. The dialogues, training and workshops and cultural programming offered by HCDC are geared towards identity development, mentorship, student success and social justice issues.

Through its many programs and services, HCDC strives to:

1. Promote student success by increasing the recruitment and retention of marginalized students.
2. Develop communities of support, involvement, and advocacy for marginalized students.
3. Provide educational opportunities for the university to foster a culture of access, diversity, inclusion, and equity. 
4. Implement and develop a structure to holistically assess outcomes of the center’s programs and experiences of students.

HCDC student organization include: 

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!

Additional tips that students should consider while preparing for exams:

1. Know the difference between planning mode and doing mode. 
2. Make a details study plan with specific, actionable steps.
3. Understand the format of the exam and tailor study materials to it. 
4. Active recall - be productive in recalling and reciting information.
5. Review old material.
6. Set aside planned study breaks in order to manage the stress of studying. 

The Fall 2022 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!)

Encourage your student to consider advancing their academic journey this winter with Mississippi State’s online curriculum, Winter Express.

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.

Live Chats

Students who have quick questions can use the live chat feature in their Connections account. Career Center staff are available to chat weekdays 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. (CST). Students will need to look for the “Chat with a Coordinator” tile on the right-hand sidebar.

Appointments

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 Mississippi State… 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.

Mock Interviews

A mock interview offers students the opportunity to practice their interview skills with trained professionals. A team member from the Career Center will customize the interview to best match a student's needs, and after a mock interview, students will receive immediate feedback and specific recommendations for improvement.

Resume Assistance

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.

Semester highlights from the Career Center

For the Fall 2022 semester, the Career Center has hosted a number of events that have provided students with various opportunities to connect with prospective employers, practice their interview skills, and network. Listed below are events that have been hosted since the semester started with a total number of student check-ins and attendance for each event. 

Career Expo = 2583

Adkerson Accounting Career Fair = 160

Building Construction Science Fair = 132

CVM Expo = 290

Part-Time Jobs Fair = 570

Previous Issue of our e-Newsletter

In our October e-Newsletter, we provided information on various topics that included:

• Tips on Guiding your Student from Home
• Student Success Resources
• Conversation Starters with your Student related to Academic Achievement

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

Conversation Starters

Take time this month to ask your students the following questions:

1. What are you looking forward to the most this month?
2. How are you preparing for exams and is there anything I can do to help?
3. What classes do you plan to take in the winter semester and/or spring semester?

Connecting Students through Purposeful Engagement

Through the efforts of the Dean of Students Office and collaboration with upperclassmen, a new student organization designed to encourage, promote, and assist with student involvement has been created, Bulldog Buddies! The primary purpose of this organization is to provide students with a fun, interactive networking opportunity and to plug into additional sources of involvement.

Bulldog Buddies will meet EVERY Friday at 2PM on the YMCA Plaza. 

Upcoming Events

November Flu Clinics

Fridays | 9AM - 4:30PM

Longest Student Health Center

Let's Talk

Wednesday, November 2 | 6PM

Colvard Student Union Room 329

Student Focus Groups

Thursday, November 3 | 10AM - 11AM

Mitchell Memorial Library 

The MSU Libraries want to know what your students think. We are in the beginning stages of developing a new strategic plan, which will lead our efforts over the next five years. For this to be successful, we need your students' thoughts and opinions.

Be Well Wednesday

November 9 | 8AM

Location will be announced on Constant Contact

Type One Run

Sunday November 13 | 10AM

The Junction

The Diabetes Care Association is teaming up with the Beta Cell Foundation to bring Starkville its very first Type One Run. Type One Run is a grassroots movement of ordinary people dedicated to building support, community, and awareness for those affected by type 1 diabetes.

Finals Student Break

Tuesday, November 29 | 10AM

Union Dawg House

Free coffee, hot cocoa, and snacks will be available while supplies last to encourage students as they prepare for final exams. 

Alumni Delegate Tuition Drawing:

The Mississippi State University Alumni Delegates will hold its 18th Tuition Drawing in November! Any student returning for the spring 2023 semester are eligible to enter. The winner of the drawing will receive one in-state semester at Mississippi State paid in full.

Tickets can be purchased online through the Alumni Association by November 3. Cost of tickets start at $5. The winning ticket will be drawn on November 10, 2022, and the winner will be announced on the Mississippi State Alumni Association’s social media accounts (@msstatealumni) following Prize Patrol the week of November 14. 

Money Matter$

Past due holds and late fees will be assessed on the October 15th statement. Holds prevent pre-registration for the upcoming semester. Remember, classes fill up fast! In order to be eligible for pre-registration, students must be enrolled in an active payment plan or have a current account balance of zero.

As of October 1, the 2023-24 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available to complete. Students can complete the FAFSA online. The FAFSA will ask for income data from the 2021 tax year. Some federal aid has limited funding. Therefore, to receive maximum consideration for all aid types we encourage your student to complete the FAFSA today.

Scholarships

Do you have a student interested in being considered for scholarship resources for the upcoming academic year? The scholarship applications for the 2023-2024 Academic Year will open on October 1. Current students may apply for competitive, private, and departmental scholarships by completing the General Scholarship Application. The priority date for submitting these applications is March 1, 2023.

Would you like to make an impact on your student's Mississippi State experience and represent Bulldog Families just like you?

We would like to personally invite you to become a 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.

The Maroon Family Alliance will meet on a Friday afternoon in both the fall and spring semesters. During these meetings, members will tour some of Mississippi State’s top facilities, learn about innovative programs, hear from dynamic faculty and administrators. Most importantly, members will decide as a group how Maroon Family Alliance funds will be used to strengthen Mississippi State University and its Division of Student Affairs. It is a special way for parents and families to become connected with key University members and other Bulldog families.

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!