Spring 2023 charges are now posted to your student's account.

The balance on your student’s account must be paid in full

or you must be enrolled in a payment plan.

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Hello Bulldogs, 

Happy New Year from Mississippi State! We have returned from winter break and are excited to welcome students back to Starkville soon.

As we prepare for the spring semester, we hope that you and your student were able to take time to reflect on the fall semester, set new goals, and discuss expectations for the new semester. A new year brings on a new opportunity to consider what is important and where energy can best be spent. As your student adjusts to a new semester, study schedule, and academic routine, please remember to send helpful reminders to them about the importance of balance. Students should be eating well, sleeping well, exercising, and taking care of their mental well-being as they ease into a new academic semester.

As always, you may review past issues of this newsletter on our Get Connected page. Please reach out if you need anything at all. We're happy to help, as always.

Happy New Year and Hail State!

Cat Walker and Becky Faulk

662.325.3611

family@msstate.edu

Whether your student experienced one low grade or several this past semester, help your student take this time to bounce back academically. College isn't easy and sometimes it takes a full semester to realize a little extra work is needed. This experience is an important process of learning but can be overwhelming and confusing. The new term is a chance for a fresh start for all students.

Help your student through this new semester by reminding them how important it is to:

• Attend all their classes (even if the professor says attendance is "not required")
• Create study sessions early
• Schedule tutoring sessions, if needed
• Meet with professors
• Form routines
• Take advantage of campus resources

As you continue to support your student academically, don't forget to:

• Celebrate every success; big or small
• Remind them to take breaks
• Send a surprise treat from home or from a local eatery
• Be spontaneous with messages of encouragement

Students who are healthy, well, and have a safe environment to live, study, and learn are more likely to succeed in their academic pursuits. We recognize that in order for your students to prepare for a successful semester, they need to be equipped with campus resources that are designed to help them through this new semester.

The Center for Academic Excellence | 662.325.2957

Provides students with tutoring opportunities to get plugged into. Students are encouraged to utilize the tutoring schedule early in the semester rather than later. Students will need to download the Penji App to access tutoring schedules, courses offered, and schedule a tutoring session.

Student Counseling Services |662.325.2091

Offers a variety of FREE and confidential mental health services to support students. Students have the option of seeing a clinician in-person or virtually through a video meeting platform. All students are encouraged to reach out to the Student Counseling Center early in the semester.

Longest Student Health Center | 662.325.2431

The health of our students is of primary importance and Mississippi State has up-to-date facilities to help maintain their well-being.

NOTE: The Health Center is not open 24/7. Students who become ill when the Health Center is closed should consider visiting one of Starkville's urgent care facilities or the Oktibbeha County Hospital, if it's an emergency and cannot wait.

Disability Resource Center | 662.325.3335

The Disability Resource Center (DRC) assists in determining the classroom accommodations that are most appropriate for students with disabilities based on documentation of their disability. Students are responsible for registering with DRC and making their professors/instructors aware of their accommodations. Students who are also experiencing a temporary disability and/or chronic illness should register with DRC before the semester gets underway.

Writing Center | 662.325.1045

The MSU Writing Center is a great resource for students to use throughout the semester. The Writing Center works with students in developing and supporting ideas for a particular rhetorical writing situation (class assignment, resume, or written presentation).

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.

Housing and Residence Life is excited to welcome students to campus for the Spring semester. Beginning at 2 p.m. on Friday, January 13, students can move into their Residence Hall. Students requiring maintenance or attention to their room are encouraged to speak with their Resident Adviser (RA), Community Director (CD), and/or submit a Fix-It Ticket.

Students currently living in the residence halls will have an opportunity to reserve their current space for the new academic year; Fall 2023/Spring 2024, through the Renewal Selection Verification Process (RSVP) beginning on January 19. If a student wants to select their same room for Fall 2023/Spring 2024, they need to apply on January 19. After that date, students will be able to select any open space available across campus.

Help your student jumpstart their future career opportunities by encouraging them to visit with the MSU Career Center. At the Career Center, students are provided with opportunities to identify relevant quality work experiences to enrich their academic program of study with planned, progressive, and monitored work experiences. Program options include formal Cooperative Education, Internship, and Externship options.

Whether your student is majoring in the College of Business or the Bagley College of Engineering, the Career Center is equipped to provide your student with the resources and information needed to explore career advancement opportunities. Encourage your student to visit the Career Center today to learn how they can get connected connect with prospective co-op/internship opportunities and future employers.

Off-Campus Student Services, designed to help students who are currently, or considering, living off campus, is a free resource students can access for information on housing availability and much more. If you have a student who is interested in off-campus housing, needs to sublease their current residence, or in need of locating a roommate, we would like to encourage them to visit Off-Campus Student Services to start their search today. This resource is designed to provide guidance regarding off-campus properties surrounding the university, insight into transportation opportunities with each property, cost comparisons, and much more. It's your student's one-stop-shop for off-campus living.

Student Account Reminders

In an effort to foster responsible financial management and reduce student debt, we would like to remind you about important payment requirements related to student accounts.

Payment Plans are Available

MSU is pleased to offer payment plans that will allow you to pay tuition, residence halls, meal plans and other expenses through monthly installments. Learn more at Pay My Bill.

Payment Due Dates are on the 1st of Each Month

Your monthly billing statement will be available around the 15th of each month, and the due date is the 1st of the following month. For example, a December 15th billing statement will have a due date of January 1st.

Bills Must be Paid Before the Semester Begins or your Student's Schedule will be subject to Cancellation

Before classes begin, you must pay the full balance on your student’s account (net of aid) or be enrolled in a payment plan. Otherwise, your student’s schedule will be subject to cancellation, and if they are living in campus housing, they will not be permitted to move into their residence hall.

PLEASE NOTE: If your account balance is displayed in (parentheses), it means you have a (credit balance), and MSU owes you a refund. A (credit balance) means you do not need to make a payment or enroll in payment plan.

For questions concerning billing statements or tuition and fees call 662.325.2071 between 8:00 - 5:00 Monday through Friday or email studentaccounts@msstate.edu.

For questions concerning financial aid call 662.325.2450 between 8:00-5:00 Monday through Friday or email financialaid@msstate.edu.

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.

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

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!