Old Main Lounge (2nd Floor)

Lobby seating throughout each floor

Lobby seating throughout each floor

Rooms 211, 212, & 213

Rooms 115 & 145

Room 180 & 190

Rooms 101 & 103

Room 25

Griffis Board Room

Monday, Wednesday, & Friday

Open seating

Ballew Animal Science Building Monday & Wednesday

Room 119

the Drill Field

Moe's Pavilion

Union Plaza

Barnes and Noble Patio

YMCA Porches

As always, do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. We will do our best to help, I promise. And if it can’t wait until the next business day, you can always call or text me (Cat) on my cell; 662.418.2441. We are always here to lend an ear and point you in the right direction.

662.325.3611 | family@msstate.edu

Please continue to encourage your student to stay #CowbellWell!

Students can join at Cowbell Connect.

You know what can make you feel better? Giving back. Volunteer opportunities can be found at the Maroon Volunteer Center.

Plastic Bag Yarn (Plarn) developed as a way to provide pillows, bed mats, etc. for individuals experiencing homelessness. These plarn pieces are directly aiding in addressing issues stemmed from homelessness and financial hardship as a short-term alleviation of immediate needs and provides an easy way to recycle used plastic bags. Encourage your student to join or make plarn from home.

Through after school tutoring, alternative graduate services, one-on-one tutoring, and test preparation classes, Ms. Smith Educational Services strives to help all students reach a great level of success by helping them to find or develop their passion and purpose. Student volunteers are needed in helping tutor students from Pre-K through high school. Volunteer applications can be found here.

Encourage your student to volunteer with MSU faculty, staff, community members, and other students to help build a home for a local family in need. No experience is required. Students and/or groups interested in volunteering should visit Cowbell Connect to register.

Students can RSVP at Cowbell Connect.

HCDC and the Department of Classical and Modern Languages & Literature will host a virtual performance and talk by Quiqeu Avilés, a poet and performer in the D.C. area.

Encourage your student to visit the Union Art Gallery (2nd Floor Student Union) to view artwork produced by Latinx students from MSU. The exhibition provides insight into the production of urban and architectural form considering a variety of architectural languages and modern styles.

Students can RSVP at Cowbell Connect.

Students will watch short dance tutorial videos, practice the dance moves, and submit their performance for a chance to be named the winner of this year's iBaile! During the virtual event, all submitted videos will be watch by the selected judges, including the French-Salvadoran dancer Jade Paz Bardet, who will be joining in from Paris, France.

Once events are posted, students can RSVP under RHA at Cowbell Connect.

Paint and Sip - October 13 at 7 p.m.

You'll Float Too Double Feature - October 27 & 28 at 10 p.m.

Survive the Drive - October 30 from 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. at the MSU Horse Park

Sessums: Yoga with Your RA

Critz: Mac and Cheese Mixer

Moseley: Chalk it Out

Whether your student is looking to lift weights, run, or join a fitness group, the staff at the Sanderson Recreation Center is available to help. Reservations are required.

Did your student have a bad day in class recently and call to vent? Did you listen, encourage, and sit back? Or did you take control and jump in to save the day? Sometimes it's easy (and instinctual) to want to be your student's superhero. Our office encourages you to reach out to us when you need assistance in guiding  your student.

Students tend to think that picking up their notes a few times during the week and reading a few chapters once is the best way to prepare for exams. Some students expect professors to provide every bit of information for their tests. Both are incorrect. Passing a class takes hard work. Engaging in a course and grasping the lesson can be easier if there is a familiarity about the topic. Students are responsible for all materials, including class readings and lectures. Empowering students to take "ownership" of their education is an amazing tool for their toolbox.

Class attendance, homework assignments, and tests preparations are a priority for students (at least we hope), but it's important to not stay cooped up and totally immersed in studies. A student may feel overwhelmed, if so, and wonder" is this really supposed to be the best years of my life?  "

Julie Lythcott-Haims is the author of the New York Times best-selling book  How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success. The book emerged from her decade as Stanford University's Dean of Freshmen.

When I came to Mississippi State as a freshman, I had these high expectations that I would have automatic new best friends and amazing new experiences as soon as I stepped foot on campus. I saw girls older than me through their Instagram posts, and it looked like they were living their best life at MSU. I couldn’t wait to have that as well.

But what I wish someone would have told me as a freshman is that college is hard, being away from home is hard, and Instagram isn’t always reality. I didn’t have automatic new best friends or a jam- packed social calendar my first week at school, or not even my first month, and that was okay. What I wish someone would have told me is that adjustment takes time, and it is okay to miss home and old friends.

So, that’s what I’m telling you today. Freshman year can be hard and it’s not always rosy, but with time and a little patience, it can bring memories and friends that will last a lifetime. Embrace the new, stop comparing yourself to others, push yourself out of your comfort zone, and enjoy it because four years can fly by.

Mackenzie J. - MSU Senior

As with all medical services, there are associated forms to be completed. Students and employees who are interested in receiving a flu shot will need to visit the Health Center’s page to complete the required forms prior to arriving and will need to bring the completed forms with them. Flu shots will be administered at the Longest Student Health Center.

NOTE: Medicare patients will need to schedule a separate appointment for a

As of today, October 1, the 2021-22 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 2019 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.

Students planning to graduate in Fall 2020 can begin applying NOW and must apply by October 23 to avoid late fees.

Students planning to graduate will need to complete the following:

No applications will be accepted for fall graduation after November 16.

Students who need to register to vote in Mississippi will need to visit the Secretary of State website for information and instructions. Students that are not registered to vote are reminded that, to vote in the State of Mississippi, they must register at least 30 days prior to an election. Voter registration forms are also available for pick up in the Student Financial Aid Office located in Garner Hall.

For more information on how students from another state can register to vote, please visit Campus Vote Project.

If you or your student has questions, please call the Student Financial Aid Office at 662.325.2450.

MSU Parking and Transit Services has partnered with ParkMobile to provide a safe and contactless parking option to visitors. When arriving to the MSU campus, visitors will need to download and open the ParkMobile application on their smart device, input the zone number posted on the ParkMobile parking sign and select the time needed. Visitors will be able to create an account to register their vehicle information and pay for their parking session.  

Myth: Online courses are at your own pace and can be completed anytime.

Fact: Some elements of online courses are at your own pace, but the timing of course content and assignments is up to the instructor. Students need to check the course content daily in order to meet all deadlines.

In an effort to make some of the services provided by the Dean of Students' Office more accessible, students can manage ticket appeals and absence verifications online. Students should visit students.msstate.edu for more details.

All faculty, staff, students, and visitors are required to wear face coverings. Acceptable face coverings include surgical masks, N95 masks, cloth masks, or face shields and are required inside campus buildings when physical distancing (6 feet or more) cannot be achieved. Face coverings must be worn in classrooms, labs, and shared office spaces regardless of physical distancing.

Proctored testing enables Mississippi State to ensure academic integrity, which is core to the success of our students. Therefore, some courses may use an online proctoring system called Honorlock.

Honorlock is a well-respected proctoring system and is used by universities similar to Mississippi State including several SEC institutions. These systems make it easier for students in that they do not have to take the time and suffer the inconvenience of finding an in-person proctor and traveling to a specific location to take the exam. The online proctoring system allows students to take the exam at home or another convenient location. We chose Honorlock because of the array of features for faculty and students, the reviews received from other universities, the support provided for our institution and to students and because it is one of the least invasive, yet effective systems compared to other solutions.

It might be helpful for you to understand a little about how Honorlock works. The Honorlock extension is a small program that modifies the Chrome web browser and not your computer. Nothing is installed on the computer. If they choose, students can remove the Honorlock Chrome extension as soon as their exam is submitted.

Honorlock is FERPA compliant and uses securely encrypted protocols to save and view all test taker assets. Honorlock's certified proctors and Mississippi State’s faculty are able to review test session videos until deleted based on the school's retention policy. (Mississippi State faculty make judgements regarding academic integrity as they would in a classroom setting. More information can be found by visiting Honorlock.)

Maroon Alert is the best way for faculty, staff, and students to stay informed and receive official university instructions during an emergency. Families who wish to stay up-to-date regarding campus emergencies can follow @maroonalert on Twitter or visit the Mississippi State homepage for web banner updates.

Email ready@msstate.edu if you have any questions or need guidance.

Mississippi State has its very own Health Center located conveniently on-campus. Walk-ins are allowed but making an appointment is preferable. However, if a student needs immediate attention, emergencies will always take precedent.

The Longest Student 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 OCH Regional Medical Center, if it's an emergency that cannot wait.

If a student has been seen by an allergist and prescribed allergy injections, the Health Center can obtain that information from their allergist and arrange to administer those injections in the clinic. Students can simply call and ask for an appointment in the allergy clinic.

Safe Walk provides our students with a safe walking service at night for students who would like assistance walking to their cars or buildings. Upon request, Safe Walk student employees will be sent to walk students to their destination. They are equipped with two-way radios and wear reflective vests. In addition, they patrol the campus on foot and golf carts in an effort to provide an extra set of eyes and ears for the MSU Police Department (MSU PD) and report any activities that the police need to respond to. Hours of operation vary but typically begin at dark and last through the early morning hours.

Students can contact the MSU PD for this service by calling or texting 662.325.2121.

When the button is activated/pushed or the receiver is lifted, the caller is immediately placed in contact with MSU PD Dispatch Center. In addition to providing voice contact with a police dispatcher, the dispatcher will also know the caller’s precise location. These Emergency Blue Light phones are checked regularly by MSU PD personnel and are for emergency use only.

The MSU PD is committed to helping our students stay safe!

The Mississippi State Writing Center is excited to offer online availability for the Fall 2020 semester. Appointments are available from now until Monday, November 16. Students can book an appointment time online through the Writing Center. 

All online appointments are held in Central Standard Time and students have the option for video chat as long as their webcam is enabled. If the video chat option does not automatically enable when a student logs in, the student should ask the tutor about this feature.   

Virtual Let's Talk is an outreach program that offers students convenient access to brief (15 - 20 minute) informal consultations with a Mississippi State Student Counseling Services Clinician. Virtual Let's Talk may provide insights, solutions, and information about other resources to address concerns such as:

Virtual Let's Talk is not a substitute for therapy but provides students with the experience of meeting with a clinician. Students can access Let's Talk through the TeleMental Health platform by visiting Mississippi State Student Counseling Services.

Bully's Closet and Pantry (BCP)

In-Person Appointment Days:

Students will need to visit BCP Shopping to schedule an appointment.

Curbside Pick-Up Days:

Cowbell Connect Curbside Form.

The Block by Block Program provides short-term assistance by allocating block meals to students' ID cards when needed. Students can also donate up to three block meals per semester via an online form. Both the form to request meals and to donate meals is available through the MSU Food Security Network.   

Students with a valid MSU ID can access any of these programs directly. Referrals can also be made via blockbyblock@msstate.edu or by calling 662.325.3611. 

Mississippi State Dining Services supports students who have food allergies by providing information and knowledge that is necessary for a student to make informed food choices at each dining location. The dining staff considers each individual student’s personal dietary needs to make every effort in providing helpful information to students with food allergies.

The goal of Mississippi State Dining Services is to provide students with the tools they need to be active in the management of their food allergy or food-related medical condition while eating on campus. Students needing to develop a plan that fits their dietary needs can contact Mississippi State's Dining Registered Dietitian, Jill Hamilton. To set up an appointment, students should email pichardo-andrea@aramark.com.

Visit us on social media and at family.msstate.edu. Make sure you mention #MSStateFamily when you make a post.