Since 1926, Mississippi State’s Orientation sessions have offered new Bulldogs a warm welcome. As MSU Orientation marks 100 years, an exhibit highlighting the program’s history is opening in the Colvard Student Union Art Gallery.
“It’s a special year to be able to look back over the past century. While times have changed, the main goals have remained constant—welcoming students, easing their anxieties as they enroll, assisting with their class schedules and providing helpful information,” said Director of Orientation and Events Jake Hartfield.
The “100 Years of Orientation at Mississippi State” exhibit, located on the Union’s second floor, is open throughout the summer. A come-and-go reception will be held May 29, 3:30-5 p.m., and Hartfield encouraged alumni, current and former administrators and everyone affiliated with the Orientation program, past or present, to mark the occasion and interact with current Orientation Leaders.
Students and their guests attending MSU Orientation sessions this summer also can view the exhibit, which includes photographs, pamphlets and even clothing items from past years. Orientation Leaders, or OLs as they are sometimes known, play a major role in hosting new students and their families, answering questions and shepherding students into university life.
Hartfield, who also served as an OL during his own student days at MSU, said the group has been a key part of setting the tone for Southern hospitality to newcomers since it formed in 1979.
“Each Orientation session is an all-hands-on-deck event. From our Orientation Leaders to our staff members, administrators and advisors, we want to roll out the maroon carpet for our new students, no matter if it’s the first or the last session. We want to ensure that everybody’s getting the same exciting, high-energy experience,” Hartfield said.
With over 5,000 incoming students attending summer Orientation, the program hosts more than 10,000 total, including parents and other guests, across approximately 15 sessions. MSU President Mark E. Keenum has attended Orientation throughout his tenure, and each event includes a variety of university speakers, panels, ice cream socials and the iconic MSU Orientation original skit, which pays homage each year to a distinctive part of student life.
“It takes a lot of energy and a servant’s heart to provide the best experience possible. We want to make sure our new students have the resources they need to feel they’re in good hands, prepared and that they made the right choice in choosing Mississippi State,” Hartfield said.
To further mark the 100-year milestone, university leaders are planning a fall tailgate for current and former Orientation Leaders, administrators and staff. The MSU Foundation also has an MSU Orientation Leaders Excellence Fund available at www.dda.msstate.edu/give-now?f=313024.