Contact: Amy Cagle

STARKVILLE, Miss.—From Mississippi to Illinois, Texas to Washington, D.C., Mississippi State University alumni chapters and clubs across the nation will hold send-off parties to usher incoming freshmen and transfer students into the university for the first time.

More than 60 send-off parties are scheduled to take place July 14-31. This will be the 11th year of this MSU tradition, which brings together new students and their parents with current students and alumni chapter members.

“Send-off parties provide incoming freshmen and new transfer students with the opportunity to be welcomed into the Bulldog family by alumni and friends in their communities,” said Jeff Davis, executive director of the MSU Alumni Association. “These parties provide a unique experience for students to begin their transition into college life, bridging the gap between their local area and life at MSU.”

MSU currently has 135,000 living alumni and 101 alumni chapters and clubs. Send-off parties encourage this worldwide community of Bulldogs to join in celebration of future MSU students. During each gathering, representatives of MSU admissions and scholarships, as well as other campus offices, will be on hand to answer questions regarding university life and academics. Various MSU faculty and staff members also will be in attendance, along with MSU Alumni Association representatives.   

Kaylie Mitchell, a senior graphic design student from Pascagoula, attended the Jackson County send-off party the summer before her freshman year. She returns to that particular party annually because of a connection she cultivated there.

“I have the pleasure of painting custom cowbells used as door prizes each year, and I’m also invited to speak about student life and what it’s like to be a Bulldog. It all started from meeting the chairman of the Jackson County Alumni Association at my first send-off party,” Mitchell said.

Fellow MSU senior Ben Coggin is a Tupelo native majoring in mechanical engineering. He recalls meeting an MSU student at his own hometown send-off party who was “very excited to already be at State.” Through that send-off party experience, Coggin’s own enthusiasm for his future at MSU grew.

For a schedule of the 2016 send-off parties and their locations, visit alumni.msstate.edu/sendoff.

To learn more about MSU and its 138 years of excellence, follow the university at facebook.com/msstate, instagram.com/msstate, and twitter.com/msstate, or visit the website at msstate.edu.