FALL WELCOME EVENTS: Saturday, August 24, 2024

GRADUATE SCHOOL RESOURCE FAIR: MSU UNION

All NEW and RETURNING Graduate & Professional Students are invited to attend the Graduate School’s Welcome &  Resource Fair on Saturday, August 24 from 10AM to NOON. COGS will be there!  More information here: https://grad.msu.edu/events/graduate-student-welcome-and-resource-fair 

SCAVENGER HUNT

COGS and The Graduate School are sponsoring a fun, fall welcome Scavenger Hunt – open now through August 30th! Participants will explore Michigan State University’s campus while searching for key landmarks and locations. Complete the checklist for a chance to win some swag and prizes from the MSU Graduate School and COGS!  Just have fun and get oriented to campus. Remote- friendly questions are also included!  Can’t get to all the locations, or not here on campus? No worries! Partial submissions will also be put in a random drawing pool to win prizes. Students can also log in multiple times to finish the hunt over time.  Participants must be graduate or professional students enrolled for the upcoming semester to win prizes.  (Not enrolled, but want to join the fun of exploration?  Feel free to download the scavenger hunt list pdf document on the webpage and have fun too!)

Scavenger Hunt Information Here

COGS FALL WELCOME CELEBRATION: MSU BENEFACTORS PLAZA, 12-3PM

Come celebrate new beginnings!  After the Graduate School Welcome & Resource Fair at the Union, make your way over to Benefactors Plaza (behind Chittenden Hall) for the COGS Fall Welcome Celebration. Join COGS, The Graduate School and other campus partners for an  in-person, outdoor afternoon of fun, friends, good food, games, music and more!  Coming from home? There’s plenty of close parking in ramp 6.  MORE PARKING INFO HERE: https://maps.msu.edu/interactive/ and here: Parking Office

map showing ramp 6 msu

Opportunities to Make New Friends!

Fall Welcome offers opportunities and activities to make new connections – with graduate and professional student peers, and the campus community. We hope you’ll make some new friends along the way!

We’ll have:

  • VIP guest speakers
  • Music and dancing courtesy of Impact Radio
  • Full array of fun lawn games & fun for the whole family
  • Caricature Artists
  • Face painting courtesy of Just for Fun Ink!
  • Campus Partners with fun activities and great information &  resources for students & families
  • Swing Dancing Demo  – Courtesy of MSU Swing Dance Society!
  • Scavenger Hunt Clues!
  • Sparty!
  • Capital Area Therapy Dogs
  • Special treats, fun surprises  & fantastic food
  • Prizes and giveaways

Fall welcome photo Fall Welcome 22 fall welcome with Sparty

 

Be sure to visit their tables/activity centers at the event:

  • BONUS: WIN PRIZES!! Get a COGS Buck during the event? Redeem at the registration area for a prize! Through the generosity of our wonderful East Lansing businesses and campus partners, we’ll have lots of great prizes and giveaways!

All graduate and professional students, friends and families are welcome to join us! It’s a great time to engage with your fellow graduate students and learn about your campus community!

ON-SITE REGISTRATION

This event is FREE for MSU Graduate & Professional Students and their guests/families! No advanced registration required.

Please be prepared to fill out quick on-site registration form to receive wristband for entry to event space. There will be QR-Coded signs that will link to the form. Please show submission page from device to receive wristband. All attending MSU Graduate & Professional Students and their guests must register (students can register their guests on one form).   COGS staff will be able help register those who are not able to use their device for this.  Must have registered and receive wristband to be eligible for prizes!

Thank you to our 2024 Sponsors!

We couldn’t do it without our MSU Community! Sponsor donations directly impact our graduate and professional students, because supporting student connections = student success! If your college or department is listed here, please spread the love!  We are lucky to have a community supporting Spartan Graduate & Professional students!  Want to make a donation? Contact office@cogs.msu.edu

The Graduate School

Office of Research & Innovation

Office of the Executive VP for Administration

Broad College of Business

Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS)

College of Arts & Letters

College of Education

College of Engineering

College of Human Medicine

College of Natural Science

College of Osteopathic Medicine

College of Social Science

College of Communication Arts & Sciences

Office of the Provost

Wharton Center for Performing Arts

Thank you to our Community Sponsors!

Insomnia Cookies

Groovy Donuts 

Douglas J Aveda Institute (Salon & Spa)

Marcos Pizza

Massage & Wellness Store, Med Spa and Center

NCG Cinema Lansing

Pizza House

Playmakers

Poke Fresh

Potbelly

Quark!

Skin Studio 211

Spare Time Entertainment

Wine & Canvas – Lansing

These area businesses have donated special treats, giveaway prizes or items to share with grad & professional students at the event. Thank you for being so welcoming! Email us at office@cogs.msu.edu if your business would like to participate as a sponsor for 2024!

University-wide Fall Welcome Events

Check out the Office of Spartan Experiences webpage for the full Fall Welcome 2024 schedule. There are tons of fun activities planned for ALL students to participate! It’s a great time to get to know your whole campus community.  Check it out here: MSU Fall Welcome Schedule

OISS: International Student Orientation – August 19-20. A reminder that events for TUESDAY, AUGUST 20th will begin with a campus tour at 11:00AM EST in People’s Park (located between the International Center and Red Cedar River — the grassy area with the big tent where we gathered yesterday). The tour will leave at 11:00AM exactly so arrive early! When you arrive find your Orientation Assistant (OA) (same one from yesterday).

INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENT OISS ORIENTATION SCHEDULE

Remember that you can find the full schedule of events, and other important information, on the OISS website: Fall 2024 International Student Orientation

Photos Tell a Story!

Check out photo albums from some of our recent Fall Welcome events. We’re grateful for the lasting connections we have made with students, including many students who volunteered to help make the events run smoothly!  Grad & professional students at MSU are just the BEST!

Memorable Moments from our 2019 Fall Welcome Cookout: