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 23, 2025 from 10AM to NOON. COGS will be there! More information here: https://grad.msu.edu/events/graduate-school-resource-fair
SCAVENGER HUNT
COGS and The Graduate School are sponsoring a fun, fall welcome Scavenger Hunt – DETAILS TBA! 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 TBA for 2025!
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
Opportunities to Make New Friends!
- VIP guest speakers
- Music and dancing courtesy of Impact Radio
- Full array of fun lawn games & fun for the whole family
- Caricature Artist
- 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!
- MSU Roundnet Club – come on out and play!
- Scavenger Hunt Clues!
- Sparty!
- Special treats, fun surprises & fantastic food
- Prizes and giveaways
Activity Tents – See what your campus community has to offer:
- MSU Library MakersSpace & Library Book Publishing
- Digital Scholarship Lab
- FRIB
- Abrams Planetarium
- MSU Bug House
- MSU Museum
- Broad Art Museum
- Student Organic Farm
- Rec Sports & Fitness
- Student-Parent Resource Center
- Graduate School
- GREAT Advisory Group
- Graduate Office of Wellbeing (GROW)
- Community Volunteers for International Programs (CVIP)
- MSU Swing Dance Society
- MSU Roundnet Club – demo/try out the game!
- 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 2025 University 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 us via email: office@cogs.msu.edu
Thank you to our 2024 Community Sponsors!
These area businesses donated special treats in 2024, 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 2025!
University-wide Fall Welcome Events
Check out the Office of Spartan Experiences webpage for the full schedule of Fall Welcome 2025 events. 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. Watch for updates here: 2025 MSU Fall Welcome
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 2025 International Student Orientation
SPARTICIPATION
This is the annual student org/involvement fair – a great place to find groups and opportunities to discover new adventures or connect with those who share your passions & interests. It’s not just for undergrads – there are plenty of graduate & professional student orgs represented as well! Stay tuned for updates here: Sparticipation 2025
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!
