MC’s final summer orientation sessions help acclimate incoming students to campus

Student orientation leaders take incoming students on a tour of Mississippi College during a 2025 summer orientation session.

Incoming freshmen and transfer students at Mississippi College can familiarize themselves with their new “home” campus and meet their professors before classes officially begin this fall during MC’s last two-day orientation of the summer, set for Wednesday and Thursday, July 23 and 24.

Jonathan Ambrose, MC vice president for student experience and dean of students, said the Office of Student Engagement at MC offers a comprehensive session to help set the tone for success in the students’ collegiate journey.

“New students have an opportunity to meet their classmates, learn the MC campus and see what college life is all about,” Ambrose said. “They’re not just enrolling in classes – they’re becoming a valuable part of the MC family.”

MC orientation leaders and Admissions Office staff will greet the students and their parents as they check in for summer orientation at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday on Pedestrian Street. The newcomers will be guided to a fun, energetic welcoming session in Swor Auditorium, where they will hear from Ambrose. Attendees will then break into small groups across campus, where they will receive all the information a new student could need, from registering for classes to becoming involved in more than 50 campus organizations.

Each group will participate in a tour of the Clinton campus. Following the tour, representatives from the Offices of Student Engagement, Student Wellbeing, Residence Life, Public Safety, Mental Health Services, Christian Life, Student Success, and Career Development will provide a deeper understanding of the wealth of services that can help create a well-rounded educational experience.

A mainstay of summer orientation at MC is the Orientation Marketplace, an “opportunity fair” at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Alumni Hall. About two dozen organizations at MC – from the Student Government Association to Residence Life – and the surrounding community, including local churches and businesses, set up information tables and offer giveaways.

“The Orientation Marketplace is a great opportunity for new students and their guests to explore ways to get involved on campus,” Ambrose said.

After dinner, orientation leaders entertain the audience with a popular, satirical theatrical performance dubbed “Inside Scoop,” a mix of video presentations and live-action skits with information about campus life in relatable vignettes.

After breakfast, a morning worship session led by orientation leaders and other MC students kicks off Day Two, followed by the most anticipated aspect of orientation: class registration. Students and their parents will meet with academic advisors, departmental leaders and professors before selecting their first slate of classes at MC.

Summer orientation will close with an informal “Farewell Until Fall” gathering, where students will receive a keepsake to remind them that their university home will be ready for them to arrive in August.

Students who aren’t able to attend the last orientation of summer 2025 shouldn’t worry: registration for all new undergraduate students who did not pre-register at one of MC’s summer orientation sessions can register for fall classes on Friday, Aug. 15. New students may meet in the Alumni Hall lobby at 9 a.m. Freshmen and transfer registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. with student advising sessions to follow in the advisor’s office. Classes and labs for the fall 2025 semester will begin on Monday, Aug. 18.

For more information about summer orientation at MC, visit www.mc.edu/students/policies/events-activities/orientation.