MSU President's Newspaper Column
July 10, 2021
Gearing up for a successful fall semester
It is super-exciting to look to the upcoming fall semester with some normalcy as the backdrop. Last year at this time, we were working intensely to prepare for an academic year that would involve safely delivering in-person on-campus courses and services in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the concerns related to the pandemic continue to be a factor, the situation has eased tremendously with the roll-out of vaccines across the country.
During the month of June, Mayville State was fortunate to host a number of new student orientation days, or Student Success Days as they are known on our campus. Last year, our only option was to offer Student Success Days in a virtual format. It was great to have our new Comets and their parents on campus this time around.
Student Success Days were held June 9, 11, and 16. Fifty-four students participated, as did 81 parents. A fourth Student Success Day for early birds was held in April, and there will be more of the same in August, one especially for football players, since they make up a large population group on our campus.
What happens during a Student Success Day?
At the School of Personal Service, getting to know people is important. One of the ways in which we help to facilitate this is our Speed Networking activity during Student Success Days. Faculty and staff join in the fun as a line or circle is formed. Student participants are given a minute to introduce themselves to a Mayville State employee and have a short conversation before moving on to the next, much like speed dating. Speed Networking is a great ice breaker with an even better purpose … to give future students an opportunity to get to know the people who will play an integral role for students as they work to earn a college degree.
Student Success Day participants work with our IT folks to get set up with logins so they can access their records, computer resources, and more. In addition, there is a time to go over laptop computer technology specifications and students will get an orientation to the Mayville State app which will help them stay connected as Comets.
An important part of the Student Success Day agenda is academic advising and registration. Students work with division chairs, faculty, staff, and academic advisors who help develop the best plans for pursing the classes and credits that lead to the ultimate goal … a college degree!
Representatives from Financial Aid and Mayville State’s Business Office visit with students about college finances and how to plan for success in the all-important financial component of attending college. Information about transitioning to college life is shared. Students are given ideas about how to prepare for arrival on campus and what they will need to know and bring. Mayville State’s student health nurse and student counselor lead a session on health and wellness.
There are lots of things for our future students to learn. Our goal is to help them get a jump-start during the Student Success Day activities. We are excited for their arrival on campus this fall and are happy that we can give them a chance to become more familiar with their college home and help them transition as new members of the Mayville State family.
While we cannot say with certainty how enrollment will shape up for the fall semester, all indicators show that we are on pace for pre-pandemic enrollment figures. This is a great accomplishment which is coming as the result of a great deal of hard work and creativity on the part of our faculty and staff. To move forward while dealing with the hurdles posed by COVID-19 is no small feat. During the pandemic, we learned just how much our students value the opportunity to be on campus for classes and services. We are grateful for all who worked hard to make that possible during the 2020-21 academic year, and we look forward to a great 2021-22 academic year.
It’s not too late to become a Comet in the fall semester of 2021! Contact our Office of Recruitment and Outreach at 701-788-4842 or go to www.mayvillestate.edu for more information. It’s always a great day to be a Comet!