Welcome Message
Welcome from President
Hello, new and returning Spartans!
There’s nothing like the excitement of a university campus, animated with the promise of growth, friendships and accomplishment. So, welcome to your 2025-26 academic year at Michigan State!
Make the most of your opportunities here by engaging in this transformative university community. You might never enjoy such a variety of options again, so be bold and curious — it can change your life and, not incidentally, maximize your investment in yourself.
Have fun and build relationships through our wide array of registered student organizations. Explore our wealth of academic programs, led by our world-class faculty. Learn by doing through local service-learning opportunities, internships, directed research and education abroad. Experience the excitement of Spartan athletics, the embrace of cultural activities and the beauty that the arts can offer.
We are making every effort to ensure your academic experience is relevant as you prepare for careers and to face the challenges of the future. Faculty members deeply embedded in their disciplines and industries, employer partners sharing up-to-date knowledge with our colleges, and alums who’ve walked the paths you now walk inform our degree programs.
And know that you needn’t walk alone. If you need help — from academics to physical or mental health — this handbook and other resources are available for you to access before issues become problems. Above all, be safe and consider the well-being of others. A caring community is a safe community where all can thrive.
I want to close with a word about civil discourse across differences. At this crossroads of scholars from different backgrounds and experiences, what I ask of every Spartan — starting with myself — is to practice empathy and intellectual humility. This means listening actively, responding thoughtfully and debating respectfully. Understand that disagreement need not equate to disrespect.
Here, you share the Spartan experience with half a million graduates living across Michigan and around the world. I join them in welcoming you to this special place on the banks of the Red Cedar River. And I look forward to meeting you on campus, so feel free to say hello when you see me.
Go Green!
Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D.
(pronounced GUS-ka-wits)
President
Professor, Department of Kinesiology
Fall Welcome Website Message from the Provost
Dear Spartans,
Welcome to the 2025-26 academic year! We’re so glad you’ve chosen Michigan State University, and we are excited to welcome you this fall.
The collaborative and coordinated work across the Office of the Provost includes a network of academic resources and services to foster your academic success – and the success of our entire community of scholars. This work takes place in each of our colleges, and in a broad range of offices across the university that support the operational side of MSU’s academic mission. Together and individually, we are here for you. I encourage you to reach out for guidance from any of us, at any time, at provost@msu.edu.
As you prepare for the start of fall semester, be sure to explore all of the helpful information available on this Fall Welcome website. From resources for incoming students to the schedule of Fall Welcome Events, it’s your one-stop web presence for navigating the start of the academic year. Be sure to bookmark the site now and reference it often to get the most out of the start of the semester.
Best wishes as you begin your studies this fall, and as you learn throughout the year.
Go Green!
Laura Lee McIntyre, Ph.D.
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
