Happy New Year, Spartan families! I hope you had a good, healthy winter break with your student and are ready to send them back to East Lansing rested and ready for a strong spring semester. We’ve missed them and are looking forward to their return!
Spring semester brings many opportunities for students at all points in their academic journey. The first opportunity is a week of observations and celebrations of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The university is closed Monday, Jan. 19, in observation of the anniversary of his birth, so classes are not in session and offices are closed. Residence halls are open, and dining hours can be found here.
We hear from students of all levels that jobs and internships can be hard to find. Career Services Network tries to make the search as convenient as possible for Spartans by providing career fairs and events for students. Encourage your student to attend as many as possible to gain important skills from resume and cover letter creation to interview skill building and negotiating job offers. They also offer summer job and internship fairs and career fairs by major. If your student isn’t sure where to start, send them to this web page for an abundance of resources!
Many students were pleased with the results of their academic efforts during fall semester, while others realized that perhaps some additional skills may help them achieve different results. If you have a Spartan who could learn or brush up on study skills and learning techniques, in-person Academic Success Workshops will begin later this month and are open to all students. Encourage your Spartan to use the resources available to them to make the most of their MSU academic experience!
Wherever your Spartan is and whatever they are doing, remind them to stay safe and free of illness (wash those hands!) for a strong 2026!
Take care,
Laurin
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Start Spring Semester with All the Tools!
Spring semester is here, and your Spartan has access to the tools they need for success! MSU IT offers a powerful lineup of tech resources, support, and training to help students thrive. Make sure your student knows where to turn by exploring everything available at tech.msu.edu.
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Student Accounts
Spring billing statements will be available Jan. 10 and due Feb. 1. All students and guests who have completed the guest registration process will be sent an email notice when the billing statement is available. Spring payment plans will also be available beginning Jan. 10. For a $40 enrollment fee, payment may be split into four installments due throughout the semester. Prior semester balances must be paid in full to enroll in the spring payment plan.
Paying by a 529 plan? Did you know that many 529 plan payments can be made directly through the student portal? Log in to student.msu.edu, select the Student Accounts tile, then click the Go to My Account button. Make a payment and select 529 plan as the payment method to see if your plan is supported. Supported plans include Michigan Education Savings Plan (MESP), MI 529 Advisor, Bright Start 529 (IL), CollegeChoice 529 (IN), CollegeAdvantage 529 (OH), and many more state-sponsored plans. Payments completed through the portal post to the student account immediately, saving you from having to initiate a withdrawal directly from your plan and watching for the payment to be applied later. A $10 service fee applies.
Refunds of excess financial aid will begin being issued Jan. 9. Make your student is signed up for direct deposit to ensure receipt of a refund as soon as possible.
IRS Form 1098-T will be available by Jan. 31. All students and registered guests will receive an email notification when their statement is available with instructions for retrieving the form. Check out our 1098-T FAQ website for more information.
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Returning to the Halls for Spring Semester
The residence halls will reopen for the spring semester Saturday, Jan. 10, and Service Centers will return to full operations Sunday, Jan. 11 at 8 a.m. If your student needs to arrive Friday, Jan. 9, they can apply for an early arrival in their My Housing account. There will be a one-night charge for an early arrival.
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2026-27 Housing Selection for Current First Year Students
Residence hall sign-up for current first-year students will take place later this semester. We will email students with more information regarding contracts and when they are due. Students will be able to choose their own space, and their roommate if they desire. An interest form will be available for students interested in a single room space, prior to the regular room selection process. Learn more at liveon.msu.edu.
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University Health and Wellbeing
Spartan Resilience Education: Informal Mindfulness: Learning mindfulness skills will help your student find a sense of balance in their life. This four-week virtual course will be held Mondays Jan. 12, Feb. 2, 9 and 16.
Winter Warm Up at MSU
Mondays and Wednesdays from Jan. 26–March 21, 5–6p.m., Bessey Hall Room 108
Students can join a free, twice-weekly 5K training session for the Blue Cross® Winter Warm Up. This 8-week program culminates with the goal 5k event in Lansing March 21. Participants will follow guided warm-ups before heading out to run and walk along the scenic River Trail. Register for the Blue Cross® Winter Warm Up.
STATE after DARK Returns for Spring Semester
STATE after DARK is back, inviting registered student organizations, campus departments, colleges and university-affiliated groups to apply to receive funding for a substance-free event. Each award provides up to $1,000 in funding per event to support substance-free programming during the spring semester. Apply for STATE after DARK funding by Jan. 28.
SPARTANfit Physical Fitness Services: Is your Spartan looking to start the new year with healthy habits? This program seeks to enhance student success and promote lifelong healthy habits. SPARTANfit provides inclusive physical activity opportunities, services, and resources, including comprehensive fitness assessments, functional movement screenings and more.
Spot the signs, start a conversation with a virtual mental health crisis training: As part of MSU’s commitment to prioritize the mental health of our campus community, University Health and Wellbeing (UHW) is offering an evidence-based, virtual, one-hour QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) mental health crisis training, now available in MSU’s Ability Training Compliance platform (My Menu -> My Requirements). Designed to help students recognize warning signs, offer hope and connect a friend or classmate in crisis to support, QPR is much like CPR, but for mental health. This recommended training will help build confidence in having open and compassion conversations with friends, roommates or classmates about their mental health. Learn more about virtual QPR, including where to find similar trainings for the greater Lansing community.
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Refuel Those Bank Accounts
Did your Spartan's spending get away from them this holiday break? Don't worry! We have student positions in residence halls, dining services, Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, the Breslin Center, and various administrative offices ready and waiting for their applications. Flexible hours, close to class and a built-in way to meet new friends this spring. They can apply with RHS at jobs.rhs.msu.edu or check out campus-wide opportunities on Handshake.
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Have You Read This Far?
Let's celebrate with another MSU Dairy Store single scoop coupon giveaway! Enter here by 11:59 p.m., Jan. 31 for a chance to win two coupons to enjoy a single scoop on us!
Congrats to Jennifer A., our December winner!
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Undergraduate Action Items
On a monthly basis, Undergraduate Education, Student Affairs, and Residential and Hospitality Services share an Action Item email to all undergraduate students. You can find this messaging here.
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Upcoming Events and Important Dates
January
10: Spring semester billing available
10: Residence and Dining halls open for spring semester
12: Spring semester classes begin
14: College Nights at Wharton: Back To The Future
16: Last day to add a full-session class for spring semester
19: MLK Jr. Day (university closed, residence halls and dining open)
23: Rec Fest, 7–10 p.m., IM West
28: Springticipation, 6:30–9:30 p.m., STEM Building
February
1: Initial spring semester payment due
5: Last day to drop a full-session class for a full refund
28–March 8: Spring break
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