About

At Michigan State University, New Student Orientation (NSO) helps new students and family/caregiver(s) build a foundation for academic success and their transition to college.

We envision a collaborative and comprehensive MSU New Student Orientation experience that

• Connects incoming students to campus resources and engagement opportunities both in and outside of the classroom.
• Aligns with university student success initiatives to create seamless transition experiences through students’ first year at MSU.
• Efficiently uses campus resources and increases engagement/involvement of campus partners in NSO.
• Prepares students through engagement and advising to enroll in courses and design their academic plan for the first year at MSU.
• Educates and empowers family/caregiver(s) to be excellent resources for students. 

New Student Orientation (NSO) will welcome new students to our community while supporting their successful transition to and success at MSU through the following foundational values:

• Connection: at NSO, students will begin to develop meaningful and caring relationships, interdependence, and collaboration in forming a sense of belonging and community at MSU.
• Empowerment: NSO empowers students to take ownership of their learning through reflection, choice, and action to align their college experience with their personal and career goals.
• Engagement: NSO promotes the first stages of students’ deep engagement in their college experience to foster their academic, personal, and professional success. Students leave NSO feeling like the experience was worthwhile and meaningful, and that they were “seen and heard.”
• Exploration: At NSO, students have the opportunity to continue the process of discovery, of themselves, their academic and co-curricular interests, and their life’s purpose by engaging and connecting with resources in our community.
• Inclusion: NSO values an inclusive and equitable orientation process that supports students’ identities, works to dismantle barriers to access, and welcomes all students to the Spartan community.
• Innovation: Using innovative technologies and methods, NSO introduces students to the many tools with which they can create inventive, efficient, sustainable, and evolutionary ideas and solutions.