Adult Student Services Blog

Midsemester Updates

by

You have been hard at work in class and now, we are halfway through the semester and Spring Break is nearly here (March 15th-March 23rd)!  

Registration for Summer and Fall begins March 31. You can find your earliest registration time and your advisor on the Registration Status link in your My Missouri State Portal.  

You do not have to wait until your registration date to schedule an appointment with your advisor. Their schedules fill up quickly during registration, so schedule early and have a plan ready to go when it is time for you to register. Find your academic advising center or contact your advisor directly to get scheduled!  

 

Reminder

Beginning on March 25, 2025, a financial hold will be placed on accounts with a balance that is $1,000 or more. If the balance is $999 or lower the hold will not be placed on the account. This hold will prevent the student from registering for classes for future semesters.  

Review the update from Financial Services.

Important Dates

  • 3/15-3/23- Spring Break  
  • 3/26- Paws to the Polls- Springfield Public Schools School Board Candidate Panel  
  • 3/31- Deadline to have name listed in the Spring 2025 Commencement program  
  • 3/31- Summer and Fall registration sequence begins  

Keep up with MSU’s Academic Calendar for important semester dates and the Calendar of Events for more happenings on campus. 

As always, your Adult Student Services team is here to assist you in any way we can, so do not hesitate to reach out. Our booking links are always available online so you can schedule an appointment whenever you need us.   

Book your appintment with Jesica (Phone or Zoom)

Alpha Sigma Lambda Scholarship Available Now!

by

We are happy to share information about a scholarship opportunity for undergraduate adult students attending Missouri State University offered by Alpha Sigma Lambda. Alpha Sigma Lambda is a nationally recognized honor society for adult learners. The Alpha Sigma Lambda Scholarship award will be made to adult students in continuing higher education based on scholarship, leadership, the clarity and content of their personal statement, strength of recommendation and need. 

Funds will be disbursed to the student and made payable to the student and the university/college. Maximum award per individual will be determined each year. 

For the 2025-2026 Academic year, Alpha Sigma Lambda will award: 

  • Six (6) scholarships of $3000. 
  • Fourteen (14) scholarships of $2500. 
  • Three (3) scholarships of $2000. 

Qualification Criteria 

  • Adult students who are attending an institution that currently has an active Alpha Sigma Lambda chapter and who have achieved the following criteria 
    • Student does not have to be a member of the local Alpha Sigma Lambda chapter to apply
    • Missouri State University is an eligible institution 
  • 10% of the coursework completed toward an undergraduate degree program at your institution (not including transfer hours, assessment hours, CLEP credit, and the like and not including any course in which the student is currently enrolled. 
  • Achieved a grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale on all work taken at this institution (Missouri State University). 
  • Has a financial need for assistance to complete their degree. 
  • Graduate students are not eligible to apply. This scholarship opportunity is limited to undergraduate students.  

 

Students must submit their applications to the institutional chapter counselor, as only chapter counselors are authorized to send application packets after validating application materials.  Missouri State’s chapter counselor is Tara Bresee in Adult Student Services. 

Documents and Instructions for 2025-2026 Scholarship Applications 

Please read through the instructions on the application packet carefully and fully.

2025-2026 Applicant Scholarship Packet

2025-2026 Faculty Recommendation Form

Submit completed application packet to AdultStudentServices@MissouriState.edu. Faculty recommendation forms should also be submitted to AdultStudentServices@MissouriState.edu, as well. All application materials must be received no later than 5:00pm (central standard time) on Friday, April 4, 2025. Applications received after this time will not be submitted to the ASL Central Office for review. 

Adult Student Services will review applications and the top 2 applications will be sent to the Central Office for final consideration. Scholarship review guidelines are available on page 6 of the Applicant Scholarship Packet.

 

If you’re interested in joining Alpha Sigma Lambda at Missouri State University, please visit our website for more information. 

Good luck, Bears!

Welcome Back, Bears!

by

The spring semester is finally here!

We hope you had a restful break and are eager to jump into the spring with renewed energy. This article provides important dates and major updates for the spring semester.

Important Dates

  • 1/13/25-1/17/25: Full Semester and First Block Change of Schedule Period
  • 1/20/25: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no classes, offices closed)
  • 2/10/25: First Installment of My Payment Plan due
  • 2/17/25: Presidents’ Day (no classes, offices closed
  • 3/1/25: MSU Foundation Scholarship application for 2025-2026 academic year is due.
  • 3/6/25: First Block Classes end
  • 3/7/25: Mid-Semester/First Block Final Exams
  • 3/10/25: Second Block Classes Begin
    • 3/10/25-3/14/25: Second Block Change of Schedule
  • 3/10/25: Second Installment of My Payment Plan due
  • 3/31/25: Deadline to have name listed in Spring 2025 Commencement program
  • 3/31/25: Sequenced Registration begins for Summer and Fall 2025 terms
  • 4/4/25: Last day to Drop, Declare Pass/Not Pass or Audit for Full Semester courses
  • 4/10/25: Final installment of My Payment Plan due
  • 4/18/25-4/20/25: Spring Holiday (no classes, offices closed)
  • 4/21/25: Last day to Drop, Declare Pass/Not Pass or Audit for Second Block
  • 4/23/25: Non-sequenced Registration begins for Summer and Fall 2025
  • 5/1/25: Full Semester and Second Block classes end
  • 5/2/25: Study Day (no classes, offices open)
  • 5/3/25-5/8/25: Final Exam Period
  • 5/9/25: Spring Commencement

A full list of important dates is available via the Office of the Registrar’s Academic Calendar.

Don’t forget to have fun this semester! Check out the Calendar of Events for sport and music events, and more!

 

Update from Financial Services

Financial Services shared an important update via My Missouri State earlier this month. Beginning with registration for the Summer 2025 and Fall 2025 semesters, the University’s hold limit will decrease from $2,000 to $1,000. Students must have an account balance of less than $1,000 to register for the Summer 2025 and Fall 2025 semesters. This change will not affect the Spring 2025 registration.

Beginning on March 25, 2025, a financial hold will be placed on accounts with a balance that is $1,000 or more. If the balance is $999 or lower the hold will not be placed on the account. This hold will prevent the student from registering for classes or starting a new housing contract for future semesters.

New Hold Limit Timeline What This Means for YOU Action Required
Previous limit: $2,000

New limit: $1,000

 Takes effect: March 25, 2025
Affects registration for:
Summer 2025 semester
Fall 2025 semester
Does NOT affect Spring 2025 registration		 If your balance is $1,000 or more:

A financial hold will be placed on your account
You cannot register for future classes
You cannot start a new housing contract
If your balance is $999 or less:

No hold will be placed
You can register and proceed normally

 Keep your account balance below $1,000 to avoid registration and housing restrictions.

Upcoming Scholarship Deadlines

The Return to Learn Scholarship application deadline for the Spring semester is January 31, 2025. Each fall and spring semester, the Office of Adult Student Services awards a limited number of the “Return to Learn Scholarships” for undergraduate students 25 years of age or older. This scholarship will be awarded to degree-seeking adult undergraduate students entering college for the first time or returning after an absence of three years or longer who have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree. The scholarship is intended for adult students who exhibit outstanding potential for academic success at Missouri State University. The $1050 scholarship is applied to the recipient’s account over two semesters if all criteria have been met. Check out our website for additional eligibility criteria and to download the scholarship application.

The MSU Annual Scholarship application for the 2025-2026 academic year is due March 1, 2025. While not required to apply for MSU Foundation scholarships, all students who are able are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 1.

What else…

If you’re not already a part of our Brightspace Community page (Adult Student Services Community), reach out to Hannah Smith (HannahSmith@MissouriState.edu) to request access. The Adult Student Services Community page is a collection of information and resources for adult and nontraditional students that you can refer back to at any time. There are no assignments or grades involved. We’d love for you to join.

 

Welcome Back, Bears!

MSU 62 Course Highlight

by

Each fall and spring semester, Adult Student Services holds a registration event for eligible Missourians to register for a single class free of tuition. We’re pleased to share that for the Spring 2025 semester, MSU 62 registration will be held virtually on Thursday, January 9, 2025.

Of the many courses available to MSU 62 participants, two programs are asking you to consider their courses.

Religious Studies – REL 330, Judaism

The Languages, Cultures, and Religions Department is offering a course on Judaism (REL 330). What is Judaism? Is it a religion defined by beliefs and practices? Is it a culture based on values and traditions? Are Jews a national entity with a common history? Or are they an ethnic group?

This course introduces students to key aspects of Judaism, from ancient times to the early modern period and beyond. Judaism has appeared in many different forms throughout history and around the world. It has evolved by adapting both to past traditions and to changing present conditions, often influenced by local non-Jewish cultures. This course will explore Judaism through three main areas: history, religious practice, and texts. Students will learn about Jewish ideas on important topics like creation, law, chosenness, prophecy, exile, and redemption, as well as the  ongoing debates on these subjects.

The texts read will represent different ways Judaism has expressed its creativity, including religious law (halakhah), Biblical interpretation, philosophy, mysticism, and prayer and ritual. Studying Jewish rituals and practices will help students better understand Jewish history, theology, and texts, as rituals themselves combine these elements in Jewish life.

With a PhD in Jewish Thought, associate professor, Dr. Vadim Putzu leads this course in Judaism.  He mentions, “This is a course that might be of interest not just to people curious about different religions and cultures, but also to students who may want to learn more about alternative perspectives on the Bible and its interpretation as well as to those who want to dive into a lesser known aspect of local history.” In this course, students will have the opportunity to tour downtown Springfield to discover its early Jewish residents and businesses, visit the local Jewish cemetery , and attend services at Temple Israel in Rogersville. 

For the spring 2025 semester (1/13/25-5/8/25), the course will take place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11:15am-12:05pm in Strong Hall, room 450.

Students with questions may reach out to Dr. Putzu via email: VPutzu@MissouriState.edu.

 

Gerontology and Art and Design – GER 397, Intergenerational Artistic Expression

This course, first offered in Spring 2023, is an interdisciplinary offering between the Geronotology program and the Art and Design Department. Students can expect an inviting environment that welcomes the sharing of personal stories and connection through the assignments. The class allows for connection among traditional aged college students, nontraditional students, and senior community members through the creation of art. Watercolor and acrylics are ussed, although no prior artistic experience is needed. If you’re an artist, this class will help one look at the intuitive process through curiousity and wonder.  

With varied experience levels and artisitc mediums, peers will have the opportunity to learn from one another while engaging in both individual and collaborative projects. Students who have completed the course found it to be encouraging and an overall very positive experience.

This class is taught on Fridays (January 13-May 8, 2025) by Diane Denton in Brick City 3, room 117. Read more on the course from the Art + Design blog, debuted December 16, 2022.

Prior teaching experience from her program developed with Senior Age, “Young at Art–Diversity and Inclusion,” and a teaching certification from Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art has prepared Denton to lead this course. “We will create pieces based on what you love, what brings one joy and also look at the challenges that life can bring and how we can create from that space.   The class is limited to 15 students.  Both MSU62 and undergraduate students find the class empowering, a safe place to create and an opportunity to get to know their classmates.  It is thought-provoking.  We look at real life stories and create from those prompts,” Denton shares.

If you have any questions relating to the course, reach out to Ms. Diane Denton via email: dld72e@missouristate.edu.

 

Can I Take Other Classes?

While MSU 62 participants are not limited to these two options, we hope that you consider these two wonderful offerings among the many courses available at Missouri State University. To explore additional offerings, visit the Class Schedule Search.

You may filter by a variety of fields, although it is not necessary to enter any filtering criteria. We recommend the following fields:

  • Subject: if known
  • Campus: Springfield, MO
  • Modality: Traditional for seated courses, Internet-Other for online
  • Check the “Open Sections Only” box before clicking submit.

Read our blog for more helpful preparation information.

Registration for MSU 62 begins Thursday, January 9th at 9:00am on the MSU 62 website. The last day to submit registration forms is 2:00pm on Friday, January 17th.

Review MSU 62 Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions.

MSU 62 Coming Soon!

by

Each fall and spring semester, the Adult Student Services Office holds a registration event for eligible Missourians to register for a single class free of tuition. We’re pleased to share that for the Spring 2025 semester, MSU 62 registration will be held virtually on Thursday, January 9, 2025.

Weather in the Ozarks can hard to predict in the spring. In efforts to keep participants, volunteers, and staff safe we have decided to conduct registration 100% online.

Who can take a class?

Those eligible to participate in MSU 62 are:

  • A Missouri resident (living in the state of Missouri for 12 or more months)
  • Aged 62 or older
  • Nondegree-seeking student
  • Enrolling in either undergraduate or graduate courses (if postbaccalaureate)
  • Not able to apply this waiver to intersession, special courses, noncredit, or off-campus courses

Do I have to pay anything?

The MSU 62 fee waiver covers the cost of tuition and student service fees. However, students are still required to pay special course fees, required textbooks and course materials (including digital materials). Students are able to take classes online or in-person. If your class is taught in person, you will also be responsible for purchasing a parking permit.

How will I register?

At 9:00am on January 11th, a form will be posted to the MSU 62 website for you to submit. Shortly after you submit your form you will receive an email confirming that your form has been received and submitted. Forms are not processed automatically. These forms are manually reviewed and processed by our staff in the order that they are received; typically, you can expect an email confirming your admission and registration within 1-2 business days.

The online registration form will be available until 2:00pm on Friday, January 17th.

The form has three pages:

Page 1: MSU 62 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF GUIDELINES  Page 2: MSU 62 NONDEGREE-SEEKING COURSE ENROLLMENT FORM  Page 3: MSU 62 AUDIT REQUEST 
Strongly encouraged to review so that you understand the program guidelines and limitations. This is where you’ll provide general information about yourself and the specific course you’re looking to take. If you do not wish to receive academic credit (i.e., a grade) for your course and wish to take it leisurely, then you may complete this page to have for course audited.

If you wish to receive academic credit for the course, leave the text boxes blank and only sign the signature box at the bottom of the page.

What class can I take?

Registration is subject to seats available and completion of prerequisites. You can explore the course offerings through the online Class Schedule Search. You may filter by a variety of fields, although it is not necessary to enter any filtering criteria. We recommended including the following fields:

  • Subject: enter if known
    • Leaving blank will show all available subjects
  • Modality: Traditional for seated sections,  Internet-Other for online
  • Campus: Springfield, MO
  • Check the “Open Sections Only” box

The Religious Studies and Gerontology programs are asking you to consider two of their offerings this spring. Read more on our blog: MSU 62 Course Highlight.

We hope that you’ll take advantage of this wonderful opportunity!

Review Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any additional questions, please contact our office at AdultStudentServices@MissouriState.edu. 

We’re Moving (Again)!

by

The Park Central Office Building housed many Missouri State University offices over the years, and in March 2024, Adult Student Services was added to that list. While we have enjoyed our time in the PCOB, we are looking forward to moving a little closer to the excitement of the main campus.  

On October 11, 2024, our office will move into Clay Hall located on 744 E Cherry St, Springfield, MO 65807.  

This move is exciting for so many reasons, but permanent and accessible space has been a goal for our office since we moved remote in summer 2023. Jaime Ross, Director of Transfer Articulation and Nontraditional Student Services has this to say,

“We are looking forward to our move to Clay Hall. The Office of Adult Student Services is committed to providing advocacy, support, and resources to adult learners attending Missouri State University. This move will make that support more accessible and we are looking forward to utilizing the space to continue identifying and meeting the unique needs of the adult learner at MSU.”  

 

We are so excited for you to visit us in our new space, but we ask that during this transitional period, you continue to schedule appointments.  

Meet with Jesica via Zoom or Telephone

Meet with Jaime via Zoom or Telephone 

 

See you soon, Bears!  

Apply for the MSU Annual Scholarship Before It’s Too Late!

by

The MSU Annual Scholarship deadline has been extended to April 1, 2024.

 

Missouri State University offers nearly 1,000 donor-funded scholarships that students may apply for through one application: MSU Annual Scholarship Application. Donor funded scholarships are privately donated gifts to the University by individuals, groups, or companies. These scholarships are awarded to students based on a wide range of criteria including major, high school attended, outstanding academic achievement, leadership, and/or financial need. Search for Foundation Scholarships and review the eligibility criteria using the Scholarship Search.

 

There is still time to submit the MSU Annual Scholarship for scholarships being awarded in the 2024-2025 academic year. The deadline has been extended to April 1, 2024. To access and submit the application follow the steps below:

  1. Log into your My Missouri State account.
  2. Locate your “Financial Aid & Scholarships” card.
  3. Complete your Financial Aid e-Agree (if you have not already done so).
  4. Select the MSU Foundation Scholarships link to complete and submit your application.

If you have questions about a particular scholarship, please contact the MSU Foundation at FNDScholarships@MissouriState.edu or contact the Office of Financial Aid for more details.

 

Additional financial aid opportunities can be found through the links below:

Introducing ReUp Education

by

We would like to introduce a new initiative that will soon launch to help re-enroll Missouri State University stop-out students who haven’t enrolled at another institution or completed a degree. We have partnered with ReUp Education to engage our stop-out students.

ReUp Success Coaches will be performing active outreach to stop-out students from our institution to encourage them to return and complete their degree or credential. While the goal is to encourage undergraduate students to return to our institution, it is also possible that we will see some additional transfer student activity as well as a result of these efforts. These coaches provide personalized support designed to help adult learners thrive in higher education by:

  • Offering 1:1 conversations by phone, email, or text
  • Exploring educational and career goals and developing personalized plans
  • Connecting students with resources and support to take the next step in their return

As our students begin to re-engage with our university, they may refer to their ReUp Success Coach when working with you and your teams. Thus, we wanted you to be aware of these efforts before they begin.

We greatly appreciate your support and welcome any questions you may have regarding this pilot program. Please feel free to contact our office with any questions: AdultStudentServices@MissouriState.edu.

Thank you in advance for you assistance in welcoming our students back to Missouri State University!