First Year Experience
Upcoming Events
Join us Wednesdays, 3:30 to 4:00 p.m. at the Rec & Wellness Center for a casual walk around campus as we discuss finding success as first-year students.
| Macon | Cochran |
| February 4, 2026 | February 11, 2026 |
| February 18, 2026 | February 25, 2026 |
| March 4, 2026 | March 18, 2026 |
| April 1, 2026 | April 15, 2026 |
Welcome to Middle Georgia State University!
As your Director of First Year Experience, I am excited you’re here and proud to be part of the journey you’re about to begin.
Your first year is about discovering who you are, finding your people, and learning how to navigate college with confidence. You won’t have everything figured out on day one, and that’s okay. What matters is showing up, asking questions, and taking advantage of the opportunities around you.
Through programs like First Year Experience and Light Your Path, you’ll find support, resources, and experiences designed to help you succeed both in and out of the classroom. You belong here, and there is a community ready to support you every step of the way.
If you ever have questions, concerns, or just need help finding the right next step, don’t hesitate to reach out. I'm here for you, and I'd love to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Kimberly Leinberger
Director of First Year Experience
The First Year Experience at Middle Georgia State University is comprised of three parts:
- Knights Academy – An online series of quests with corresponding live events designed to teach students co-curricular skills such as success habits, productivity, and resilience.
- Knights Journey – An online series of quests designed to teach students character traits such as courage, humility, and generosity.
- Community Service & Engagement – Join the Knights Community Crew for opportunities to serve with fellow MGA Knights.
Students who complete the Knights Academy, Knights’s Journey, and participate in Community Service & Engagement can become a Distinguished Knight and set themselves apart from the crowd by demonstrating their high level of success and achievement.
First Year Resources is made up of several components that help to introduce students to the campus. They begin the moment a student steps into Orientation. The different components of the program are:
- The Orientation Session: Your Orientation Session is the beginning of your preparation time for your life on this campus. A collection of experts have built a program to help introduce you to the processes and resources that you'll need to thrive and succeed here on campus. This is an important first step in your transition to university life.
- Campus Resources: Middle Georgia State University is full of multiple resources to help its students become the people, academics, and professionals that they want to be. We have many services to help students study better, learn more, and stay healthy while they are here with us. These services work in tandem with the First Year Resources to ensure that our students stay at their happiest, healthiest, and best prepared for the challenges of college life.
- Academic Support: Middle Georgia State University provides ample Academic Support for its students free of charge! We work with Tutoring Services, Counseling and Accessibility Services Services, and all of the other services on campus. The First Year Resources connects together many resources to ensure that students have everything that they need to use their considerable intelligence to learn more and become the professionals that they want to be.
- Student Life: Our Student Life organizations range in focus from professional clubs, like the Nursing Club, Women in Aviation, and the Accounting Club, to social clubs that focus on community service and common interest. Our active Student Life office works to ensure that students have access to the other students, faculty, community groups, and professional associations to connect them with the people whom they need to meet and social activities for their leisure time. The program offers everything from athletics to arts, activities for young adults, and for families, as well as for returning and military college students.
The Middle Georgia State University mascot is the Knight. Historically, knights are brave, adventurous, noble, loyal, and educated. Many are very strong, others are very intelligent and adept at new technologies. Many are greatly committed to making the world a better place.
Middle Georgia State University students are no different, and they work very hard to reach their goals. We also know that while you are being brave, adventurous, and noble, you sometimes need more information to proceed. The university website has many resources to help students thrive, and they have all been collected into one place. Our goal is to help you reach yours. If you need anything, feel free to call that office and let them know what you need. We have many people ready to answer questions, find out information, and make sure that you have what you need to thrive in college, graduate, and begin your life.
For more information for current students, go to: www.mga.edu/students/ .
By starting their first year of college with a mindful approach, students build momentum that will push them toward their goals.
The Light Your Path at MGA initiative provides students with benchmarks that will lead them toward a successful first year at MGA.
Start Your First Year Experience
The First Year Experience at Middle Georgia State University is comprised of three parts:
Resources for New Students
Academic Resources
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Academic Calendar
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Student Success Center
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Mathematics Academic Resource Center (MARC)
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Writing Center
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Library
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Academic Advising
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Center for Career & Leadership Development
The Academic Calendar
The Academic Calendar is a necessary component of any student's immediate goal planning. It tells students when classes start, when the period begins and ends in which students can add or drop classes, when a class session ends, the withdrawal date (the last day to withdraw from classes), the end of the semester, finals week, and the final exam schedule. Students need to pay close attention to all of these dates as they can directly affect their semester, their GPA, and their academic future. Students should keep the link for this calendar close and know these dates.
The Student Success Center
The Student Success Center is a student's best stop for help in ANY subject. If students are starting to struggle in a class, or are confused by a homework, essay, or presentation assignment, they'll find help here. The Center has a number of workshops, videos, tutoring sessions, and tutoring centers to help with whatever you might be struggling to do well. Many of the tutors have been through the very same class that the student needs help with and can advise how best to study the material.
It is important for students to come and make an appointment as soon as they think about it. The earlier a tutor begins to work with students, the better students will do in their classes. For more information, visit:
The Mathematics Academic Resource Center
The MARC is MGA’s Mathematics Academic Resource Center. This center is equipped with computers, textbooks, whiteboards, calculators, and study notes to provide students with a space to study and receive tutoring. We offer free tutoring for students enrolled in Math 1000-2000 courses and Math 3700. Tutoring sessions can be in person or online, by appointment or walk-in. We have a Macon location in Math 104 and a Cochran location in Memorial 128. Summer locations may vary.
What makes us different from the SSC is that our tutors have close contact with the math faculty. This allows us to provide specialized tutoring for math students and makes us the primary resource for math tutoring! Visit our page at www.mga.edu/marc for more information.
The MGA Writing Center is a free service that provides one-on-one consultations to assist students with all types of writing. Our consultants provide feedback and use different strategies to help students improve their writing.
MGA Writing Centers are open for face-to-face and video-conferencing options in Macon and Cochran. Video conferences are available for the Dublin, Eastman, and Warner Robins campuses. For appointments and further information, please see www.mga.edu/WritingCenter.
The Library
The MGA Library partners will all students to provide reliable, research assistance for assignments, papers, and projects. Utilizing the resources of the MGA Library will help you succeed in your academic pursuits. In addition to personalized research assistance, the MGA Library provides students with access to our print and electronic collections, computers, printing services, and study rooms.
When approaching your MGA courses, the library's resources, including GALILEO, should be the first place you look for information. The MGA librarians are available to meet with you either in-person or online to help you find and evaluate possible sources. For more information about the library's services, locations, and hours, please visit the Library page.
Advising
The Advising process connects students with all of their academic planning needs. This will help students decide which courses to take, when to register, when to take which courses and in which order, how to get to graduation, and when to apply for graduation. A student’s advisor can also answer questions about required courses, which professors work best with which learning styles, which classes students might take over a Summer session, and how to balance a student schedule with work and home life.
- Find Your Advisor
- Academic Advising (General Information)
The Center for Career & Leadership Development has a team of career development advisors to assist you with pursuing your career path. Career Development Advisors are aligned with a specific School and send regular updates on events and career opportunities that may be of interest to you. We strongly recommend that all students consider completing an internship prior to graduation, even if your academic program does not require one.
- All students in good academic standing have access to the Knights@Work program, which will help you with the internship application process and provide you with a way to get recognition on your transcript if you obtain and complete an internship through the program. Knights@Work is designed to teach you how to conduct a professional career search and provide you with professional guidance while completing an internship.
- To get started on planning your career, we recommend using the Career Ready Toolkit to keep up with key career planning experiences that you should have while in college. As a new student, be sure to check out our career assessments, Handshake, and the Student Leadership Programs.
Support Resources
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Financial Aid
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Registrar
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Student Life
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Counseling Services
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Accessibility Services
Financial Aid
The Office of Financial Aid at Middle Georgia State University is committed to serving students at each of our campuses and MGA as a whole. While the necessary process may be long due to regulatory requirements, we are here to help and guide students and families into making sound financial choices for their students. The key to successfully processing aid is EARLY application and FOLLOW UP.
As many of the processes are not something MGA controls, it is necessary to get the application in as early as possible and begin working through the requirements.
PLEASE DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE SEMESTER BEGINS TO THINK ABOUT FINISHING YOUR FILE.
We encourage you to check your SWORDS account and your MGA email. Another resource to check is Campus Logic. Documents, including appeals, are uploaded to Campus Logic for our office to review. All information is reviewed and processed based on date order completed. You may contact us at 1.800.471.2800 or refer to the Ask MGA: FAQ page. Specific answers can be found at the Financial Aid FAQ page.
Financial Aid Offices across the state are promoting: Know More. Borrow Less. This initiative addresses student borrowing to ensure students only borrow what they need, rather than get deep into debt before graduation. Only borrow what you NEED. Excess debt may hinder your future success.
Many students have questions about how to access their grades, obtain transcripts, have their enrollment verified for insurance purposes, and understand university policies. The Registrar’s Office is responsible for such matters and will be happy to assist students in need.
Please visit the Ask MGA: FAQ page for answers to frequently asked questions about the Registrar’s Office or visit the Registrar’s Office page.
Student Life
MGA's Student Life Programs offer students diverse opportunities, activities and services which foster meaningful engagement outside the classroom. This is accomplished through our intentional programming efforts that include engagement opportunities in the areas of diversity, service learning, health/wellness, life skills, community building, and scholarship. Our goals it to make sure that there is always something to do around campus! Join in the fun, meet new people, and learn something new and exciting.
Students who are more engaged typically perform better academically and socially than students who are not. For these reasons, our Student Life department offers a number of social and professional organizations for you to join. As a member of an organization, you will have an opportunity to interact with like-minded individuals, serve in a leadership roles, and connect with faculty and staff outside of the classroom.
Counseling Services
The University understands that real life is complicated, and that adding college-level study to an already full life can be even more complicated. If students find themselves overwhelmed by their studies, have something bad happen to a loved one, have relationship trouble that they can’t think their way out of, or just need some help with stress management, counseling services can really help them. Counseling Services contact information is available at:
Accessibility Services
Not everyone learns at the same rate or the same way. Sometimes, though, students have difficulties that go beyond the abilities of an instructor or a tutor to work around and may need a sound recorder in the classroom, some extra time to read assignments or take exams, or some additional assistance based on a medical condition. If a student suspects that he or she may have a difficulty that could benefit from some additional accommodations, the student should contact the Office of Accessibility Services to learn about the documentation needed for these arrangements to be made.
Updated December 2025
