Despite occurring every semester, graduation still requires planning not only for Missouri Southern, but for students as well.

The University seems to understand how stressful a time it can be for those awaiting graduation and has implemented several ways to aid future alumni.

Alumni Center

The Grad Expo is held every spring and fall semester in the Ralph Gray Alumni Center. This “one stop shop” is intended to put every department and resource a student would need for graduation in one place, according to Alumni Director Lee Pound.

“They can visit with the registrar, financial aid, graduate studies, The Foundation, a variety of groups, as well pick up their cap and gown,” Pound said.

The next Grad Expo will be held Feb. 25, 2013.

The entire process through the expo takes 10-15 minutes and students are encouraged to ask questions as they go to ensure they are prepared.

Career Services

With graduation forthcoming, the next stop is the job market and Missouri Southern’s Career Services office can provide skills to aid in landing that first or dream job.

“We really recommend students starting early, even as early as their freshman year, to be working on their career,” Career Services Director Nicole Brown said.

Career services offers several events throughout the semester to help students when they land in the job market, including “how to” lunches that cover how to find, get and keep a job.

“Recent graduates have a lot they can bring to the table,” she said. “That is where you can highlight relevant course work and experience you had in a class.”

Dates and times for Career Service events can be found on their website at mssu.edu/career.

Registrar

The process of graduation, in some ways, begins and ends in the registrar’s office. Students pick up the graduation application from the registrar and after that application has made its way around the campus and to all the required desks it ends up back where it started.

“We order the cap and gown on behalf of the student, assemble the commencement program and designate honors,” Cheryl Dobson, registrar, said.