Mississippi College Sets Spring 2021 Calendar

Mississippi College’s Spring Break 2021 is canceled as another step to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, MC officials announced Friday.

It’s among the highlights of the new Spring semester calendar that is designed to keep the MC community safe. Spring classes will begin on January 19. Easter holidays are set for April 2-5.

Members of the university’s Spring Planning Task Force studied the best ways to continue on-campus operations safely. The Spring semester wraps up with exams April 28-May 5 followed by the May 7 commencement.

Cindy Melton, the task force co-chair, says delaying the start of the Spring term by one week gives students more time to isolate after the Christmas holidays before returning to campus.

Mississippi College will observe the Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a national holiday before Spring classes start January 19.

“Although the week of Spring Break will not be observed, a Spring Break Day will be included for students, faculty and staff to recharge,” says Melton, dean of the School of Education.

Melton co-chaired the task force with administrator Jonathan Ambrose. He serves as the associate vice president for the student experience and dean of students.

Other key dates: there will be staggered move-in days at residence halls January 13-16. Orientation/advising will be January 15 for new undergraduate students.

Schedules for MC Law and the physician assistant program will be announced at a later date.

Social work program director Laurie Lawson thanks colleagues for adjusting the university’s calendar and putting into place other health protocols during the pandemic.

“I’m grateful for the tireless efforts put forth by the entire MC family to keep us safe,” Lawson said. “A lot of planning and hard work has been put into place to keep us on campus.”

University officials continue to regularly make adjustments this fall.

Biology professor Erin Norcross, director of the Honors College, appreciates the efforts she’s seeing on the Clinton campus. “The MC family has done a tremendous job this semester following protocols and making necessary adjustments to keep us all healthy.”

From social distancing to frequent temperature checks, required mask-wearing and hand sanitizer stations all over campus, there is a long list of health protocols at Mississippi College.