Traditions

Mississippi State's landscape has changed dramatically since the 1950s, but its sense of community hasn't. In the days when Highway 12 ran through the heart of campus, students gathered in front of the Union under an oak tree with a concrete bench circling it. Known as "the bullring," it was a place to meet friends, catch up on news, and be in the know.

The official school mascot is an American Kennel Club registered English Bulldog, given the inherited title of 'Bully'.

Developed in 1935 by the school administration, H. F.“Slim” Allen (for whom Allen Hall is named) and L. G. Balfour (then presidentof the L. G. Balfour Company), the official Mississippi State University classring is embedded in rich tradition dating back to the origin of the University.

The most unique and certainly the most resounding symbol of Mississippi State University tradition is the cowbell.

To launch the coming football season, the Cowbell Yell pep rally brings fans to Davis Wade Stadium as coaches, players, spirit groups, the Famous Maroon Band, and special guests work to pump up pre-game spirit.

A gathering and celebration of the Bulldog family centered around a home football game. Activities are organized by the Student Association, Alumni Association and Athletics.

Each spring, students, alumni and friends converge on the MSU campus for the university's spring homecoming. Super Bulldog weekend features a three game baseball series, alumni events, tailgating and more.

The MAFES Sales Store (also called the MSU Cheese Store) is a unit of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and is housed on the campus of Mississippi State University. The store exists as an outlet for the research and educational products produced by MAFES Research Support Unit Dairy Manufacturing Plant and by the Department of Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion.

Initiated in 2004, The Drill is a pep rally held to welcome new andreturning students to campus, as well as raise excitement about the upcoming athletic seasons. The official new academic year celebration is co-sponsored by the Alumni Association and the Student Association. This tradition has its roots in the military history of MSU and is an opportunity for returning Bulldogs and new additions to the MSU family to gather and celebrate all the spirit and excitement that is part of being a Bulldog.

Formerly a convergence of five often-congested streets (or points), this student-inspired concept got its name from the term "Malfunction” Junction; the informal name many gave the traffic crossroads. Anchored by Davis Wade Stadium, Barnes & Noble bookstore and the University Welcome Center, the Junction is the focal point of a pedestrian-friendly central campus and is a significant gathering place for students, alumni and visitors. The Junction is linked by paved walkways and green space to the university's other manicured "lawn," the historic Drill Field.