For Mississippi students, planning for life after high school is one of the biggest steps they’ll take. And the guidance they receive from the educators who support them—counselors, CCR teachers, and career coaches—can make all the difference. Each tour is a full-day experience and includes transportation between campuses.
Why It Matters
The Sweet Magnolia Bus Tour was created to strengthen college and career advising by giving educators the chance to visit campuses, speak directly with academic leadership, and learn about programs designed to support student success. Rather than relying on brochures or assumptions about institutions, participants experience campuses up close, ask questions, compare pathways, and expand the range of postsecondary options they can confidently share with students. Who should join the tours: Mississippi educators, school counselors, CCR teachers, and career coaches.
Questions Answered Directly
“It’s hard to get a hold of a person on campus to even get your question answered. We’re always playing phone tag. I was able to ask many 1:1 questions that I would normally get put on hold for.”
2026 Tour Dates
September 22, 2026 | Register Today
University of Southern Mississippi
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
April 13, 2026
The University of Mississippi
Northwest Mississippi Community College
April 8, 2026
Mississippi College
Jackson State University
Jan. 27, 2026 – Postponed
University of Southern Mississippi
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
(Postponed due to weather and rescheduled for Sept 22)
More Than a Campus Visit
What sets a Sweet Magnolia Bus Tour apart is the depth of engagement it offers. Instead of a typical tour format, participants spend time meeting with faculty, program leaders, and student support teams to hear firsthand how programs are structured and what pathways look like from enrollment to completion. These conversations allow educators to understand not only what students can study, but how institutions support them along the way. Past participants report that the experience helped correct misconceptions about institutions, expand advising strategies, and strengthen connections across schools and postsecondary partners.
Just as importantly, educators learn from each other. Conversations on the bus, over lunch, and between campus sessions provide space to share strategies, compare challenges, and discuss new ideas—something many participants say they don’t often have time for during the school year.
Driving it Home
Educators leave not only with new information, but with context, confidence, and connections that strengthen the guidance they bring back to their schools and students. For many, the experience also reshapes assumptions about Mississippi’s higher education landscape. Seeing programs and facilities firsthand—especially those that may be unfamiliar—helps broaden what “college options” truly mean for the students they serve.
As one educator shared: “Doors that are normally closed on traditional visits [with students] were open to us on this tour. I really appreciate having a different viewpoint of each institution than is normally provided to us when we’re with students.”
The Sweet Magnolia Bus Tour is part of Woodward Hines Education Foundation’s (WHEF) ongoing work to increase postsecondary access and attainment in Mississippi by ensuring educators have the most accurate, up-to-date information to support students.
Because when educators see what’s possible, students do too.
If you have questions, please email training@get2college.org.