Registration is Now Open for Sweet Magnolia Tours

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. 

That’s why Get2College is bringing back the Sweet Magnolia Bus Tour for Spring 2026: to help those working with students gain a deeper, firsthand understanding of the postsecondary opportunities available right here in Mississippi.

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, asking questions, comparing pathways, and expanding the range of postsecondary options they can confidently share with students.

More Than a Campus Visit

What sets Sweet Magnolia 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.

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.

By the end of the tour, 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.”

These conversations and campus experiences create a clearer, more accurate picture of the opportunities available across the state—and give educators language, insight, and examples they can use immediately with students and families.

Because when educators see what’s possible, students do too.

Registration Now Open

Space is limited and seats fill quickly.

If you’re ready to explore Mississippi’s colleges through a new lens, reserve your seat today.

Educators interested in participating in our first tour on January 27 can register at: https://calendly.com/get2college-training/sweetmagnoliatour_usm_mgccc

The January 2026 Sweet Magnolia College Bus Tour is currently full. Because cancellations do occur, openings may appear on the calendar. If no dates are available when you check, please email training@get2college.org, and we will add you to the waitlist.

Registration for the remaining dates will open the month before each tour date. 

Spring 2026 Tour Dates

📍 January 27 – Departing from Hattiesburg
University of Southern Mississippi
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

📍 April 8 – Departing from Jackson Get2College Center
Mississippi College
Jackson State University

📍 April 13 – Departing from Oxford
The University of Mississippi
Northwest Mississippi Community College

Each tour is a full-day experience and includes transportation between campuses.

Who Should Join

The Sweet Magnolia Bus Tour is open to:

• Mississippi educators
• School counselors
• CCR teachers
• Career coaches