In the fall of 2002, I walked out of Lee Hall with an envelope in my hand, hesitant to open it. Inside was the answer to a question that felt bigger than I could fully articulate at the time: Would I be a 2003 Orientation Leader? I only made it to the word “Congratulations” before I stopped and called my parents to share the news.
Growing up, I loved everything about Mississippi State. I always knew I wanted to serve the university during my time as a student. What I didn’t understand at the time was how profoundly that opportunity would shape me. Becoming an Orientation Leader as a freshman did more than give me a role on campus—it provided the foundation for the professional I would become.
Those who served as Orientation Leaders often remember the visible parts of the experience: classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; staff development on Tuesdays and Thursdays; early morning skit practices; secret pals; Candy Bar Fridays; and the ever-present flip charts. While those traditions built community, it was the less visible lessons that left the deepest impact. We were taught that being on time meant already being late, that listening required intention, that every student deserved to feel seen and valued, and that people may forget what you say but they will never forget how you made them feel.
At the time, I didn’t recognize these as foundational professional principles. I simply saw them as expectations of the role. Looking back, however, it is clear we were being trained in something much greater: the practice of intentionality. We were learning that meaningful work—whether in education, leadership or service—requires presence, empathy and consistency.
While the tools of the program have evolved—flip charts replaced by PowerPoint presentations, landline calls by text messages and social media—the core values have remained steadfast. They continue to shape each new generation of Orientation Leaders, just as they once shaped me.
Today, those same principles guide how I lead, serve and connect with others. What began as a moment of anticipation outside Lee Hall became a defining experience—one that not only influenced my time at Mississippi State but ultimately charted the course of my career.
A native of Cleveland, Naron Remillard is Mississippi State’s director of undergraduate student recruitment and marketing. During her time as a student, she was an MSU Diamond Girl, member of Delta Gamma Sorority and president of the Panhellenic Council, in addition to being an Orientation Leader. She earned a bachelor’s in communication, with an emphasis in public relations, in 2008 and served the university as an admissions counselor before assuming her current role in 2013.