Middle Tennessee State University recently graduated more than 2,500 students during three spring commencement ceremonies About 5,000 new freshmen and transfer students will be taking their place.

CUSTOMS new student orientation is already underway for transfer students and will begin in earnest later this week for incoming freshmen. About 3,000 new freshmen and their families will attend orientation through the end of July and there are six remaining one-day visits through Aug. 6 for transfers and their families.

Coordinated by the Office of New Student and Family Programs, CUSTOMS guides freshmen through the ropes of being an MTSU student and introduces them to the intellectual, cultural and social climate of the university.

To learn more about the orientation process and other dates, visit https://www.mtsu.edu/customs/.

New students and their families drive from all across Tennessee, the South and other neighboring states to attend CUSTOMS.

"Freshmen CUSTOMS is 1½ days jam-packed full of great information for both incoming students and their family members," said Lydia Cayton, coordinator in New Student and Family Programs.

"CUSTOMS attendees should be prepared to do a lot of walking around campus, so we recommend wearing comfortable clothing and shoes, as well as preparing ahead of time for any inclement weather that might be in the forecast," Cayton added.

Transfer CUSTOMS sessions only require a one-day visit to campus.

Cayton recommends those attending CUSTOMS should download the MTSU Mobile App beforehand "because we are utilizing the app much more heavily this year and all schedules, plus additional information for CUSTOMS will be available by clicking on the CUSTOMS icon on the app's home page," she said.

For freshmen, Deb Sells, vice president of Student Affairs and vice provost of Enrollment and Academic Services, will emphasize Convocation 2019 and the Summer Reading choice, the memoir "Educated" by Tara Westover, who will be the keynote speaker for the Saturday, Aug. 24, event.