Mississippi State University’s campus was bustling with activity as the Student Association and numerous other campus organizations set up tables and outreach stations across the YMCA Plaza last week. With daily events, Mississippi State’s Office of Student Affairs officially launched its annual Random Acts of Kindness Week, a tradition that has grown into one of the MSU’s most uplifting and community-building events.
Each year, Random Acts of Kindness Week serves as an opportunity to center kindness, compassion and connection among students, staff and faculty, reminding people of the importance of fostering a supportive campus environment. The week featured a series of activities designed to encourage students to give, receive and recognize kindness in its many forms.
Brock Turnipseed, the director of marketing and communications for Student Affairs, said the initiative offers students a dedicated time to practice intentional kindness throughout the campus community.
“We want to make sure that students are aware that not only do you be kind to others, but we want them to also be kind to themselves,” Turnipseed said.
The Office of Student Affairs partnered with the Office for Student Well-Being and other campus organizations to curate a full schedule of activities. The week officially began on Monday at the YMCA Plaza, where students gathered to participate in bracelet-making and enjoy temporary tattoos.
These simple, creative activities encouraged students to pause, unwind and interact with each other to start the week with positive energy. The hands-on experience created an inviting space for students to talk and build connections.
Tuesday’s activity continued the theme of thoughtfulness and appreciation. Students were invited to visit the Student Affairs table on the Plaza to write heartfelt letters to their professors. Through these letters, students expressed gratitude, acknowledged support or simply shared warm messages.
Students had the choice to deliver these handwritten messages personally or allow the Student Affairs staff to deliver them to the appropriate departments.
Pablo Gonzalez, a sophomore majoring in chemical engineering, took the opportunity to write to his Introduction to Religion professor. Gonzalez said the class was very impactful to him, thanks to his professor.
“Whenever I took her class, it was really like I felt at home. I really bonded with her, and she taught really well,” Gonzalez said.
Another student, Sahara Cooper, a freshman interior design major, used her letter to bring a little joy to her interior design professor, Tanaya Deshpande. With Mardi Gras festivities recently passing, Cooper said that her professor, who loves Mardi Gras, had not been able to attend the celebrations that year. To brighten her day, Cooper said she decided to share some Mardi Gras cheer through her message.
“We felt really bad, but you know, we wanted to give her a little bit of Mardi Gras spirit,” Cooper said.
As the week continued, additional events such as “Kindness for Your Mind,” hosted by the Office for Student Well-Being on Wednesday, and “Kindness Bingo,” moved to the Colvard Student Union on Thursday, encouraging students to engage in mindful self‑care and complete small acts of kindness. These activities blended fun with purpose, offering students opportunities to win prizes while strengthening MSU’s culture of positivity.
The week concluded on Friday with a block meal donation drive supporting the Dean of Students’ food security initiatives. Through the Block By Block program, students were encouraged to donate unused block meals to peers experiencing food insecurity.
Students can donate up to three block meals per semester through the Dean of Students website, making the program an accessible way to support fellow MSU students. Ending the week with charitable giving highlighted the purpose of the Random Acts of Kindness week message. Those involved sought to show that kindness can make a real difference in the lives of others.
Altogether, Random Acts of Kindness Week once again sought to inspire the MSU community to practice compassion, show appreciation and take care of one another. Through simple but powerful gestures, students and staff could remind each other that kindness has the power to strengthen the entire campus.
