Loyola University Maryland

Messina

Frequently Asked Questions

Messina Participation

Messina Course Pairing Preference Registration

Messina and Student Housing

Messina Participation

Do I have to enroll in a First-Year Program?

Yes. All members of the Class of 2028 will enroll one Messina seminar course each semester of their first year at Loyola. 

Is my first choice of Messina course pairing guaranteed after registering?

No, the first choice of Messina course pairing is not guaranteed. The priority deadline to submit Messina course pairings preferences is May 31, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. All students who submit preferences by this deadline will have an equal chance of receiving a preferred Messina course pairing. You will be notified of  your Messina course pairing via e-mail. 

How will Messina course pairings affect my course load?

Messina is a full-year program in which students take one Messina course in the fall and one Messina course in the spring. You will typically take four non-Messina courses each semester. In addition, Messina students will participate in a 50 minute "Enrichment Session" with the Messina course faculty member, a Messina Mentor (a campus administrator) and your Evergreen (student orientation leader). Though this is extra time spent in class, the time will sometimes be devoted to off-campus class trips, discussions about first-year transition issues and other topics as they surface. Topics discussed in the enrichment sessions will be referenced throughout the course, and therefore, participation is required.

Will the same Messina students be in ALL of my fall semester classes?

No. Students will travel together as a class only to Messina seminar courses and enrichment sessions (1 course during fall semester and 1 course during spring semester).

Can I change my Messina course pairing during or after the course registration process? 

Yes, if seats remain in your desired course pairing.  Students may inquire with the Academic Advising and Support Center to discuss changes to their Messina course pairing. Please note that changes made after course registration will impact your ability to live in proximity to people in the same course pairing since housing placements are confirmed during the weeks immediately following summer orientation. 

Messina Course Pairing Preference Registration

I can’t log in to register for Messina.  My ID number is not working or I cannot find my ID number ... What do I do in order to register?

Students receive an email from Loyola's Office of Technology Services after submitting an enrollment deposit. The email, sent to your personal email on file, contains login information to access the Inside Loyola website. If you do not receive the email within 2 days after deposit, check your spam or junk folder.  If you are unable to find the email or access your account, please contact the Office of Technology Services Help Center by calling 410-617-5555, Monday-Thursday from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, or Friday from 7:30 am to noon. The Office of Technology Services will be closed on University Holidays.

If you have an ID number but cannot access the survey, contact the Messina Office at 410-617-2669 or messina@loyola.edu and we will assist you.

Which Messina course pairings should I choose given my intended major/interest?

Most Messina courses fulfill Core requirements, so choose classes that interest you! You are welcome to preference a course based on your intended major, core requirements (find out more about Core Curriculum Requirements) or an interest in a particular topic. Either way, Messina courses will help towards fulfilling graduation requirements. Next to the course title, look for the "C" for Core or "D" for Diversity indicating the requirement the course fulfills.  Some courses also include a service learning ("S") option. Service learning courses are not required, but are highly encouraged. 

How and when do I register for my non-Messina courses?

You will be registered for 3 or more of your fall courses by the Academic Advising Support Center (AASC) during the month of June based on the information provided in the Messina survey.  After you receive your partial course schedule in late June, you will have the opportunity to schedule a one-on-one meeting with your Messina faculty member/advisor or a member of  the AASC team to discuss your schedule and make any necessary changes. 

I am already in the Honors Program, do I still need to register for Messina? What about Sellinger Scholars or the Ignatian Scholars Program?

If you are already enrolled in the Loyola Honors Program, your Honors courses in the fall and spring semesters will serve as your Messina course pairing. Messina offers course pairings designed by Honors faculty members to fulfill the first-year Honors Human Drama sequence requirements.  Please complete the first section of the Messina Survey and select "yes" to the question, "Have you been accepted to the Loyola University Honors Program?"   This answer will direct you out of the survey before we ask questions about other Messina course pairing preferences.

Sellinger Scholars and Ignatian Scholars will be placed in Messina sections specially designed for those program cohorts.  Please complete the first section of the Messina Survey and select "yes" to the question, "Have you been accepted to the Sellinger Scholars/Ignatian Scholars Program?"   This answer will direct you out of the survey before we ask questions about other Messina course pairing preferences.

What happens if I want to change something in the Messina registration survey? Am I allowed to re-submit it?

Yes. If you would like to make a change to your preferences, you may resubmit your information before May 31, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. using the same survey link. We will use the latest submission of the survey as your preferences.

What happens if I find out that I received Advanced Placement credit for one of the Messina classes I am registered for?

Later in summer 2024, AASC will contact you if you receive credit for AP exams.   You will have the chance to contact AASC at 410-617-5050 to rearrange your course schedule.  If necessary, AASC will switch your Messina course pairing if you have received credit for one or both classes in the pairing you are registered to take. We will do our best to provide an option for one of other course pairing preferences.

Messina and Student Housing

Where do first-year students live?

Students enrolled in Messina will live in traditional-style buildings (Thea Bowman, Hammerman, Butler and Hopkins Court) and apartments (Campion Tower). Students do not select the actual building they live in. For more information about housing options and selection, visit the Residence Life and Housing web page.

If I want to participate in particular Messina theme or course pairing, can I live with a student who wants to participate in another theme or course pairing?

By designating Messina themes for each first-year residence hall, Messina provides students the opportunity to live in proximity to—but not necessarily in the same room or on the same floor with—other students in your Messina courses. In general, Loyola does not encourage students to select a roommate, unless the students know one another well before coming to Loyola. Students who identify a roommate before submitting Messina course pairing preferences should first consider selecting courses within the same Messina theme. When necessary, mutual roommate requests will allow students to live with students in another Messina theme.  

Can I request a roommate if I am in the Honors, Sellinger Scholars, or Ignatius Scholar Program?

Yes, students enrolled in the Honors Program, Sellinger Scholars,  and Ignatius Scholars Program may request a roommate and should be prepared to specify the name of a particular student they want to live with on the Housing Survey that they complete during Summer Orientation.

A group of students posing for a photo, with the harbor and Baltimore skyline in the background
Advising and Support

Evergreens: Your personal guides to life at Loyola

Loyola student leaders support and guide students through their first-year experience.

We are a green office logo