Welcome Class of 2029!
Messina is Loyola's unique first-year program designed to help all incoming first-year commuter and residential students acclimate quickly and easily to social and academic life at Loyola.
Learn more about Messina's Program Design and Learning Outcomes
The Messina Course Pairing Survey
A main component of our program are our course pairings - one fall course and one spring course - organized by theme. The majority of these are core courses, which will count toward graduation regardless of your intended major. To help with selecting your course pairing, all members of the Class of 2029 should complete the Messina Course Pairing Survey. You will receive information about the survey in your student email, or you can access it through this website. The Course Pairing Survey will ask you about your academic interests and other relevant details, which will be used for the following purposes:
- Determining your Messina course pairing for the 2025-2026 academic year (for residential students, this will also determine your assigned residence hall)
- Assisting with your fall course registration and serving as a helpful starting point for your first meeting with your Messina advisor over the summer
You will have the option to either select 5-10 Messina course pairings that interest you or indicate that you would prefer the Messina office to choose a suitable course pairing based on your academic interests. Course Pairings by theme for the 2025-2026 academic year will be available in early May.
Messina Course Pairing Survey Link
Incoming first-year students may submit their responses using this link starting on Tuesday, May 13, 2025:To have an equal chance of receiving a preferred course pairing, students should submit this form prior to May 28, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. After this deadline, students should still submit the form in order to provide academic information relevant to advising.
- To begin the survey, you will need to enter your Loyola ID number.
- The complete list of Messina themes and course pairings can be found here. The survey will also provide links to individual course pairings.
- For more information, see our FAQ page for incoming first-year students, or view the video guide to completing the Messina Course Pairing Survey
Course Pairing Assignment Process
All students who completed the survey by Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. will have an equal chance of receiving a preferred Messina course pairing.
- Late submission: Students submitting preferences after May 28 will be placed in one of their preferences based on date and time of submission, as well as availability of the course.
- No submission: Students who were unable to complete the survey will be placed in a Messina pairing that complements their academic interests that were indicated on their Loyola application.
- Notification of Assignment: Students will receive information about their assigned course pairing by mid-late June, during Summer Orientation.
- Your Fall Schedule: During the month of June, the Academic Advising and Support Center (AASC) will pre-register students for some of their fall courses. From June 23-July 14, students will have the opportunity to meet virtually with their Messina advisor to finalize their fall schedule, discuss any changes, and address any remaining academic questions. Note that students can make changes to their fall schedules after meeting with their advisor through the end of the drop/add period (Sept 8, 2025).
Questions?
Please review our Frequently Asked Questions about Messina and the Course Pairing Survey.
You may also contact our office Monday-Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. if you have any questions regarding Messina.
Phone: 410-617-2669
Email: messina@loyola.edu
