Welcome, Griffons!

We are excited you are interested in being a part of an outstanding tradition at Missouri Western! Griffon Edge has become one of the most popular classes at the University— we can’t wait for you to join us!

Griffon Edge is a one-credit hour course that takes place before classes officially begin in the fall semester. It was created to give incoming freshmen students a head start, or an “edge,” on their Missouri Western experience. Your summer orientation experience is designed to prepare you to step foot on campus, but Griffon Edge is designed to help you soar. 

At Griffon Edge, you can expect to make meaningful connections with faculty and staff, become familiar with campus and learn how to find all of your classes, and most of all you’ll make connections with fellow Griffons that will last a lifetime.

What will I get out of Griffon Edge?

Connection to Campus:

Color Teams: Before Griffon Edge begins, all students will be assigned to one of 30+ color teams. You’ll receive communication from us in August with your assigned color team. Each color team is led by 1-2 student leaders called Griffon Edge Mentors. Your Griffon Edge Mentor will be your “go-to” person to answer questions and guide your way throughout Griffon Edge. Griffon Edge Mentors are a great resource to help you if you have questions throughout your first year on campus too!

Social Events: Making friends can be one of the most intimidating parts of starting college. Griffon Edge is here to help you make those connections before classes even begin. On top of the people you’ll meet in your color team, we will offer nightly social events where you can connect with even more Griffons.

Prepare for Classes:

Schedule Crawl: Nervous about finding your classes? We provide a one on one tour of your class schedule so there is no scrambling to find a classroom on your first day. 

Resources: At Griffon Orientation we introduced you to campus resources, at Griffon Edge you’ll get in-depth knowledge from staff and faculty about how to succeed in the classroom, how to get involved, and how to survive your first year. All of our sessions will give you practical knowledge that will help your thrive in your first year.

All incoming first-year students* are automatically signed up for Griffon Edge, UNV 131. To ensure you are signed up, check your academic schedule for Griffon Edge, UNV 131. If you are unable to participate for any reason, contact the Student Success and Academic Advising Center for assistance removing the course from your schedule.

*First-year students who are members of the Golden Griffon Marching Band are not enrolled in Griffon Edge due to the conflict with Marching Band Camp.