Parent Newsletter - June, 2020

From the President 

Dear Parents,

The challenges and anxieties presented by the global COVID-19 pandemic have been overtaken in recent days by the unbearable images of George Floyd fighting for breath and dying under the knee of the police, and the destruction that has ruined the means of material support for many in cities across our nation.

As we lament so much brokenness in our world, we also pray for health and healing, for an end to racial injustice and despair, and that the God who breathed life into us—and then breathed new life into us by his Spirit—will enable us to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with him.

Please pray for God’s protection and guidance for our campus community, especially for students who may have lost jobs or internships this summer due to COVID-19, had to forgo ministry trips, or lost opportunities to study abroad.

The Wheaton team is working very hard to prepare campus for your student next fall. With the psalmist we pray—with faith in our God—Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me (Psalm 142:7).

In Christ’s service,

Philip Ryken
President

Welcome New Parents!

Welcome to the Wheaton family, freshman and transfer student parents! The Parent Engagement team is here to support you as you help your student(s) transition to Wheaton this fall and throughout their time at Wheaton. We’re ready and raring to go!

One of the most important ways we support the parent community is through parent specific email communications, so it’s important we have your current email address. If your contact information has changed recently, please submit changes using the Update My Contact Information Form.

Another great way to stay informed is through the Wheaton College (IL) Parents 2020-21 Facebook Group where over 1,200 current parents exchange and receive information. Please consider joining this supportive online community.

Lastly, please visit wheaton.edu/parents to learn about Online Parent Orientation, Student Drop Off, and other ways to support your student.

Admissions

Greetings to all new parents! It’s been a privilege to walk alongside your families as your students make their way to Wheaton. A few helpful reminders and short-links to get you the information you’ll need for a good start:

• Keep on top of important details such as dates, deadlines, and forms for fall 2020 first-year and transfer students at wheaton.edu/checklist.
• Keep abreast of fall planning, academic key dates, and FAQs at wheaton.edu/fall2020.
• Learn about Academic Advising office coaching and resources at wheaton.edu/academicadvising.
• Students going on Wheaton Passage check for Passage Arrival and Move-in.
• Get your student ready for Orientation and find August drop off  information at wheaton.edu/orientation.

Wheaton Passage

Launch your student’s Wheaton College experience with friends, fun, and a jump start on credit!

By participating in one of Wheaton’s four Passage experiences, new students will quickly form friendships, connect with faculty, and capture a vision for life at Wheaton. Hear from fellow Wheaton parents Keith and Linda Ford as they reflect on their son’s experience:

“Passage played an invaluable role in supporting our son’s transition to Wheaton College. We could not have asked for a better orientation and welcome to the Wheaton College community. He is connected, energized, and feeling confident about his place on campus and within the college community, thanks in large part to the experiences with Passage.”

You can learn more and register at wheaton.edu/passage.

_{*In the event Wheaton Passage is cancelled due to COVID-19, all deposits and program fees will be returned.}

Campus Store

Wheaton Passage course materials are available for the upcoming fall program at the Campus Store. Summer term course materials are also available. Please visit Wheatonstore.com to order. Nationwide delivery options are available as is curbside pickup for local students or those staying on campus.

Provost's Office

Wheaton College launched an Academic Advising office in January 2020 to offer incoming students additional staff advising support in addition to their ongoing faculty advising. With this new office come three staff academic advisors:  Mandie Porick, James Kim, and Candyce Cabral. We invite students to visit our website as they plan for their time at Wheaton. Several resources including sample four year major academic plans (MAPs), a tutorial on how to use Degree Works (our online academic planning tool), Christ at the Core general education checklists, and registration information can be found there.

In early June, incoming first-year students and incoming transfer students received information in their Wheaton email about registration for Fall 2020. Transfer student registration starts June 10. First-year students begin registration the week of July 8. Please encourage your student to send all official transcripts to Wheaton’s Admissions office so the Academic Advisors may enter those credits into your student’s official record. Any Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate credits earned will also need to be shared with Wheaton. Our institution code with the College Board is 1905.

Also included in your student’s registration email is an invitation to join a virtual advising session where we will discuss Wheaton’s Christ at the Core general education requirements in depth and help students prepare for registration. Save the date: June 16 at 7:30 pm!

Student Financial Services

In order to remain flexible and provide the most accurate information, Student Financial Services has adjusted the cost and aid timeline for Fall 2020. Please review the information so you are aware of these changes. The Fall payment due date will be September 10 to accommodate these changes.

CARES Act relief for students.

The CARES Act created the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) which provides funds to higher education institutions like Wheaton College to grant emergency financial aid to students whose lives have been disrupted and have faced financial challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students that completed a FAFSA for the school year 2019-20 and were enrolled during the spring semester are eligible and received an email on June 5 that includes a link to a Self-certification Form to complete and submit online. Please have your student check their Wheaton email account for the subject line COVID-19 grants to students for this important opportunity for Federal funding.

For questions or concerns please email sfs@wheaton.edu or call 630.752.5700.

The Wheaton Fund: Your Gift by June 30 is Essential!

We celebrate your sons and daughters for braving one of the toughest semesters in recent history! As challenging as it was to transition to remote learning during the final quad of 2019-20, God’s grace abounded, and you joined students and faculty in rising to the occasion.

Our students met the challenge with resilience and adaptability that bears witness to the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

But we need your help! Please make a gift to the Wheaton Fund by June 30. The support of alumni, friends, and parents like you is essential given the coronavirus pandemic's enormous financial toll, including millions of dollars in lost revenue. Invest today so that Wheaton College will continue to bear fruit in your sons and daughters today—the young men and women who will lead the world through tomorrow's challenges.

Center for Vocation and Career: Coaches are here for you

The CVC team continues to reach out to the Class of 2020. We are finishing up calling every member of the class, checking in with them, asking how we can help, and offering prayer. Our recent graduates are answering like never before. Conversations have been tender and the Holy Spirit has been moving. It is a privilege to serve these young people.

In addition, each Monday our 2020 graduates receive an email featuring all sorts of jobs that come from a curated list of opportunities our team has pulled together. Many come from alumni who are hoping to hire Wheaton graduates. Some are positions where we have strong connections. Graduates can reach out to our team for introductions and we’re happy to help them connect!

We have a couple of learning opportunities for current students and graduates coming up in the next few weeks:

• Spill the Tea – This series of Instagram Live conversations will feature young alumni sharing their early career experiences and specifically the value of networking. Watch for these on June 17 and June 24 at noon @wheatoncvc.
• Inside Scoop – Hear directly from recruiters about hiring in the future—what will be different and what can our students expect? A must-attend for May 2020 grads and rising seniors. Dates are July 27, August 3 and August 10. Details are available on Handshake.

If your student just wants to connect with someone on our team, we host Virtual Drop-Ins daily from 9am-4:30pm. Come visit us!

How can you pray for Wheaton this month?

• Pray for the Lord’s wisdom and leading as President Ryken and senior administrators continue to lead Wheaton through challenging times.
• Pray for new students and their families as they prepare to join the Wheaton community this fall.
• Pray that God will infuse faculty and staff with creativity as they seek to teach and serve students in new adaptive ways due to COVID-19.

We are grateful for our parent community and thankful for your involvement and prayers,

The Wheaton College Parent Engagement team