Parent Newsletter - March, 2021

From the President

Dear Parents, 

As the global pandemic enters its second year, we are grateful for the end of winter, the melting of snow and ice. Students enjoyed “de-stress” activities this week, including a co-ed kickball tournament, therapy dogs, and food trucks offering varieties of ethnic cuisine.

I convene a 17-member COVID leadership team two or three mornings every week. We meet via Zoom to check in on every dimension of residential campus life as the pandemic takes its course. We review the current impact of the virus on our campus community, consider requests for changes to our COVID-safe policies, and coordinate communication. I remind my team that we are running a marathon, and we pray for perseverance.

Later this month our senior leadership team will cancel all regular meetings to rest and worship leading up to Good Friday and Easter. Thank you for your prayers for your students and for us, that we would live in the light of the cross and the empty tomb. 

In Christ’s service,

Philip Ryken
President 

Messages of Hope and Encouragement

As this difficult season continues, Alumni and Parent Engagement has invited four outstanding Wheaton College thought leaders to bring words of hope and encouragement to alumni and parents. The video speaking series, A Time for Everything: Encouragement from Wheaton Thought Leaders, will be emailed to all alumni and parents in the month of March. Everyone is invited to pull up a chair and listen.

Center for Vocation and Career’s Senior Series

Is your senior looking for a job? Are they ready to apply? Are they unsure of how to start, or maybe how to negotiate their offer? Landed or not, the CVC is ready to help! With graduation rapidly approaching, seniors will want to be ready when they find what appears to be the perfect job or a networking opportunity with someone who is connected to an open position.

Beginning mid-March, the CVC’s Senior Series will include:

• Resources to help seniors polish resumes, enhance their online presence, expand their network, and craft their elevator pitch, among others.
• Panel events featuring 2020 grads who will address how to navigate the job search in a challenging job market and later how to onboard in the midst of a pandemic.
• A workshop on budgeting, where every student will leave with their own budget already built.
• A career fair – we call it Rapid Recruiting – where your student can connect with 20+ employers from a wide range of industries. It’s a great chance for our students to develop their elevator pitch, explore some real opportunities, and maybe even land a job!

Seniors will receive information on all these resources in our weekly Monday email.

Commencement 2021

Unlike last year, when COVID-19 forced us to cancel Commencement altogether, we are very pleased to be planning a graduation ceremony for your student on campus and in person this May, pending public health guidance regarding COVID-19. The outdoor undergraduate ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m., Sunday, May 9, CDT. 

As of this juncture, given public health guidelines from the State of Illinois, parents and other family and friends will not be allowed to attend the in-person ceremony. You will, however, be able to watch the ceremony via livestream. We also hope to have a recording of the ceremony available online later that afternoon should you not be available to watch it in real time. 

A link to the livestream will be sent to you in the coming weeks. Thank you for your understanding.

With thanks for your involvement and prayers, 

The Wheaton College Parent Engagement team