Parent Newsletter - May, 2022

From the President

We rejoiced with graduates and their parents last weekend to experience once again an in-person Commencement at Edman Chapel, after a gap of three years due to COVID. Graduates received a stirring message and blessing from renowned evangelist Dr. Billy Kim, LittD ’92, Chairman of FEBC-Korea, and grandfather to graduating senior Isaac Kim.

Highlighting the weekend—which also included reunions of alumni who graduated 40-75 years ago—were brief and poignant reflections at Baccalaureate on faith and learning from Physics Major Genevieve Nelson, and English Major Evan Zhou. Their verbal acts of worship demonstrated how studying at Wheaton College deepened their understanding of God, their faith in His Son, Jesus, their love for others, and their sense of calling in the world.

Commencement 2022 was a joyful reminder of why Wheaton’s founder Jonathan Blanchard took the trouble of establishing a new college on the Illinois prairie 162 years ago. He believed that “God had need of Wheaton.” It is in understanding the world and our role and purpose through the lens of God’s Word that we find good news to share with the world.

In Christ’s service,

Philip Ryken
President 

Congratulations, Class of 2022!
Watch the full Baccalaureate and Undergraduate Commencement ceremonies.

Student and Faculty Awards

Numerous students and faculty were honored this year with special recognition during our Honors Convocation Chapel and in the Honors Convocation Program. These awards recognize students who have distinguished themselves academically; honor retiring faculty; and celebrate those who have earned promotion, or tenure, or received faculty awards. Congratulations to all!

Important Dates for 2022-2023

Classes Begin	August 24
Homecoming Weekend	October 7-8
Fall Break	October 15-19
Family Weekend	October 28-29
Thanksgiving Break	November 23-27
Christmas Break	Dec. 16-Jan. 8
Classes Begin	January 9
Spring Break	March 4-12
Commencement	May 7

Center for Vocation and Career Summer Ideas

Summer is a time for rest, fun, and yes – preparing for the future. Here are some ways your student can maximize their summer to keep learning and growing toward their future career goals.

• The most effective internships include three key components: thorough training, hands-on industry experience, and mentorship. If your student has an internship this summer, encourage them to reflect on what they are learning about the industry or company, what was helpful from their training (or what they wish had been different!), and who they could turn to with questions about their role. They can also schedule an appointment with their career coach to reflect on their internship from this summer.
• For students who need more short-term projects for this summer, the CVC has curated opportunities to focus on skill development:
• Parker Dewey connects students with great companies through paid micro-internships. Projects might include data analysis, website development, or report writing, all while connecting to future employers.

• Forage helps students build their employability while giving them a taste of what it is like to work at a world-leading company from the comfort of their home. Students gain real skills that top employers are looking for and receive a personalized certificate of completion that they can share on their resume and LinkedIn profile.
• LinkedIn Learning offers countless self-paced courses to brush up on technical skills and interpersonal skills alike. Wheaton offers these courses for free – just have your student log in with their Wheaton credentials.
• It’s never too early to start connecting with professionals in an industry of interest. Challenge your student to make a goal of networking with Wheaton alumni in roles that sound interesting to them. Students can reach out to alumni through the Wheaton in Network (WiN) platform or LinkedIn  to set up a career conversation and learn more about the day-to-day work in an industry they are exploring. Not sure how to get started? Encourage your student to check out this networking guide from the CVC or connect with their career coach.
• LinkedIn is a powerful networking tool, and summers can be a great time to focus on building a LinkedIn profile. The CVC created a helpful guide to creating an effective profile to help your student maximize their use of LinkedIn.
• Most importantly, encourage your student to rest! It has been a challenging year; taking time to rest and recover will set your student up to start next semester strong. We hope the summer provides time for you to reconnect with your students and create meaningful memories together.

Student Financial Services

2022/2023 Financial Aid Awards

Continuing student financial aid awarding for 2022/23 will begin after spring term grades have been posted.  Please make sure your student’s 2022/23 FAFSA has been filed and have them check their student portal and complete any outstanding financial aid requirements to avoid delays in receiving their award.  All required documents or forms should be scanned and uploaded using our Secure File Transfer. Emailing sensitive information is not recommended for security reasons. 

Please encourage your student to monitor his/her Wheaton email account over the summer! This is our main method of communication regarding missing or incomplete items that might be needed to complete their awards.  An email will be sent to students once awards are ready to view and accept in the student portal. 

Billing and Payment

Monthly statements will continue if there is a balance (amount due or a credit) or activity on your student’s account. Please log in and review their account for copy/print charges, possible room check-out fines, and other miscellaneous fees that may be posted over the next few weeks.  Additionally, please make sure your student has an Electronic Refund account set up in the Student Billing and Payment Gateway under their profile to expedite refunds of credit balances.  Students returning in the fall can leave credit balances in their accounts to be applied towards future charges. However, graduating students or students taking a gap semester should request a refund so we are not holding funds for non-enrolled students.

In late July, fall 2022 billing statements will be available online in the Billing and Payment Gateway with a due date of August 24, 2022 (first day of classes).  Students and their Authorized Users will receive an email when the bill is ready to view or print online. Fall payment plan enrollment will be opened when bills are issued. Wheaton College bills by semester, so payment plan participants must re-enroll each semester. 

Not receiving monthly e-bill notices? Students need to grant parents access to the Billing and Payment Gateway under their profile for Authorized Users. Students log in through their student portal, and once authorized, parents will receive two automated emails with login credentials which will allow access to account activity, on-line payments, and payment plans. This also gives our office permission to speak with parents about their student’s accounts. It is recommended that parents and students log in to the Billing and Payment Gateway at least once each month when the eBill notices are sent to review their accounts.  Authorized Users log in here. 

Please direct questions to Student Financial Services at sfs@wheaton.edu or 630-752-5700.

Summer Ministry Trips

Ministry and Evangelism is excited to send out over 50 students to seven different international ministry partners this summer! We are grateful for the commitment the students have made in preparing for these cross-cultural ministry opportunities. Would you consider praying for and/or financially supporting our students as they prepare to depart? Please click here if you would like to donate. Please pray that the students are filled with the love of Christ as they serve, learn, and partner with these organizations in the redemptive work of the Gospel!

Global Programs and Studies

Congratulations to the Class of 2022! Global Programs and Studies was pleased to journey with 328 students of the graduating class who participated in more than 60 different types of international and off-campus experiences. May the Lord continue to guide and direct the paths of the entire senior class.

This summer, over 200 students will engage in academics or service around the globe. Approximately 70 students will participate in international service and ministry trips sponsored by Ministry & Evangelism or Athletics and an additional 145 students will enroll in the following college-sponsored academic international programs:

• FPE Abroad: Nordic Countries International Study Program
• Graduate Ancient Israel Summer Program
• Tel Shimron Excavation
• Transformative Education in its European Context
• Wheaton in England
• Wheaton in the Holy Lands
• Wheaton in Spain
• International Internships and Research

This summer, many students will also prepare for significant time away from campus: 14 Human Needs & Global Resources interns will embark on their six-month experiences this summer & fall, and 37 students will participate in study abroad with Wheaton’s Semester in Jerusalem and other approved semester partner programs.

Summer Employment Opportunities at HoneyRock

HoneyRock is still hiring summer staff! Christ-centered community, meaningful work, a beautiful place—working or interning at HoneyRock makes for an incredible personal growth and an unforgettable summer. Internships are available for a wide variety of majors. Explore the opportunities at wheaton.edu/summerstaff.

Accelerated Master’s Degrees Offered by Wheaton College Graduate School

Wheaton offers 20+ graduate degrees and certificates, including 12 accelerated M.A. programs exclusively designed to help Wheaton undergraduates earn a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in just five years.

The best way for your student to discern whether one of Wheaton’s graduate programs is for them is to schedule a visit with admissions and our expert faculty mentors. During this visit, your student can learn about our accelerated M.A. programs, hear from graduate school professors, meet admissions counselors, and connect with current students.

Explore the 12 accelerated M.A. programs.

Ways to pray for Wheaton in the month of May

• For wisdom and discernment for seniors still discerning their next steps
• For students participating in ministry trips, traveling overseas, working summer jobs, or taking summer classes
• For incoming students preparing to attend Wheaton College in the fall
• For a safe, restful, and reflective summer break for students, faculty, and staff

With thanks for your involvement and prayers, 

The Wheaton College Parent Engagement Team