Parent Newsletter - October, 2021

From the President

Dear Parents,

Singing in Chapel is more than a tradition at Wheaton—it’s a Kingdom calling. Music provides us with a range of expression and is a powerful way to focus corporately on God and all that He has done for us. Whether to express lament, repentance, joy, gratitude or praise, the role of music through musical instruments and the human voice helps to shape attitudes and create community.

With an improving public health landscape, we had hoped to sing “live” again in Chapel this fall. After a good beginning, the DuPage County COVID cases climbed once again, and for several weeks corporate singing was moved outside to Edman Plaza at the close of Chapel, or to the Quad.

Thanks once more to an improving public health picture, we have resumed singing together in Chapel—praise God. We all do better when we can sing together. The Psalmist knew this when he penned, “All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Thank you for your ongoing prayers for your student and for us as we live, learn, and sing together in community.

In Christ’s service,

Philip Ryken
President 

Family Weekend – November 5-6

Family Weekend is all about spending time with your student and doing the things they love to do. That might mean sipping a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Sam's while taking a walk across campus, or it might mean attending one of the many Family Weekend events. Regardless, we invite the whole family to join us on campus to spend time with your student and his or her friends.

Should restrictions in Illinois change in the coming weeks and require that we cancel or modify Family Weekend, parents will be notified as quickly as possible.

Zoom Parent Prayer Gathering

Will you pray with us? Join the first Zoom Parent Prayer Gathering of the year where you will have the opportunity to pray with other parents for the needs of the College and our students. These online gatherings will be held on Tuesday, October 26 from 7-8 p.m. in all U.S. time zones and registration is required. Registration will close Sunday, October 24 at midnight. Register now.

Alumni Association Student Scholarships

Every year, the Alumni Association Board of Directors awards merit scholarships to a select number of juniors for their senior year. Awardees are chosen based on their campus/community involvement, academic interests and achievements, spiritual growth and insights, and life beyond Wheaton. Applications are available online, so please encourage your junior to consider applying.

Taco Tuesdays

What are the secret ingredients to a successful career event? We like to think we’ve found the answer with our long-standing series called Taco Tuesdays: easy sign-ups, relevant content presented by familiar faces, and tasty food (you can’t go wrong with good food!).

On select Tuesdays throughout the school year, 30+ students will enjoy dinner and a discussion with young alumni who share their own story in launching a career in a particular industry or role.

Now in its sixth year, Taco Tuesdays will allow students to explore these career paths:

• Competitive Fellowships & Scholarships
• UX/UI (User Experience)
• DEI (Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion)
• Gap Years
• Account Executives & Business Development
• Church Ministry
• Side Hustles, Gigs, & Passion Projects
• Word Artists
• Hospitality
• Real Estate & Urban Development

Encourage your student to sign up for this popular program. No matter where they are in their discernment process, Taco Tuesday has all the right ingredients for students to learn the many avenues they might take to serve Christ and His Kingdom.

Preparing for Midterms

Midterms can be an especially stressful time for students as they prepare for exams and projects. Wheaton College has several support services and resources available to students:

• Learning & Accessibility Services (LAS) is available to provide general academic support to all students. Students can reach out and schedule an appointment for study strategies, time management skills, and academic accountability. LAS also coordinates accommodations for students with temporary or permanent disabilities, including mental health conditions, to enable equal access to academic programs and campus life.
• The Writing Center is here to help students with papers at any stage from pre-writing to final editing. Appointments are 30 minutes long and available to all students. The Writing Center website also has links to resources to help students be better writers. 
• Wheaton College’s Buswell Library has multiple services available to students including subject librarians, research guides, and searchable databases.

It is FAFSA Time!

The 2022-23 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now available. Parents and students will be providing 2020 income tax information.  Wheaton College recommends using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when completing the FAFSA which transfers tax data directly from the IRS.  Go to https://studentaid.ed.gov to file.

Illinois residents: Submit the FAFSA on or before December 1, 2021, to be considered for the Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant.

Review your student’s account.

2022 Spring Registration starts in early November. Account balances must be paid or covered through a payment plan before students can register for future terms, request transcripts, or receive diplomas.  Please make sure that all expected financial aid has disbursed. If expected aid has not disbursed (shows as Estimated Aid), have your student check for any outstanding financial aid requirements in their student portal.

Not getting the monthly eBill notices?  Students need to grant parent access to information related to their student accounts in their Student Billing and Payment Gateway Profile under Authorized Users. Parents will receive two automated emails with login information which will allow access to account activity, on-line payments, and payment plans.  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.

Year of the Arts, Faith, and Imagination

On September 24, we celebrated the completion of the Armerding Center for Music and the Arts and the kickoff of the Year of the Arts, Faith, and Imagination with concerts, tours, and dedications. To stay up to date on Year of the Arts events visit wheaton.edu/yearofthearts.

HoneyRock - Wheaton-Led Summer Camp for 1-12^th Graders

Wheaton’s HoneyRock Center for Leadership Development offers summer camp programs for 1^st through 12^th graders. Located in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, HoneyRock helps make space for Christ-centered friendships to form, build confidence, and help campers have fun. Last year’s camper parents reported the following from their camper’s experience:

• 100% grew in personal character
• 97% grew in engagement with daily activities
• 91% were able to better connect God’s word with their lives
• 96% made friends at HoneyRock
• 94% grew in their desire to spend time outdoors

HoneyRock high school summer camp programs are a great way to get introduced to the Wheaton College community. Explore summer camps for 1-12th graders.

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 College’s 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 Wheaton’s accelerated M.A. programs, hear from graduate school professors, meet admissions counselors, and connect with current students.

Explore the 12 accelerated M.A. programs.

Humanitarian Disaster Institute Offers 40% Discount to Parents

More than 500. That’s how many people have already enrolled in the Spiritual First Aid course launched last year by Wheaton College’s Humanitarian Disaster Institute.

Through readings, videos, and additional resources, the online Spiritual First Aid course helps lay people, church leaders, first responders, and others (e.g., teachers, chaplains, etc.) offer peer-to-peer spiritual and emotional support during COVID-19, disasters, and other challenging times.

Throughout the month of October, parents can use the coupon code below to get a special discount just for you! The course normally costs $99, but the code saves you $40. To take advantage of this special offer, click on the link below. Once you’re on the course’s platform, click on the “Enroll Now” button to access the Order Summary page. Then, enter the code in the “Add Coupon Code” box at the top of that page to bypass the payment section during the enrollment process.

SPIRITUAL FIRST AID CERTIFICATION COURSE

Use this coupon code: WHEATONPARENTS21

This offer is only being extended to the parents of current Wheaton College students, so it must not be shared with anyone who does not fit that description. Follow HDI on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn to learn about upcoming events sponsored by the Humanitarian Disaster Institute

How to Pray for Wheaton in October

• Pray that students will have an increased capacity and bandwidth to grasp all that they are learning in their classes and for effective time management skills to balance academic and co-curricular requirements.  
• Pray for students who are still trying to find a church community where they can grow and serve. 
• Pray that faculty and staff will have an abundance of wisdom so that good judgments can be made when guiding and helping others.   
• Pray for wisdom and discernment for those in leadership making decisions about how to navigate and lead our community through this pandemic.

With thanks for your involvement and prayers, 

The Wheaton College Parent Engagement Team