Issue #4
The Crusader Update
The Student / Parent Relationship
Classes are officially underway! Some of your students have been on campus since mid-August due to their involvement in sports, band, or other extra-curricular activities. No doubt, you are wondering what they're doing, how they're getting along, and so forth. As a parent, you have been there from their first steps to their first college experience. This is a definitely a time of transition for both you and your student.You have already realized that one of the things that will change is the communication (and the nature of the communication) between you and your student. If your son/daughter is living on campus, you will not be able to see every part of his/her life. It is time to trust the instincts and positive values that you have instilled in him/her. Students who feel trusted by their parents have more self-confidence, can stand up for what he believes, knows she has support back home, and is better able to say "no" when the situation warrants.
Just because your student is away at college doesn't mean that he no longer needs you to be involved in his life. Communication between you and your student is still very important. In fact, his success depends on it. The key is communicating without being too intrusive. Here are some suggestions I found in a publication from PaperClip Communications:
- Don't make conversations feel like "quizzes."
- Instead of always focusing on grades, ask your student what he is learning in class. That takes the pressure off and allows him to share exciting information.
- If your student mentions a new person's name, just casually ask about that person ("So, Sam is a friend from...?") rather than drilling for details.
- Don't always ask where they were if they weren't in when you called.
- Ask what they're getting involved in and what interests them so far.
- Let them share their enthusiasm.
- Even in this electronic age of text messaging, e-mail, and blogs, 21st century students still get very excited about real mail that arrives in their post office boxes. Send notes.
Go Cru!
Steve
Date to Document
Monday, September 3 Labor Day - no classes and offices closes.
Crusader Contacts
All freshmen are enrolled in a course entitled Success in Academics. The instructor for your son/daughter's course will be his/her academic advisor until a major is chosen. These instructors also act as mentors and guides during the freshman year. Please don't hesitate to contact your student's advisor. Their contact information is listed below.Mrs. Becky Bradley
Director of Advising & Retention
(254) 295-4475
(800) 727-UMHB, ext. 4475
bbradley@umhb.edu
Mrs. Portia McKown
Assistant Director of Advising & Retention
(254) 295-4461
(800) 727-UMHB, ext. 4461
pmckown@umhb.edu
Mr. Roo Huggins
Freshman Counselor
(254) 295-5018
(800) 727-UMHB, ext. 5018
rhuggins@umhb.edu
Did you know?
Three-Fourths of the people in the United States over the age of 25 do not have a college degree; and yet 85% of jobs in today's workforce require high-level skills.