JWU Family e-Newsletter
March 2024
SENIOR TOAST

If your student is graduating and you will be in town on the afternoon of Friday, May 3, please join us for Senior Toast from 3 - 5 pm in the Wildcat Center. Providence Campus President Marie Bernardo-Sousa, LP.D., '92 will lead a champagne toast in celebration of the Class of 2024. This is a wonderful opportunity for families and graduates to connect with each other as well as with faculty and staff in advance of the big day (Commencement on May 4). It is also a great photo opportunity, so please encourage your graduate to wear their cap & gown to the event.
 
Light hors d'oeuvres and refreshments will be served, including champagne for the toast (ID required; non-alcoholic options provided). Please RSVP for Senior Toast at the link below. (One RSVP per family – kindly check with your student before responding.)
Senior Week Tickets Still Available!
Senior Toast caps off Senior Week, a week of planned activities for graduating seniors including a catered hibachi dinner, a trip to Boston for a Red Sox game, and a Boston Harbor dinner cruise. Senior Week is ticketed, and a limited number are still available. Families who wish to purchase a Senior Week ticket for their graduate can do so here.
 
(Note: Tickets are not required for the Senior Toast, but we kindly ask that students register. This event is complimentary.)
CHECK OUT THE DEAN'S CORNER

Drawing on her prior experience in television journalism, including two years as a reporter with Providence's NBC affiliate WJAR Channel 10, JWU's manager of internal communications, Lynzi DeLuccia, is on a mission to help people discover more about our academic deans. In the Dean's Corner, a series of short videos, Lynzi interviews the deans and asks a variety of interesting, informative and fun questions.

Highlights in the Dean's Corner include conversations with

Take a few minutes to listen in, and keep an eye on the Dean's Corner for more upcoming conversations with the deans and assistant deans from each college, throughout the next academic year.
GRADUATE STUDIES FAIR

If graduate studies are in your Wildcat's future, encourage them to visit JWU's Graduate Studies College Fair, happening Tuesday, March 26, from 11 am - 3 pm, in the Bowen Center for Science & Innovation. At the fair, students can meet faculty from each of JWU's master's or doctoral programs, learn more about programs they're interested in, explore housing options, and talk with JWU staff from Admissions, Academic Advising and Financial Services.

For more information, contact JWU's director of graduate admissions, Teresa Mauk.
SPRING, SUMMER & FALL (FROM RESIDENTIAL LIFE)

Spring: The spring semester is flying by and before we know it, residence halls will close for the current academic year. Students must vacate their spring semester locations by Wednesday, May 1, at 12 pm. Please remind your student to plan accordingly for this move-out time to avoid additional fees.

If your student is local to campus or is planning a trip home before May 1, they should consider starting to bring some things from their room. Others should begin exploring storage options, as needed. Ultimately, everyone must be prepared to move out by May 1 at 12 pm.

NOTE: If your student lives in on-campus housing and is graduating/participating in Commencement on May 4, they have until Sunday, May 5, at 10 am to move out.
Additionally, current residents who are continuing to live on campus for the summer will move to their summer hall on Sunday, May 5.
 
Summer: Applications for summer housing will be emailed to students soon. If your Wildcat is planning to stay with us this summer, please remind them to watch for communications.

Fall: As a reminder, university policy requires current students to live on campus for two years. Housing applications for 2024-25 should have been submitted by now, and students will receive information soon about next steps in the process. We will also remind any who have not completed the application to get this important step done ASAP.

Please be aware of this on-campus living mandate and if it applies to your student, remind them not to sign a lease for off-campus housing/an apartment.
CAMPUS DINING NEWS

There's a lot happening in Campus Dining this month! One highlight is the opening of Willie's at Liberty Market, in the Friedman Center. It features flatbreads, salads and smoothies, and is open daily. See the graphic below for other March news from Campus Dining.

Next month, on April 22, we'll be getting meals from Bubbie’s Market that are Kosher for Passover. This is an alumni-owned business in Providence. Students should follow Campus Dining on jwuLink for more details.
FALL REGISTRATION STARTS SOON

Spring is officially here! And before you know it, students will be registering for the fall semester.

Fall classes are viewable in JWU's online system as of March 29. Registration is open to students based on their earned credits. This means that in most cases, current seniors who need additional classes register first, followed by juniors, then sophomores and first-years. The first group of students can register on Tuesday, April 2.

Academic Advisors are available to assist students in preparing for the next academic year. Advisors will be available on a drop-in basis once registration opens. Drop-ins are offered both in-person and via telephone through our virtual kiosk. There are also tutorial videos and other resources on jwuLink that can assist with registration questions.

How can you support your student?
Certain academic and financial holds prevent registration. Check in with your student to ensure they do not have any holds, so they can register without delays.
StAMP PROGRAM SEEKS PARTICIPANTS

Experiential Education & Career Services (EE&CS) and Alumni Relations are excited to work with a new cohort of students and alumni as part of our Student-Alumni Mentoring Program (StAMP). This program offers students a unique opportunity to connect with JWU alumni who share similar interests and professional aspirations. Mentees have exclusive access to a robust network of alumni who are eager to connect with them and share their wisdom and advice about life beyond JWU. The program provides an invaluable complement to their academic coursework and campus involvement.

Participants can expect to build a network of connections, gain access to a directory with over 10,000 JWU alumni, develop strategies to reach their goals through one-on-one guidance from an experienced professional, and attend an exclusive LinkedIn workshop including a professional headshot to elevate their online presence.

Wildcats interested in participating in the fall cohort should email Jenna Parker in EE&CS.
A FIRST FOR RHODE ISLAND

JWU ECO is pleased to share some exciting news: JWU has officially become an affiliate of the Bee Campus USA program, designed to marshal the strengths of educational campuses for the benefit of pollinators. JWU joins many other cities and campuses across the country united in improving their landscapes for pollinators. We are also the first in all of Rhode Island to become an affiliate of Bee Campus USA, making the Ocean State Bee Campus’s 47th state! Stay tuned for more updates on initiatives and collaborations regarding our new Bee Campus program.

JWU ECO has been very busy gearing up for April – the busiest time of year for us! Our annual Sustainability & Wellness Resource Fair will be held April 18, from 11:30 am - 2 pm, on the green space in front of the Wildcat Center. We also plan to participate in JWU’s Day of Service on Friday, April 19. 
HONORS PROGRAM HAPPENINGS

JWU Honors students have been busy the last several months. On December 1, they traveled to Boston and were riveted by Freedom Trail tour guide Thomas Paine, who shared many interesting facts about Boston’s revolutionary history. From the Granary Burying Ground to the Old North Church, students learned about the contributions of historic figures like John Hancock, Paul Revere, Phillis Wheatley, and Peter Salem, just to name a few. With free time, some took in the sites of Quincy Market, while others explored the Boston Common and surrounding area. Everyone saw The Embrace, a monument honoring Dr. Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King, which was unveiled in January 2023. The excursion was a welcome break before students buckled down to the business of final exams for the fall semester.

In February, the Honors Program hosted a “dinner and discussion” about Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winner, To Kill a Mockingbird, in anticipation of the stage play’s performance at the Providence Performing Art Center (PPAC). The following week, an excited group of students joined Humanities Professors Colleen Less and Desiree Schuler at PPAC to watch Aaron Sorkin’s stage adaptation of Lee’s work, led by veteran actor Richard Thomas.

More recently, right around midterms, Honors students had fun with a de-stress event where they made "stress balls" and played a rousing game of Jeopardy hosted by Professor Less. The topics? T-Swizzle, The Middle Years (Gen Z middle school trends), Another Election?, Are You JWU?, Marvel Mania, and Queen Bey. It was a close contest with three teams tying for first place. While only the top three teams took home prize baskets, everyone in attendance enjoyed tea and hot chocolate along with a smorgasbord of tasty baked goods. A shout out to JWU senior and Honors student, Sienna Snowden, for her hard work in getting the de-stress event off the ground.
COHM HOSTS TECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM

On February 21, JWU's College of Hospitality Management (COHM) hosted the 2024 Technology Symposium, an event focused on the future of technology in the hospitality industry. The event included classroom visits and a panel discussion featuring industry experts. They focused on four topics: artificial intelligence, point of sale advances, bar technology and analytics.

The panel discussion was well attended by students in Providence and also streamed to JWU's Charlotte Campus and remote classrooms. Overall, it was a successful and informative event for all who participated.
CELEBRATING WILDCAT LEAP

Accessibility Services is pleased to announce our first annual LEAP Spring Celebration, to be held on April 5. Wildcat LEAP is a fee-based learning program, launched in Fall 2020, that supports students who experience challenges in the area of executive function. LEAP students from past and present cohorts, their families, faculty, and staff are invited to join in this celebration. In addition to celebrating our first cohort of LEAP students, we look forward to celebrating many student LEAP volunteers who go above and beyond to support Wildcat LEAP. 

As we approach the last few weeks of the Spring semester, please encourage your student to regularly attend their classes. Attending class allows students to benefit from their professors' experiences and learn from their peers. It also helps students gain clarity on course assignments and insight into possible final exam questions. Let's work together to remind students of the value of showing up! Your student can learn more about effective ways to succeed by scheduling an appointment with their accessibility advisor via uSucceed. 
TALKING TO YOUNG ADULTS ABOUT SUBSTANCE USE

College and young adulthood in general are normal time periods for substance use experimentation. Knowing how and when to talk to your student about substance use is important. You can have a general conversation to normalize substance experimentation during this age or a more directed one when a change in behavior is noticed.

Approaching your student in a non-judgmental way is a great place to start. Avoid using blaming or shaming language as it usually isn’t received well and makes future conversations unlikely. You can provide observations about any changes in behavior and remind them you’re there for support if they need it. Be sure to leave open space in the conversation if they want to talk about what’s going on. Keep in mind they may not be ready to talk the first time the topic is brought up. Counseling Services is a great resource for families and students if they need help addressing substance use or have questions.

– Brooke O'Gara, LMHC, LCDP
Mark Your Calendars
JWU CALENDAR

March 29 / No classes and offices closed
April 24–25, 29–30 / Final exams
May 4 / Commencement

Visit the official University calendar for more important dates. Students should also pay attention to class-specific announcements shared by their faculty.
We Want To Hear From You!
JWU Parent & Family Relations serves as a liaison to parents and family members of incoming and current students through communication and programs. This monthly e-Newsletter helps you stay connected to your student as you journey with them through their JWU experience.