Parent Newsletter

From the President

Dear Parents,

Like some of you—but not all—I had the opportunity to spend quality time with my Wheatie during Spring Break.

My sophomore daughter Karoline and I spent part of the week in Florida. In addition to connecting with some of our generous donors—as well as varsity athletes and their families in Florida for a week of competition, team-building, and Christian service—we spent time walking on the beach, worshiping, playing golf, reading great books, going to Spring Training, and sharing good meals. Also, in Karoline’s case, sleeping in!

My hope for my daughter may have been the same hope that you had for your precious student this week: after a challenging winter, the kind of rest and renewal that set the stage for a fantastic finish to the school year.

I pray that you are able to find time for similar experiences in your own spiritual pilgrimage. Our Savior offers us the gift of rest, which we often find by stepping away from our regular routines and seeking after Him.

In Christ's service, 

Philip Ryken
President 

Commencement Weekend: May 10-11

Congratulations to the parents of our soon-to-be alumni of the Class of 2025!

We look forward to welcoming you to campus to celebrate this significant milestone in the life of your family. As you make plans to attend Commencement, please visit the Registrar’s Commencement Week Event Schedule and Undergraduate FAQs for helpful information. If you have additional questions, they can be directed to the Registrar’s Office at 630.752.5045 or commencement@wheaton.edu.

Bon Appetit will host a bountiful brunch between Baccalaureate and Commencement ($24.94 for adults; $12.58 for kids ages 3-7; graduating seniors are free.) Please see the reservation instructions and RSVP for the Commencement Brunch if you want to take advantage of this fabulous on-campus dining option.

Resources to Celebrate Your Graduate

Let the world know you are proud of your Wheaton student! Download a generic or customizable yard sign, send to your local print shop to be printed, and stake the sign in your yard to announce you will soon have a Wheaton graduate!

The Campus Store partners with Jostens for graduation-related items. If you are interested in graduation announcements or graduation rings, check out Jostens' Wheaton College Online Store. (Note: our Campus Store has a small box of premade graduation rings onsite if your student wants to see what they look like in person.) The Campus Store also carries Wheaton College diploma frames and Alumni logo shirts, mugs, license plate frames, and decals, most of which are available on the Official Wheaton College Campus Store Website as well.

CVC’s Internship Funding

There are only a few days left for your student to apply for the Center for Vocation and Career’s Internship Funding! If your student is completing an unpaid or underpaid internship this summer, encourage them to apply for funding here by March 19^th at 11:59pm.

Internships are critically important for your student to build their skills, develop a network, and test out an industry. Internships are such significant opportunities that the CVC offers funding to help make summer internships more affordable. Every year, we offer financial awards between $1,000-5,000 to students completing unpaid or underpaid internships. Questions? Encourage your student to contact our office at CVC@wheaton.edu.

If your student is a senior, make sure they know about our March Senior Series event, “Nothing Bundt Budgeting,” on March 25. Our guest presenters will give seniors tips on budgeting, savings, retirement, tithing, and more. Encourage your senior to register here.

WheatonGives: Support Your Wheatie!

Save the date for WheatonGives—April 9, 2025! WheatonGives, our annual giving day, is a day where family, friends, and alumni of the College show their belief in Wheaton and its students. Donors can give to the Wheaton Fund, Scholarships, Athletics, or Internships and, as a special bonus, there are many opportunities to immediately impact students. A gift offers the chance to nominate a current student (not a relative) to win a $5,000 scholarship or, for seniors, two extra graduation tickets. Even more, you can vote for one club and one athletic team to win up to $5,000 for their program. Mark your calendar for April 9!

Grounds of one of the Rafiki Villages

Symphonic Band to Tour Kenya and Tanzania

Eighteen band members and five alumni of the Wheaton College Symphonic Band will embark this May on an extraordinary missions and performance tour to Kenya and Tanzania . Partnering with the Rafiki Foundation, the band will use music as a bridge to engage with communities, serve others, and share the love of Christ.

Led by Dr. Brady McNeil, students will work closely with the Rafiki schools, which provide a classical Christian education while supporting orphans, widows, and training future teachers. Band members will spend their days in the classroom, engaging with local students and making music together.

In addition to their work at Rafiki, students will perform concerts in international schools and local churches, sharing their musical gifts with diverse audiences. This tour will also immerse them in traditional Tanzanian culture and music, deepening their appreciation for the region’s rich artistic heritage. Students will also have the opportunity to explore Kenya’s breathtaking landscapes and wildlife. We invite you to pray as they prepare for their travels from May 12 –2‍9, 20‍25.

Help Shape the Future of Wheaton

REFER A STUDENT TODAY!

Your student’s Wheaton experience is shaping the next generation. Now, you can help other students discover the lifelong friendships, spiritual growth, and academic excellence that Wheaton offers. Think of a high school student you know who would thrive here—Refer them today and help shape the future of Wheaton.

Summer Employment and College Credit at HoneyRock

Is your student still on the hunt for a great summer job? Would they benefit from experiential, hands-on leadership development? Your student is invited to join the summer staff team at HoneyRock! Summer staff can earn up to $2,200 while teaching and developing campers as cabin leaders, capturing memories on the media team, preparing meals in the kitchen, serving in retail at the camp store, working on construction projects, and leading activities like ceramics, crafts, waterskiing and more!

For those wanting to get ahead on coursework, students can kick off their summer by taking 1-2 courses that can complete most Christ at the Core general education requirements through Wheaton in the Northwoods (WIN). WIN is an intensive May-term program that takes place at HoneyRock. The program includes concentrated coursework, some pre and post-class work, connection with community, immersion in creation, and 1:1 interaction with exceptional Wheaton faculty. Share this information with your students for a life changing summer at HoneyRock!

Apply for Summer Staff and Learn more about WIN.

How to Pray for Wheaton in the Month of March

• Pray that faculty and students will return from spring break with renewed strength and that they will run and not grow weary as they enter the final months of the academic year and push towards the finish line. (Isaiah 40:29-31)
• Pray that students going through deep waters will know that God is with them always. (Isaiah 43:2)
• Pray that graduating seniors will experience God’s peace knowing the plans he has for them are for good and not for disaster. (Jeremiah 29:11)

The Wheaton College Parent Engagement Team