Parent Newsletter - July/August, 2023
July/August 2023
From the President
Dear Parents,
For more than half a century, many incoming Wheaton students have begun their college experience at HoneyRock, Wheaton’s leadership training center in the Wisconsin Northwoods. That’s where I am now, enjoying God’s beautiful creation with my children and grandchildren. I first came to HoneyRock at age 5, and Lisa came as a camper at age 9, so in many ways this is our second home.
Since its inception in 1951, HoneyRock has helped Wheaton students develop leadership skills through serving as summer residential staff for students from elementary school through high school. Over the last few weeks, I have enjoyed seeing our students sharpen their leadership gifts as they prepare for a full summer of service to others—ministry through relationships.
Forming lasting relationships with Christ at the center is essential to the mission of Wheaton College. Last month Wheaton’s Board of Trustees met at HoneyRock for their biennial retreat. Here newer Board members could see how HoneyRock is a vital aspect of a Wheaton education. Whether on the lakefront, in the woods, or meeting together to plan for Wheaton’s future, the Trustees tasted God’s goodness and were strengthened in their relationships—goals we prize for all our students.
In Christ's service,
Philip Ryken
President
Virtual Parent Town Hall
Do you have questions? President Ryken and his Senior Administrative Cabinet will host a Virtual Parent Town Hall on Thursday, September 7, 2023, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. CDT and you are warmly invited to attend.
You can ask questions during the event via Slido or submit questions ahead of time to parents@wheaton.edu. Watch your email for event links and Slido information coming later.
If you are not available to join us live, the session will be recorded and made available following the event.
First-Year Parents: An Important Note from the Registrar
The transition from high school to college is an adjustment for both parents and students. Many parents are accustomed to school portals that let them track their student’s daily assignments and grades. In college, however, the responsibility shifts to the students and many parents find this shift to be a stretching experience. Here are guidelines about student records:
- FERPA (the Federal Education Records Privacy Act) limits what information the College can share with the parents of an enrolled student. The College cannot share grades, attendance, or progress, change a student’s schedule, or give registration information to parents without the student’s express written permission. This permission is set up through an Authorization for Release of Information Students will get information about this form and its use during New Student Orientation.
- It doesn’t hurt to start getting in the practice of empowering your student to seek assistance from College personnel when they have questions or needs. Before they move to campus, you might start encouraging your student to navigate and contact the appropriate office whose staff can answer their questions directly.
- Students may invite parents to access certain portions of their record online (final grades, transcript, financial aid award, etc.) by completing the Proxy process in the Student Portal Banner Self-Service menu. This sharing allows parents to view student records online. The instructions for setting up proxy rights will be sent to new students in early August via their my.wheaton.edu email address.
Campus Housing for New and Returning Students
The Residence Life team is thrilled to welcome your student to campus in the fall!
New Student Arrival Times
Campus housing opens to new students when they arrive for the Passage experience that they selected. Specific times can be found here.
Continuing Student Arrival Times
Continuing students are invited to return to campus beginning on Sunday, August 20 through Tuesday, August 22, between the hours of 2pm and 5pm. Consideration for arrival without charge, prior to August 20, is given only to continuing students who are sponsored by a faculty or staff member and who are a required participant in activities which necessitate being on campus. Examples are fall athletes, student teachers, and members of student leadership teams.
All other early arrival requests will be subject to denial or a nightly charge. Approval will be considered, with a nightly charge, for students meeting these criteria:
- Students arriving early to begin a for-credit internship
- International students
- Significant travel hardship
Students requesting early arrival must submit their request here and questions may be directed to residence.life@wheaton.edu.
Check-In Process
- Students will first move into their residence hall, complete the check-in paperwork, give it to their RA, then head to the residence hall front desk to pick up their ID. IDs will only be available at the residence hall front desks for new students arriving August 8/9 and returning students on August 20. Students living in a campus apartment or house, or students arriving outside the three days mentioned above, should go to Public Safety during their specific check-in time to get their ID.
- Unpack and settle into housing.
Meal Plans
Meal plans begin with breakfast on Monday, August 21. If students arrive early and would like to eat in the dining hall prior to that date, they will need to pay for additional meals.
Students arriving early due of athletics or leadership training will receive early arrival meal plan information from their sponsoring departments.
Student Health Services
Student Health Services (SHS) provides primary care services to all students. Physicals, rapid bacterial/viral testing, allergy injection therapy, ADHD and mental health medication management are some of the many services offered. The Health & Wellness Fee charged to every degree-seeking undergraduate student at the start of each semester covers the cost of all provider visits at SHS and the Counseling Center. Graduate students can opt-in to the fee or pay per visit. F1 VISA holding students are not charged the fee as they are required to carry the insurance that covers visits at SHS. Any prescriptions, supplies, or lab work may incur additional costs that will be billed directly to the student account.
As a reminder to all new incoming students, all medical entrance paperwork was required to be completed by July 1st. Please reach out to Student Health Services at student.health.services@wheaton.edu with any questions or difficulty submitting paperwork.
Wheaton College strongly recommends that all students enroll in a health insurance plan with coverage in Wheaton. International F1 VISA students are enrolled, and their student accounts billed for accident and illness coverage through a partnership with LewerMark insurance; the LewerMark plan is optional for qualifying MK/TCK students. For any insurance related questions or concerns, please email health.insurance@wheaton.edu.
New Parents: Download the Wheaton Passage App
The Wheaton College Passage 2023 App is available via the Apple Store and Google. The app contains the most up-to-date information about Orientation so downloading it (no need to create a login) is the best way to stay informed. Please note: schedules in the app will localize to the time zone your phone is in and not local Wheaton time, unless you are in the Central Time Zone.
Campus Store
The Wheaton College Campus Store offers textbooks and much more. Learn more about what our Campus Store has to offer.
How to Pray for Wheaton in July and August
Every Tuesday morning this summer, a group of faculty and staff gather for campus prayer walks. Each walk focuses on a designated section of campus and the group prays over the area as they walk through the buildings and around the area. Chaplain Wilson invites parents to pray throughout the months of July and August using the Fifty-Nine Ways to Pray for Wheaton College This Summer, a list of prayer requests compiled from past prayer walks.
With thanks for your involvement and prayers,
The Wheaton College Parent Engagement Team
