Parent Newsletter - June, 2023

From the President

Dear Parents,

In late May I spent a week in South Korea, visiting partner universities and preaching in several large, thriving churches where Wheaton alumni and current students are engaged in kingdom work. I was encouraged to witness the vitality of Christian faith and witness in Korea, especially in this 50^th anniversary year of the 1973 Billy Graham Crusade that brought revival and changed the trajectory of that nation.

Dr. Billy Kim, our Korean host who serves as Chairman of FEBC-Korea, received an honorary degree from Wheaton in 1992. He was Dr. Graham’s interpreter in 1973 at the historic 5-day Crusade in Seoul that drew over 3 million people. Dr. Kim faithfully continues to strengthen the church in Korea and broadcast the gospel throughout Southeast Asia and beyond.

Photo: Dr. Billy Kim interpreting for Dr. Billy Graham during the 1973 Crusade in Seoul, South Korea. 

I pray that you and your student will enjoy the reviving work of the Holy Spirit in your own lives during the upcoming weeks and months of summer.

In Christ's service,

Philip Ryken
President 

Welcome, New Parents!

If this is the first time you are receiving this newsletter, that means you are officially a Wheaton parent. Welcome to the Wheaton family!

Throughout the year, the Parent Engagement team works to keep you well informed and one way is through this monthly e-newsletter. Each issue contains important information pertaining to your student’s Wheaton experience, so we encourage you to read the newsletter in its entirety.

We look forward to meeting new parents on campus at the beginning of Wheaton Passage in August. We will send pertinent information about Wheaton Passage via email, so keep an eye on your inbox, but in the meantime, familiarize yourself with the parent website and the Passage Schedule. For those who like to plan ahead, make note of future dates.

We are here to support you as you launch your student at Wheaton. It’s an exciting time and we can’t wait to see you on campus!

Update Your Contact Information

Returning parents, we want to be sure our information reaches you, so if any of your contact information has changed, please complete the update your contact information form. Thank you! 

 

Passage: The Orientation Program of Wheaton College

Wheaton College will welcome the class of 2027 through Wheaton’s dynamic orientation program called Passage. Passage is a comprehensive orientation experience that uses off-site learning trips to help new students build relationships with each other, as well as with upper-class leaders and faculty. Passage introduces spiritual formation, academics, and Christian community for all incoming students.

What Students Can Expect

New students are welcomed, with their family members, to begin orientation on campus where student leaders, staff, and faculty members extend a warm Wheaton welcome on move-in day. While on campus, students and their families can get acquainted with the College. After move-in and opening activities, students will depart to their off-site location at the HoneyRock Center for Leadership Development, downtown Chicago, or the pristine North Shore of Lake Superior. These off-site portions of Passage emphasize connecting in small groups before building to larger group activities and this process allows new students to start small, building up to forming an identity with their larger, incoming class as Passage progresses. New students then return to campus to participate in New Student Worship, academic and residence hall introductions and rest up before classes begin a few days later.

Passage’s design invites students into new connections. It aims to provide a compelling option for every new student coming to Wheaton. For those families who have further questions, please consult the Passage website or reach out to Passage@wheaton.edu. Wheaton's Learning and Accessibility office invites those with accommodation requirements to send an email to LAS@wheaton.edu. The Student Financial Services office awards financial assistance for Passage's $995 cost in correlation with each student's financial aid package. Families with questions concerning financial support matters can reach out to sfs@wheaton.edu. Be sure to check out helpful packing lists for all Passage tracks!

Registration for Fall 2023 Classes

Continuing students should already be registered for Fall 2023. Incoming students (first-year and transfer) should review their admitted student checklist for all tasks related to registration and onboarding to Wheaton College. Transfer students are required to meet with Academic Advising; please encourage your student to check their Wheaton email for details about transfer student registration.

Additional note for first-year students: the Academic Advising Office is happy to assist with registration via email (academic.advising@wheaton.edu) or with an advising appointment. Students can use their Wheaton credentials to make an appointment here. Our AIT Help Desk team is very helpful for technical issues, so if your student encounters technical issues making an appointment, they should reach out to AIT.Service.Desk@wheaton.edu or call 630-752-HELP. First-year students need to complete an advising questionnaire (available June 1) before they are given a time to register ain early July. All student should be registered for CORE 101: First Year Seminar and a minimum of 12 hours/credits before arriving for Passage!

Student Financial Services

2023-2024 Financial Aid Awards

Continuing student financial aid awarding for 2023-2024 will begin this month. Students should check their financial aid dashboard and complete any outstanding financial aid requirements to avoid delays in receiving awards. All required documents not submitted by online forms should be scanned and uploaded using our Secure File Transfer. Emailing sensitive information is not recommended for security reasons.

Please encourage your student to monitor his/her Wheaton email account over the summer. This is our main method of communication regarding any missing or incomplete items needed to complete their award. An email will be sent to the student when their award is ready to view and accept on their financial aid dashboard, and a postcard notice will also be sent to their home address.

Fall 2023 Billing and Payment

Fall 2023 billing statements will be published online in the Billing & Payment Gateway in late July with a due date of August 23, 2023 (first day of classes). Students and their Authorized Users will receive an email when the bill is ready to view or print. Fall payment plan enrollment will be opened when bills are published. Wheaton bills by semester so payment plan participants must re-enroll each semester. More details regarding Billing & Payment at Wheaton can be found on our website.

Not receiving monthly e-bill notices? Students need to grant parents access to the Student Billing and Payment Gateway under their profile for Authorized Users. Students log in through their student portal and once authorized, parents will receive two automated emails with login credentials which will allow access to account activity, on-line payments, and payment plans. This also gives our office permission to speak with parents about their student’s accounts. Authorized Users log in here. 

Students should set up a bank account for Electronic Refunds under their profile in the Student Billing and Payment Gateway to expedite the refund of credit balances by direct deposit. Continuing students can leave credit balances on their accounts to be applied towards future charges.

Please direct questions to Student Financial Services at sfs@wheaton.edu or 630-752-5700.

Center for Vocation and Career (CVC) Summer Resources

The Center for Vocation and Career is pleased to offer summer resources so students and young alumni can keep the conversation going about internships, jobs, and vocational discernment. 

Coaching appointments and resume/cover letter reviews are available during the summer. Students can request a virtual or in-person appointment via Handshake, or submit their resume/cover letter for review here. Students are also invited to check out the resources on our website, such as the CVC resume and cover letter templates. 

 If your student is looking for ways to develop workforce skills and build their resume this summer, encourage them to check out employer-designed job simulations through Forage, get paid for short-term professional assignments through Parker Dewey, or browse thousands of courses on LinkedIn Learning. 

 If your student has questions about how to access our summer resources, we are always available at cvc@wheaton.edu.

Please Help Us Reach Our Wheaton Fund Goal to Transform Lives

Thank you to all who gave to the Wheaton Fund this year. Your prayers and generosity throughout the year help us provide each student with an excellent and affordable Wheaton experience. 

If you have not yet had a chance to donate to the Wheaton Fund or would like to make an additional gift, there is still time! Please give by June 30 to help meet our fiscal year-end goal.

Your contribution, no matter the size, will make a significant difference in the lives of our students. Together, we can continue to uphold the Wheaton tradition of excellence and prepare our graduates to make a positive impact on the world for years to come.

Conferences and Camps Hosted on Campus This Summer

Students may have left for exciting summer opportunities, but summer on campus is never idle. These are prime weeks when you’ll find a wide range of visitors staying in our dorms, gathering in our facilities, and enjoying the campus’s beautiful outdoor spaces.

Event Services is the liaison for these outside groups. The mission of Event Services is to link outside groups with College rooms and resources so that we can support Christian organizations in evangelism and discipleship and, simultaneously, exercise faithful stewardship of College facilities that might otherwise remain vacant.

This summer, in addition to graduations, recitals, and concerts in our performance and meeting spaces, we’ll host over 25 residential camps and conferences, including music camps, sports camps, and Christian youth conventions. And as these guests, especially many young people, experience God’s presence on our campus, we hope they’ll remember Wheaton when the time comes to make their own college choice.

Student Chaplains’ Storytelling Report

Student and Class Chaplains serve under the Chaplain’s office. At the end of the 2022-23 academic year, they compiled a storytelling report to share how God worked in their lives throughout the year. Below is one of the testimonies from the report, as told by Ria Shim, Student Chaplain of Hospitality.

A few nights ago, I woke up restless. I was disappointed to wake up at dawn filled with thoughts of worry. However, sleeping with the windows open, I heard someone singing worship songs outside our windows and I was rather surprised to hear it so clearly at 5 a.m. in the morning. I looked outside my window to see a group of students worshiping on the football field, singing in the last few hours of the all-night prayer vigil, and ending with morning worship. All of a sudden, I had a soft and peaceful nudge to take a walk and join them. I smiled at this thought and said "okay God, if you're taking me, let's go." You see, recently, Jesus has opened my eyes to the adventures He is always taking me on, and this was another exciting moment with Him in the softest hour of the day. Jesus and I walked out as the birds chirped and the path before me was covered in flower petals and the trees lined the sidewalk. I got to worship on the football field and just marveled at the calm of singing to Jesus in the morning. As I made my way back into bed, I was in complete awe of the gentle ways He showed me His presence as my restlessness turned into resting in Him. Praise the Lord!

 How to Pray for Wheaton this Month

• Summer ministries: for students who travel to various countries and share the gospel through Student Ministry Partners and Global Urban Perspectives.
• Young alumni: that recent graduates will be encouraged by the faithfulness of God and the learning they received at Wheaton as they look for employment and make wise decisions in early adulthood.
• President Philip Ryken: that he will experience the love and wisdom of the Holy Spirit as he leads the College community.

With thanks for your involvement and prayers, 

The Wheaton College Parent Engagement Team