March 2024

From the President

Now that we are past spring break, our students—especially freshmen and seniors—will be shocked at how quickly the school year ends. Our last day of regular classes is April 26!

These final weeks promise to bring warm weather and beautiful flowers. Depending on each student’s plans and life stage, these final weeks also bring the excitement of graduation and the anxiety of what comes afterwards, roommate decisions for next year, concerns about summer plans, and the pressing desire to spend quality time with close friends while there is still time.

In short, this is an important time of year for our faithful parents to offer a listening ear to student concerns and to remain steadfast in your prayers. Faculty, staff, and administrators also need your prayers, as we too experience the acceleration of academia at the end of the school year.

In Christ’s service,

Philip Ryken
President 

Keep the Prayers Going

A big thank you to all the parents who joined one of our Zoom Parent Prayer Gatherings on the Collegiate Day of Prayer on February 29. Over 175 parents registered for the prayer calls and it was encouraging to know that prayers were being offered throughout the day by Wheaton parents around the world.

Please continue to pray! If you would like to focus your prayers, the Alumni & Parent Prayer Card offers 31 ways to pray for Wheaton College.

Commencement Weekend: May 3-5

Cue the celebration music!

Congratulations to the parents of our soon-to-be alumni of the Class of 2024! 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 lavish brunch between Baccalaureate and Commencement ($24.21 for adults; $12.21 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

Yard signs are a fun way to celebrate soon-to-be graduates. Download a generic or customizable yard sign, send to your local print shop to be printed, and stake in your yard to announce to the world 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: the 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 in the store.

Another option is to shop at thundershopwheaton.edu where you will find t-shirts, sweatshirts, and an array of gift items, and most are customizable.

Student Financial Services

Registration for Summer 2024 and Fall 2024 begins in March.

Student account balances must be paid down below $1,000 or covered by a Wheaton payment plan before students can register for future semesters. Please review your student’s account (Authorized User login) and make sure that their balance is covered, and that financial aid has disbursed. If there is still Estimated Financial Aid that has not disbursed, there may be outstanding requirements that need to be completed. Students should check their student portal Financial Aid Dashboard for instructions and contact our office if they have any questions.

If you are unable to pay the account down before your student’s assigned registration date, consider signing up for a payment plan, applying for a Federal Parent PLUS Loan (studentaid.gov) or securing a private student loan with your student. Payment plans are still open for enrollment which is completed online in the Student Billing and Payment Gateway.  Any missed installments will be due when you enroll.

2024-25 FAFSA Filing

Continuing students should file their 2024-25 FAFSA if they have not already done so. The filing process has changed significantly from prior years due to the US Department of Education’s FAFSA simplification project. We recommend that students and parents carefully review the instructions on the Federal Student Aid website to avoid filing errors that may delay processing.

Schools currently have been told to expect FAFSA results in mid-March. After Wheaton receives the FAFSA results, we will send students an email if there are any additional financial aid requirements which will be listed on their student portal Financial Aid Dashboard, so please encourage them to watch for email updates from our office. We will begin reviewing FAFSAs for continuing students that have completed all requirements in early summer and email them when their award is ready to view and accept.

Not receiving monthly billing email notices? Students need to grant parent access to the Billing and Payment Gateway under their profile for Authorized Users. Students log in through their student portal. 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 account. It is recommended that parents and students log in to the Billing and Payment Gateway after receiving a billing email notice to review their accounts for new charges and credits. Authorized Users log in here. 

April 17 – Show Your Love for Wheaton Students

On April 17, 2024, Wheaties worldwide will unite again for the sixth annual WheatonGives. We are delighted to continue providing opportunities to contribute to the Wheaton Fund, Scholarships, Internships, or Athletics. This year, there’s an exciting new incentive: every donation made during WheatonGives will be matched, doubling the impact of your generosity.

Parents, by making an early contribution at wheaton.edu/wg24, you can vote for your student’s club or sports team to receive additional prizes. Additionally, you can nominate one of their friends for a $5,000 scholarship. For parents of seniors, your gift automatically enters you for a chance to win one of four extra graduation tickets.

If you have any questions or want to make a leadership gift, please contact annual.giving@wheaton.edu.

How to Pray for Wheaton in the Month of March

• For a relaxing, restful, and rejuvenating last few days of spring break
• For the student leader recruitment process for next year’s open positions
• For wisdom and discernment for seniors regarding post-graduation plans

With thanks for your involvement and prayers, 

The Wheaton College Parent Engagement Team