Parent Newsletter - October, 2023 

From the President

Dear Parents,

I spent the first week of October in Jakarta, speaking at a conference for 2500 Christian leaders in China and Indonesia as well as connecting with some of our key educational partners in Indonesia. I was joined by Bryant Kong, who represents the College full time in Asia.

It was a special blessing to visit with the 15-20 Wheaton alumni who joined us for dinner at a downtown Holiday Inn. They give thanks to God for the positive difference that Wheaton College has made in their lives and ministries.

Traveling to Indonesia reminds me how very grateful we are for our international parents. You have the faith and courage to send your precious sons and daughters to a far country, trusting God and trusting us to give them the very best intellectual training and spiritual formation possible.

Let’s continue to pray for one another as we share in this sacred trust.

In Christ's Service,

Philip Ryken
President 

Family Weekend: November 3-4
President’s Prayer Time

Family Weekend is right around the corner, and we invite you to attend the President’s Prayer Time on Saturday, November 4, from 9:30–10:30 a.m. in Coray Alumni Gymnasium. This special gathering will include a devotional from President Ryken and time for you to pray with fellow parents and grandparents. Coffee, tea, and pastries will be served. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required. Registration closes on Wednesday, October 25, so we encourage you to register now.

View the full Family Weekend Schedule. Please pay special attention to those events that require advance registration or the purchase of tickets.

CENTER FOR VOCATION AND CAREER:  Internship Exploration Event

Internships are critically important for students. Employers rely heavily on internship experience to vet early career applicants, and internships can be a great way for your student to ‘test drive’ an industry, organization, or job role. At the CVC, we encourage every student to participate in at least one internship during their time at Wheaton. If your student is not sure about the benefits of an internship, encourage them to register for the CVC’s upcoming Internship Exploration event. This is a lowkey event where current juniors and seniors share about internships they had during the summer.

If your student is struggling to know how or when to start the internship search, please encourage them to stop by the CVC! Our office is open for drop-ins every Monday – Friday from 9:00am – 4:30pm. In addition to connecting with your student, we have online tools for internships, including a searchable internship database and our "Internship 101” online resource.

Please encourage your senior to register for our upcoming information session about Rotational Programs. Rotational programs are one of the primary pathways for recent graduates to start careers in Fortune 500 companies (and increasingly popular in non-profits as well).

Encourage your student to stay up to date with the CVC by following us on Instagram or checking Handshake!

Core Book 2023: Everything Sad is Untrue

Each year, the College selects a "core book" that embodies and illuminates important themes of Wheaton's Christ at the Core general education curriculum.

Daniel Nayeri’s work, Everything Sad is Untrue, is this year’s Core Book and you are invited to attend the following campus events:

Daniel Nayeri Public Lecture
October 23 | 7:30 pm, Armerding Concert Hall

Students, faculty, staff, and parents are warmly welcomed to hear Daniel Nayeri give a talk related to the themes of his book Everything Sad is Untrue.

Dr. Esau McCaulley, Beth Moore, and Daniel Nayeri: Writing the Life of Faith
October 24 | 7:30 pm, Edman Chapel

Join us for a rich intellectual exploration of the process and power of spiritual autobiography. This event brings together Dr. Esau McCaulley, associate professor of New Testament at Wheaton College and author of How Far to the Promised Land; Beth Moore, evangelist, Bible teacher, and author of All My Knotted-Up Life; and Daniel Nayeri, author of this year’s Core Book Everything Sad is Untrue.

Student Financial Services

Spring 2024 registration starts in early November and account balances must be below $1,000 or enrolled in a payment plan before students can register. Please log in to the Billing & Payment Gateway to make sure that your student’s balance is paid or enrolled in a payment plan and confirm that their financial aid has disbursed (paid/released). Students with unsatisfied requirements that are preventing financial aid from disbursing will have a hold even if the rest of the balance has been paid or enrolled in a payment plan. Payment plans only cover the balance after estimated financial aid.

If expected financial aid has not disbursed (still shows as “Estimated Financial Aid”), your student should check for unsatisfied financial aid requirements in their student portal and contact our office if they have any questions on how to satisfy them.

Don’t have access to view your student’s account? Students need to grant parent access to information related to their student accounts in their Billing & Payment Gateway profile under Authorized Users. Parents will receive two automated emails with login information which will allow access to account activity, on-line payments, and payment plan enrollment. We recommend that parents and students log in to the Billing & Payment Gateway at least once each month, when eBill notices are sent, to review their accounts for new charges and credits. Authorized Users log in here. 

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

Equity and Title IX Office

The Equity and Title IX team desires to serve Jesus Christ as Savior and live according to Biblical standards. The goal of campus life at Wheaton College is to live, work, serve and worship together to build the church and benefit society worldwide. Recognizing that we live in a fallen and sinful world, the Equity and Title IX Office exists to ensure that all Wheaton College students, faculty, and staff have equal access to education and activities free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct as prohibited in the Wheaton College Nondiscrimination Policy.  This policy has been developed to honor biblical principles, comply with federal and state law, and follow best practices for campus safety. For additional information and to review our complete policy, please visit our website at www.wheaton.edu/equityandtitleix

The Equity and Title IX team is prepared to work in difficult spaces, often filled with hurt and emotion. With a posture of empathy and compassion, we commit to pray for all parties involved in Equity and Title IX processes and seek resolutions that offer healing, restoration when appropriate, and allow Equity and Title IX staff to both educate and empower all involved parties throughout the process. Our prayer and refrain for the Equity and Title IX space during the 2023-24 academic year is found in Micah 6:8: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

The Wheaton Fund: Excellence and Affordability

Each year, hundreds of parents directly impact the excellence and affordability of every student’s Wheaton experience by donating to the Wheaton Fund. Gifts to the Wheaton Fund represent an ongoing investment in the College’s highest priorities: continuing Wheaton’s tradition of excellence by investing in Christ-centered faculty and programming while keeping Wheaton affordable for every student.

Please prayerfully consider joining other parents who invest in the Wheaton experience by giving online today to the Wheaton Fund. A gift of any size will make a difference in championing the essential role of the Wheaton Fund by maintaining the world-class accessibility and distinction of a Wheaton education.

SMP Spring Break and Summer Trips

Student Missionary Partners (SMP) is excited to offer trip-based learning and ministry opportunities for students to engage with the global church and partner with missionaries around the world. We send students on spring break trips and summer trips. Informational meetings for SMP are October 23 and 26 and we look forward to seeing your student there. 

Photo: 2023 Conservatory students and faculty 

Conservatory of Music: Fall Highlights and Upcoming Events

This fall, the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music welcomed an earnest group of new music majors and six new music faculty members. The halls of the Armerding Center for Music and the Arts echo with joyful conversations and laughter as students walk to and from classes, rehearsals, lessons, and practice rooms. There have already been several incredible performances this semester, including the Homecoming Concert, which featured the Concert Choir, Men’s Glee Club, Women’s Chorale, Symphonic Band, and Symphony Orchestra. Still to come are faculty and student recitals, ensemble concerts, and guest artist performances, including Midori and the Festival Strings Lucerne, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and our beloved annual Christmas Festival. Check out the Arts and Performance Calendar to learn more.

Three ensembles will tour over spring break: Concert Choir and string orchestra will perform Handel’s “Messiah” as they tour Washington D.C. and Philadelphia; the Men’s Glee Club and Women’s Chorale will perform a joint tour of Minnesota and Iowa. If you have a high school student interested in music, these tours provide an excellent opportunity to connect them to Wheaton.

Other great ways to connect a high school student with Wheaton include Voice Day with Dr. Jerry Blackstone on January 13 and Honor Band weekend (February 15-17) with Dr. Brady McNeil. Online registration is available through the web links.

How to Pray for Wheaton this Month

• Pray that students will have a restful and safe fall break, October 14-18.
• Pray for students who are still trying to find a church community where they can grow and serve.
• Pray that God’s peace will reign in the hearts of those in the campus community who are anxious, overwhelmed, or fearful.

With thanks for your involvement and prayers, 

The Wheaton College Parent Engagement Team