The WWU Family Connection newsletter is a monthly e-newsletter sent to all families throughout the year, produced by Western's Office of Communications and Marketing and New Student Services/Family Outreach.
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WWU student Ariana Ernotte of Mukilteo stands on the Great Wall during her study abroad experience in an intensive Mandarin language program in China. Ernotte is double-majoring in linguistics and communication science and disorders and is applying to graduate school in audiology.
Finnbogi Pétursson's "Infra-Supra 2019" at the Western Gallery: Wednesday, Jan. 16 to Saturday, March 16
Roberto Plano, Sanford-Hill Piano Series: Friday, Jan. 18
Martin Luther King Day, university closed: Monday, Jan. 21
Free community breakfast honoring Martin Luther King Day: Monday, Jan. 21
How to Navigate the Go Abroad Fair: Wednesday, Jan. 23
Passport Party: Wednesday, Jan. 23
Off Campus Living's Roommate Roundup: Wednesday, Jan. 23
Go Abroad Fair: Thursday, Jan. 24
BFA Dance Program's "Winter Dances 2019": Thursday, Jan. 24 to Sunday, Jan. 27
LGBTQ+ Western's "Understanding and Respecting Personal Pronouns": Wednesday, Jan. 30
College to Career Workshop: Thursday, Jan. 31
FAFSA 2019-20 Priority Filing Deadline: Thursday, Jan. 31
Applications open for on-campus housing renewal: Friday, Feb. 1
Off Campus Living's Housing and Hashbrowns: Saturday, Feb. 2
Last day to apply to attend winter quarter commencement: Tuesday, Feb. 5
LGBTQ+ Western's" LGBTQ+ 101": Tuesday, Feb. 5
Drop-In Resume Clinic: Tuesday, Feb. 5
Winter Career Fair Featuring STEM: Thursday, Feb. 7
Huxley Environmental Career and Internship Fair: Thursday, Feb. 7
CFPA presents "The Imaginary Invalid": Thursday, Feb. 7 to Saturday, Feb. 16
WWU Men’s Basketball vs CWU Alumni Party: Thursday, Feb. 7
Drop-In Resume Clinic: Wednesday, Feb. 13
Drop-In Advising Lab: Thursday, Feb. 21
Education and Health Career Fair: Friday, Feb. 22
Drop-In Advising Lab: Tuesday, Feb. 26
Choosing a Major Workshop: Thursday, Feb. 28
Drop-In Advising Lab: Monday, March 4
WWU Vikings at the Nordic Museum: Thursday, March 21
Add WWU events, dates and deadlines to your own calendar: Event listings in Western's online calendar offer an "Add to my calendar" feature to download the event information in an .ics file, which works with most standard calendar apps. Open the .ics file and the event will automatically be added to your calendar on your phone or computer desktop.
WWU Student Nicole Crook of Renton joined her classmates on a field trip to the Sahara Desert while studying abroad in Morocco with a Gilman Scholarship. Crook is majoring in international business with a minor in Arabic and Islamic studies.
Thursday, Jan. 24
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Wade King Student Recreation Center MAC Gym
Click here for more info.
Is your student dreaming about studying, interning, volunteering, or teaching abroad? Do they want to get involved with Western’s international community? The annual Go Abroad Fair is their chance to meet with representatives from several organizations at one event to learn about exciting global opportunities. Cosponsored by WWU Education Abroad and the Career Services Center.
The day before, students can prepare for the Go Abroad Fair and get insider tips at the How to Navigate the Go Abroad Fair workshop on Wednesday, Jan. 23, at 4 p.m. in Miller Hall 258.
If your student doesn't have a passport yet, they can attend the annual Passport Party for a chance to win the cost of their passport. The Passport Party is Wednesday, Jan. 23, at 5 p.m. in the Edens Hall Western Card Office.
Does your student currently live on campus and wish to renew their housing? Applications are open from Feb. 1 -15. Find out more information about the housing renewal process here.
Western’s Office of Off Campus Living, created to support and educate students living or preparing to move off campus, offers students three events this quarter:
Roommate Roundup Jan. 23 from 4-5:30 p.m. in Viking Union 565, is a fun and fast-paced event where students have the opportunity to meet other students looking for roommates face to face, ask them important questions about their compatibility and share their interests. The Financial Literacy Group will also be there to answer questions about budgeting and expenses for living off campus.
At Housing and Hashbrowns Saturday, Feb. 2, from 10 a.m. to noon, students will gather in the Wilson Library Reading Room for a crash course in everything they need to know about moving off campus. Students will hear from the Legal Advocates of Washington about what is legal (and not) in a lease and how to get their damage deposit back. The city of Bellingham will be there to talk about local laws, the Rental Registration and Safety Inspection Program and Bellingham’s fair housing rules. Off Campus Living and the AS Legal Info Center will also be there to talk about on campus resources for students.
The Off Campus Living Fair March 6 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Wilson Library Reading Room, will give students a one-stop-shop opportunity to meet and talk to local landlords and property managers, utility providers and emergency and renter service providers.
Students—and families—can learn more at Western's Off-Campus Living website.
Students who help with admissions, orientation, academic and career advising, peer health education, residential life and other important student services are often selected one to two quarters before they begin their jobs so they can complete leadership training.
Many of these jobs accept applications during winter quarter. Now's the time for students to learn more and consider whether they want to apply.
Here's a sampling of campus leadership jobs, with links to more information.
University Residences: Make Western a great place to live by being a part of Residence Life, ResTek, Conference Services and more.
Peer Health Educators: Learn leadership skills and volunteer to promote health literacy.
Orientation Student Advisors and Academic Student Advisors: Help with new student orientation, either by welcoming new students and their families or helping new students with academic advising and registration.
Student Admissions Representatives: Shape Western's future by working with Admissions.
University Residences is looking for students to work in key support and leadership jobs:
Does your student want to learn more about becoming an RA/CA? There is one more info session, on Thursday, Jan. 17, Buchanan Towers Lounge, 7 p.m.
The application for new Resident/Community Advisers closes on Jan. 22. Find out more information about Resident/Community Advisers here.
All student jobs in University Residences are posted here.
According to data available from Western’s Institutional Research Office, after fall 2017 13.6 percent of freshmen and 9.9 percent of new transfer students at Western were put on academic warning.
The first quarter of college can be a significant transition for students. For some, this can result in receiving lower than expected grades in their first quarter, or even being placed on academic warning.
This can be a scary thing for both students and parents. Students whose cumulative grade point average drops below a 2.0, or a C, face academic probation and possibly academic dismissal if their grades don’t improve. The University Catalog provides information about the Scholarship Standards Policy and the Academic Advising Center is available to help students understand their standing and develop a plan for success.
Here are a few recommendations for students who are facing academic challenges:
Winter quarter is packed with career and networking events. Be sure to share these events with your students.
Thursday, Jan. 31, 3-4:30 p.m., Haggard Hall 223, more info
Tuesday, Feb. 5, 3 to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Feb. 13, 4 to 6 p.m. in Haggard Hall 233, more info
Thursday, Feb. 7, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Student Recreation Center MAC Gym, more info
Feb. 7, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Student Recreation Center MAC Gym, more info
Feb. 22, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Student Recreation Center MAC Gym, more info
Western’s new LGBTQ+ office, LGBTQ+ Western, supports WWU’s diverse LGBTQ+ students, faculty and staff by providing resources, advocacy and opportunities for celebration.
This quarter’s events include workshops on personal pronouns and on self-advocacy with health and wellness providers, and a social gathering for LGBTQ+ students, faculty and staff.
LGBTQ+ Western’s website includes information about academic opportunities at Western to study LGBTQ+ issues, contact information for social and academic student groups, written learning resources, and information about on and off-campus resources for LGBTQ+ people. Anyone can sign up on the website to receive email updates from LGBTQ+ Western.
To learn more contact L.K. Langley, LGBTQ+ Director, at L.K.Langley@wwu.edu or 360-650-7500.
At the Student Rec Center, there's a chalk board next to our Rock Wall with large bold words: “WHY DO YOU PLAY?” People have written in chalk: “To fight stress,” “To Ski Mt. Baker,” “Prepare to climb Everest,” “Christmas Cookies,” “Why not,” “For my Mommy,” and other reasons.
Just answering the “why” question provides intent, value, and purpose for our actions. And there are a lot of actions for students to choose from at the Rec Center.
Group fitness classes include:
Personal trainers help students meet their own individualized fitness needs.
The climbing wall is another popular activity, where employees supervise and guide safety.
Students who desire competition can participate in intramural and club sports .
Students' personal growth and wellbeing—including social connection, teamwork, leadership, cooperation, mental health, and stress management—is our mission.
Learn more at wp.wwu.edu/campusrec
Every year, the Campus Recreation Department offers finals week care packages for your student at the end of fall and winter quarters. This has been a tradition for 20 years to help sport clubs and intramural sports and our other student programs.
Click here for more information or email us at carepacks@wwu.edu Orders are due Friday, Feb. 15.
Excursions provide an opportunity for students to get outside and connect with the local northwest lifestyle, while learning valuable leadership and technical skills. Trips are designed and led by students, for students.
This quarter's trips include backcountry skiing, ice climbing, snow camping, and snow caving. Closer to campus activities include yoga and bike maintenance clinics. Click here to learn more.
Summer Session at Western is a great opportunity for your student to get ahead or stay on track for graduation with accelerated on-campus courses, online courses, field study opportunities and travel programs. Summer courses feature smaller class sizes, allowing your student to have more interaction with their instructors and less competition when registering for popular classes.
You are welcome to join your student, along with Summer Session staff, for free hot cocoa on Friday, Feb. 15 from noon to 1 p.m. in Red Square to celebrate summer session courses becoming available on ClassFinder and to learn more about this program.
Click here to explore Summer Session offerings and sign up to receive email reminders to help remind your student of important deadlines.
Thank you so much to the generous families who have made a gift to Western this year. Whether you chose to support the Parents Program or your family’s favorite academic department, club or team at Western, you truly make a difference in the lives of students and provide much needed funding for resources and opportunities that aren’t covered by state and tuition dollars. For example, employer outreach, career fairs, leadership opportunities and visiting speakers would not be possible without your support.
Didn’t get a chance to make a gift yet? There’s still time! You can give online at www.wwu.edu/give or call Angie Vandenhaak at (360) 650-3274 to give or learn more about ways to make an impact.
Isabella Jones, right, is grateful for the services supported by the Parents Fund. She has participated in career fairs, growing her networking skills. Visiting the Tutoring Center and attending campus lectures have allowed Isabella to excel in the classroom and beyond.
Emergency text messages and campus advisories: Students and families can get Western Alert text messages and emails with critical information during an emergency or a weather alert on Western’s campus. WWU Campus Advisories are sent via email when there is a situation of concern, but no imminent threat. Families may register their contact information at emergency.wwu.edu.
Social media: Find WWU on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. And many departments have their own social media presence. See them all at Western's Social Media Index.
Western Today: Western’s campus news source includes events, photo galleries and links to Western in the news: westerntoday.wwu.edu.
It's time to check the tread on our winter boots and get to know our local bus routes, because Western typically remains open when it snows.
Check out Western's inclement weather page to learn more. And Western's online, interactive campus map includes priority snow removal routes.
Western Today is WWU's daily news source. Visit at westerntoday.wwu.edu or click here to have it delivered to your in-box.
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