It's that time of year again. Spring is here, and summer is coming, though the snow that fell on campus in early March would've had us believing otherwise. You may be focused on your student's return home for the summer (for students who live in University Housing, see 2018 Move Out). There's so much to hear from them about how the academic year went—what they learned, what they loved, what they've become. Right now, students are still facing the final stretch. They are on the cusp of a transition, filled with expectation and, for many students, especially first years, a heightened sense of stress.
This is the perfect time to send some love and support with an encouraging text message or call. And Michigan students don't need to conquer their classes and workloads on their own—we're here to help them, too. We have so many ways to help them maintain a healthy balance during this final stretch. Here are just a few you might share with them:
- Massage chairs and more at the Wellness Zone
- Food and fun at the Finals Survival Breakfast
- Applications, interviews, and writing help via Sweetland Center for Writing and the University Career Center
- The Stressbusters app for access to wellness resources quickly and easily from wherever they are
But for all the resources and support we provide, your student needs your support and encouragement, too. In a single text, call, or email, you can remind them that they can ask for help when they need it and that they do not have to manage this alone. Sometimes they need that nudge forward, the kind that only you can give them.
Finally, as we come to the end of this academic year, we are looking ahead to welcoming an incoming class of new students next fall. Over the next phase of Student Life's five-year strategic plan, we will be prioritizing our first-year experience curriculum and communities by strengthening and expanding access to existing successful programs and communities. In alignment with this effort, U-M will be adjusting the timeline for recruitment of first-year students by fraternities and sororities beginning in January 2020. This affects about 2,000 first-year students annually. We are continuing to hear from our students and their families about what works and we will continue to assess, refine and expand our programs to honor our commitment to academic excellence. I invite you to read more about this here and to share your thoughts with me.
Thank you, as always, for your shared commitment to giving our students the support they need to become Leaders and the Best. We know they would not be here at the University of Michigan, enriching our campus, and challenging the world to raise its standards, if it were not for you.
To help Student Life continue making a difference in students' lives, please consider making a gift.