Santa Clara University alumna, Libby Furrow '15, and her parents during Family Weekend 2015!
Encourage your student to develop their self-advocacy skills while you act as a sounding-board and provide advice & support. However, also challenge your student to work through their own issues all while utilizing the plethora of resoruces available on-campus.
Your student is now an on-campus resident and with that comes the opportunity to meet amazing and different people within their residence hall's community. As an on-campus resident, they'll be able to easily explore the campus community while accessing the various resources within their residential community to be a successful student – including professional live-in residence life staff (Resident Directors), faculty (Faculty Directors) student staff (Community Facilitators/Neighborhood Representatives), linked RLC courses, events & programs.
Communicate with your student, be willing to listen to their experiences, and provide encouragement. Yes, your student may stumble along the way, but that too is part of the learning process. Finding oneself is a difficult and sometimes challenging enough process without feeling those you respect most are second-guessing you. Ask questions and offer advice, but also tell them you trust them to make the best decision. By trusiting your student, you'll be empowering them to act for themselves and to seek the solutions to their issues or concerns.
Encourage your student to self-advocate and to seek assistance by utilizing the many resources available to them at Santa Clara University. Encourage your student to participate in the Residential Learning Community and other campus activities. Encourage your student to get to know their Community Facilitator/Neighborhood Representative and to meet people on their floor and in their building.
Encourage siblings to keep in touch with one another – consider sending a care package as a boost in the middle of a quarter! A simple card, email, text message, and if possible, a campus visit, can accomplish this too! Learn more about Better Than Mail, a care package option offered by the the university's catering department.
Sign-up for the Parent & Family Newsletter to remain informed of the various dates and deadlines associated with your student's on-campus living experience!