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JANUARY 2018, ISSUE NO. 14
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Next week, as students travel back for Spring Semester, they will return to a beautiful, though colder, winter scene on campus. We highly encourage students to sign up for alerts from the City of Oxford and Butler County. These alerts are helpful supplements to the alerts sent by the University. Weather-related announcements directly affecting Miami will be distributed to families via email shortly after students are notified.
This issue of Miami Family Focus includes information about gaining experience through student employment, conversation topics about your student's plans for next year, information for you about your own transition when your student returns to Oxford, and an overview of many of the involvement opportunities for Spring Semester and beyond. Review all previous issues on our Stay in Touch page.
Love and Honor,
Mark W. Pontious
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| Transitions: Sending Your Student Back for Spring The time for your student to return to Miami is (finally?!) here! After six weeks of having your student home, it is again time to adjust to their being away at Miami and remembering what it is like to parent from a distance. For many parents - and students - this is a time that couldn't arrive soon enough, especially for students who did not engage in substantial activities over the Winter Term. For others, this impending separation may bring back memories of the emotions that hit in August when the student left home, especially if it was your first to head to college.
Please remember that there is no one "right" way to experience this separation and to be prepared for whatever emotions - sadness, relief, anxiety, nostalgia, irritability, celebration, gratification - that you find yourself and your student feeling. Have faith that the transition process that began in August is ongoing and is one that includes a wide variety of emotions. Also, just a quick reminder of the note from the last edition of this newsletter: if your student was engaged in demanding activities during January term, they may need a mini-break sooner than Spring Break.
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| Student Employment as a Vehicle for Gaining Experience The December issue of Miami Family Focus included several tips for making the most of Winter Term and Spring Semester. One additional way is to work on campus.
For students looking to acquire more of the skills employers are looking for, on-campus employment is a great option. These high-impact jobs support the growth of skills such as critical thinking, the ability to work in a team, communication, and problem solving. Employers often value these work experiences just as much as they do a formal internship, recognizing the valuable skill sets that come with student employment. Whether it is in the Culinary Support Center, as a lifeguard at the Rec Center, creating marketing pieces for an academic unit, or in another position on campus, students will gain valuable experience to support their future pursuits.
Students may struggle to communicate how valuable student employment can be in a resume or interview. The Center for Career Exploration and Success has resources available to help students communicate their on-campus employment experiences in ways that employers find meaningful. Through resume reviews with a Career Assistant, students can identify ways to communicate their experience as a student employee. A mock interview can prepare students to verbally communicate their experiences. The article below includes more information about majors and careers.
One final note: The remaining days of Winter Term are a great time to explore the positions available on Miami's employment website. There are typically 150+ student jobs advertised on this site.
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| Discussing Second Year Plans with your Student Over the next several months, many students and their friends will discuss second-year plans and will also see information posted around campus. Please have a conversation with your student about options, plans, and goals for the second year. This will assist them in making decisions about all the opportunities available.
One big topic of conversation is living arrangements, which was discussed in-depth in the December issue of this newsletter. Talking to students about what they want to gain from the choice of housing options is a good place to start. Do they want to connect with others in their major or area of academic interest? Or do they want to connect with those with whom they share a passion, such as science, engineering, and mathematics? Do they want to get together with a group of friends and create their own learning community around a theme of their choosing? The Home Office's 2018-2019 housing selection page has information about on-campus sorority corridor housing, returning to the same Living Learning Community, and student-created communities. Information about the second-year fraternity housing exemption is also now available. And you may want to join us for a webinar about the Off-Campus Housing Search on Thursday, February 1!
Another important conversation is about plans for a major and career following graduation from Miami. After exploring options or confirming a major choice during the first year, students often dive into major classes. Discussing activities and topics that spark a student's passion and what they see as a potential career will assist them in making plans for a major and an initial career. Spring is a great time for students to meet with a faculty advisor in their (prospective) major to learn about the academic organizations related to the major and about opportunities such as study abroad programs, internships, and undergraduate research.
A third topic to discuss with students is regarding plans to (continue to) engage with the Miami University and Oxford communities, which are discussed in the article below.
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| Campus Involvement: Meaningful Connections Student Activities is kicking off Spring Semester with several ways for students to get involved! For students looking for their place in a student club or organization, encourage them to attend BOTH Winter Mega Fairs: Wednesday, February 7, 5-8p.m., and Thursday, February 15, 5-8p.m., in the Armstrong Student Center. Over 100 student organizations will be present at each fair, showcasing what they do as an organization and looking for new members. Multicultural, art and performance, service, club sports, wellness, and many other types of groups will attend.
Late Night Miami will continue to offer events every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. Examples include comedians, magicians, fitness events, and much more. The full calendar of events will be on the Late Night Miami website, and students can stay in the loop by following MAP on Twitter and Instagram: @Miami_MAP or Student Activities on Twitter and Instagram: @MiamiSAL.
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