As the days get colder and darker and finals approach, helping our students stay physically and mentally healthy is a top priority. Well-being is about more than visiting a doctor or counselor when sick or stressed, but is also about proactively making choices and understanding resources to stay educated, connected, and active. In this newsletter, we highlight some of the many wellness resources, activities, and groups at RIT. Please remind your student to make time for their health and well-being, even as things get busy in the coming weeks. 

There are many wellness-related events and programs on campus for students. The Wellness Events Calendar compiles all of these events in one easy-to-find place. This includes Counseling and Psychological Services workshops and community spaces, Mental Health First Aid training opportunities, Bow Wow Wellness, and more. Make sure your student is aware of how they can find events created to support their overall well-being.

One important aspect of staying educated is knowing where to go for information. A great first stop for all health-related information is the RIT Wellness Portal, a secure online portal for students to access personal health information, make appointments, and send secure messages via Patient Chat to Student Health Center, Counseling and Psychological Services, and Case Management providers. 

To learn about what students should do if they get sick, please watch the What if my student gets hurt or sick on campus? episode of our Series of Queries videos. 

Patient Chat, available on the RIT Wellness Portal, is the fastest and easiest way for students to make an appointment with the Student Health Center. Students can also use live chat to speak directly to a nurse to discuss any medical concerns they may have and get recommendations for care. Patient Chat is a live chat available Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Students can use the live chat to ask Student Health Center staff questions regarding immunizations, required forms, insurance, or appointment scheduling. In addition, there is an after-hours nursing line (585-475-2255).

Did you know RIT has two Registered Dietitians to help support students’ nutrition needs? Each offers different services to best support the health and well-being of our students:

Student Health Center Registered Dietitian

RIT Dining Registered Dietitian

At RIT, students are required to complete a wellness course requirement to graduate. RIT students seeking a bachelor’s degree are required to take two wellness courses, while students seeking an associate’s degree are required to take one course. Wellness Education and Outdoor Education offer over 200 wellness-related classes each year in multiple disciplines, including:

Courses range from seminars, such as financial fitness, to activity-based courses, such as weight training and rock climbing. Students also have the opportunity to pick up a new skill, such as juggling or beekeeping. The comprehensive wellness curriculum is designed to help students make healthy choices to support academics and social interactions in college and beyond.

There are a few numbers that students should know in case of an emergency:

In addition, please make sure your student updates their emergency contact information on file at www.rit.edu/studentcontact.

For information on when RIT would ever call you as a parent, please watch the When will RIT call me about my student? episode of our Series of Queries videos. 

Students arrive at RIT with a variety of hobbies and interests. With so many clubs, organizations, and activities at RIT, there is something for everyone, whether their interest is recreation, fraternity and sorority life, academic clubs, the arts, or anything in between. It’s easy to get wrapped up in academics and work and not make time for campus engagement, but participation outside of the classroom is a great way for students to meet like-minded peers and find their community.

CampusGroups is the online engagement tool at RIT where students can connect to clubs, student organizations, events, and other students on campus. Encourage your student to explore a club or two, go to an event, and put themselves out there!

Working on campus is not only a great way for your student to earn that late-night pizza money, but it’s also a way students can make friends, get to know campus, and engage in the community. There are many jobs available to students looking to work on campus, and these positions range from office work to dining to facilities to events.

Working on campus (as opposed to off campus) has many benefits. Students can work in between classes to maximize their time, and supervisors are generally very understanding that academics come first. While there are opportunities to work over breaks, it is not expected as it is in an off-campus job. The Student Employment Office is available to assist students in their job search. 

To learn about how students can find a campus job, please watch the How can my student get employed on campus? episode of our Series of Queries videos. 

Students come to campus from a variety of religious and spiritual traditions. Many will seek out the support and shared values of the religious community with which they identify while others may explore new traditions and communities. Although it might be difficult for you to see your student explore religious expressions different from your own family history, keep in mind that college is a time for your student to learn about the world. Improving religious literacy can often help students deepen their root faith and gain cultural competencies that will serve them well in the workplace and life. If your student is seeking a familiar or new religious or spiritual community, direct them to Spirituality and Religious Life.

To learn about how students can get involved in a religious or spiritual community, please watch the How can my student get involved in spiritual life? episode of our Series of Queries videos. 

The Women, Gender, and Sexuality Resource Center (WGSRC) provides advocacy, education, and celebration for RIT community members of all genders, gender identities, and sexual orientations. Through programs, services, and resources, the WGSRC promotes an inclusive campus community that is safe, equitable, and respectful of all members, and acknowledges the needs of our intersectional identities. These services include trainings, workshops, embedded mental health counselors, and a place for students to feel connected and hang out.

The Multicultural Center for Academic Success (MCAS) is a community of students, staff, and faculty of all backgrounds that centers a coaching model, which enhances students' personal and professional growth at any point in their academic journey. There are numerous ways for any student to participate and engage with MCAS, including one-on-one coaching, leadership development opportunities, cultural diversity education, and community building programming. Students can explore programs on the website or stop in to meet staff and start building connections.

RIT is home to some of the finest recreational facilities at the college level. There are multiple indoor fitness centers, a pool, a climbing wall, tennis courts, nature trails and more, making it easy for students to stay active and healthy on campus. Students can even use a live facilities occupancy tracker to see how busy the Wiedman Fitness Center and Judson/Hale Aquatics Center are at any given time.

RIT is home to one of the top collegiate indoor rock climbing facilities in the country—the Red Barn. The Red Barn is a 100-year-old “Wells” style dairy barn located at the far west end of campus. Open seven days a week, students can purchase a single-day pass for $4 or a semester membership for $40. Rock climbing is a fun way for students to stay active—whether a beginner or an experienced climber!

Intramurals is a recreational program that allows students to join a team and compete with and against other RIT students. RIT’s intramural program has over 17 sports with over 220 teams participating every semester. Over 1,800 students participate in intramurals annually. By participating in intramurals, students can play a favorite sport, try out a new activity, and make friends with similar interests. Spring intramural registration will open on the first day of classes. Students can browse team activities and tournaments on the intramural website.

More competitive than intramurals, Club Sports allow students interested in a team or sport to try out, practice, and compete with other students locally, regionally or nationally. Club Sports also provide excellent opportunities for students to develop and grow valuable skills such as budgeting, communication, and organizational skills as students can take on important leadership roles within each club. There are nearly 50 Club Sports teams at RIT, which students can find on CampusGroups. About 2,000 students participate in Club Sports annually.

Students can stay active in the community by joining Into the ROC, which gives students the opportunity to explore the unique challenges, cultural treasures, and diverse communities in the greater Rochester area. Participants have the opportunity to spend time getting to know Rochester through volunteering, attending unique events, and learning about the people who have historically and presently call Rochester home.

Into the ROC events this fall included a visit to the Pawsitive Cat Cafe, a trip to Seneca Falls, clean up at Mount Hope Cemetery, College Night at the Strong Museum, and more!

Interested students should keep an eye on the Center of Leadership and Civic Engagement CampusGroups page for spring events.

Help your student think about the various topics in this newsletter with the following conversation starters.

Sincerely,

Chelsea Petree, Ph.D.
Director, Parent and Family Programs
Rochester Institute of Technology
parents@rit.edu

rit.edu/parents

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