We're holding our breath here in Rochester that spring is here to stay! It's a busy season for our students with exams, projects, events, and celebrations. Remind your student that taking breaks to enjoy happenings on campus and the increasingly nice weather is an important part of self care and can help them be more productive. Happy spring! 

Imagine RIT is on Saturday, April 25 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. This annual campus festival is a special event that highlights the creative and innovative spirit of RIT students, faculty, and staff.

The event showcases over 400 exhibits and is open to the community.

While all students’ schedules will vary, here are the dates for final exams as found on the academic calendar:

All students in RIT housing are encouraged to move out of RIT housing 24 hours after their last exam, and must move out no later than Saturday, May 9 at 10 a.m. Graduating seniors and those working graduation have until Sunday, May 10 at noon to check out. Students who require extensions may request them from RIT Housing. Please visit the End of Year website for information about checking out of housing.

The RIT Community is looking forward to celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2026 on Friday and Saturday, May 8-9! Ceremonies include Friday morning’s Academic Convocation at 10 a.m. in the Gordon Field House and Activities Center, a celebration of graduates from all nine colleges and two degree-granting units, and individual commencement ceremonies on Friday afternoon and Saturday.

Please check the 2026 Commencement schedule to see when your graduate's ceremony will be held.

Visit the Commencement website for the most up-to-date information and more details.

Everyone experiences stress – it’s completely normal, especially during midterms and finals. Over the next few weeks, your student will likely be balancing projects, papers, and exams, all while fighting the urge to enjoy the nice weather! Help your student understand that stress is normal and think about how to manage by sharing these strategies:

The City of Rochester Public Market, located in Center City, has served the community since 1905 and offers a huge assortment of fresh seasonal produce direct from area farmers as well as from around the country and world, meats and seafood, eggs and cheese, baked goods and pasta, specialty and prepared foods, dry goods and general merchandise, clothing and jewelry, and much more. The market runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and RIT students can grab the RIT Public Market Bus on Saturdays to experience this Rochester gem.

Every year, RIT students donate tons of goods during move-out, which we collect during the end of spring semester. The following fall, students purchase the same items at our student-led Goodbye, Goodbuy! thrift sale.

As your student moves out this spring, they can leave unwanted items that are still in good condition at collection locations all over the residence halls, Global Village, and apartment areas to be organized, stored, and then purchased for reuse by students next fall. 

This sustainable cycle reduces waste, ensuring usable items find new homes instead of ending up in landfills, while also providing students with easy-to-access, affordable goods during move-in. All proceeds fund the administration of the program.

RIT wants to encourage students to make responsible and safe decisions, especially as the weather turns warm and some feel the sense of freedom that may lead them to engage in risky behaviors. You, as a parent, can have discussions with your student about responsible and informed consumption while also making sure they are aware of campus resources. Supportive messages about making safe and healthy decisions go further with students than warnings about the dangers of alcohol and drugs; meaningful discussions with parents are valuable and important.

Party PAWS is a comprehensive education and awareness program created to help students of the RIT community better understand alcohol and cannabis use. This website includes helpful information and things to consider, and may help you in your conversations with your student. 

Please make sure your student is aware of the Good Samaritan Protocol. This policy encourages students to contact Public Safety, RIT Ambulance, Residence Life staff, or other RIT staff when it is believed an individual needs medical attention due to the over consumption of alcohol or other drugs including prescription, over-the-counter, or other. This policy protects the caller, the person in need of assistance, and any witnesses involved from receiving disciplinary sanctions. This protocol is designed to provide education rather than discipline when a student voluntarily seeks medical assistance related to alcohol or other drugs.

Due to the economic slowdown, many students are facing challenges securing a traditional co-op (paid, full-time work in their field of study). Career Services is actively addressing these issues with several supportive measures, including partnering with academic departments to create alternative pathways for students. This website includes acceptable substitutions for co-op by degree program. Alternatives may include research projects, faculty-led activities, and even student-led projects. Students interested in exploring alternatives to co-op should work with their career services coordinator or their academic advisor 

Parents and family members with questions about co-op should complete this inquiry form on the Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education website. 

The upcoming summer term will begin on May 13 and will be offered in in-person and online formats. Undergraduate and graduate students can take advantage of a 12-week session (May 13-Aug. 11) and two six-week sessions (May 13-June 26 and June 29-Aug. 11). The complete list of course offerings is available on the summer semester website.

Your student has earned an RIT undergraduate degree and built a resume full of creative and innovative experiences. Now is the perfect time to add a master’s degree to their  credentials. The RIT Master Plan includes a special scholarship covering 40% of graduate tuition for qualifying master’s degrees. With 65+ graduate degrees in everything from the arts and design, business, computing, engineering, science, health sciences, and the liberal arts, your student has their choice of exciting programs. For more information, please visit The RIT Master Plan.

Each month, we ask parents to respond to our Parent Poll and provide feedback on a topic related to RIT, your student, and you. In March, we asked what your student was doing over Spring Break. Most were going home and relaxing!

Please take a moment to answer our April question.

In case you don’t follow the Parent and Family Programs Facebook page, here’s what you missed:

The Parent and Family Programs team has been welcoming visitors at Accepted Student Open Houses this spring! We love talking to prospective students and their families about how much we love RIT. 

Be sure to pop over to the page for opportunities to share your insights about being a Tiger Parent with new families!

Sincerely,

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

rit.edu/parents

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