Miami Family,
It is our pleasure to welcome you into the Miami University community. Your home is likely filled with anticipation and excitement as your student prepares to begin at Miami this fall, while many are also experiencing the impending end of the high school experience. College is one of those rare and beautiful things in life where the actual experience, even when hard, is often better than anticipated.
The Division of Student Affairs at Miami is made up of 18 offices with dedicated staff that work to help students clarify their goals, identify pathways to achieve them, give an extra push when needed, and provide the support students need along the way. As partners in working for the success and growth of your student, we will reach out to you every couple of weeks with issues of Miami Family Focus, which will not only keep you up to date with campus events, but to also provide talking points for conversations with your student. These newsletters will include information about the many resources available on campus and make you aware of important campus dates and deadlines. Through issues of Miami Family Focus, you will learn about topics that include:
- Being a responsible member of the Miami and Oxford communities
- Enhancing academic success
- Transition tips for families of new college students
- Safety on and off campus
We know that in some respects, the college years can be as challenging and exciting for the family as for the student. How will your role in the life of your student change over the next four years? This is a fundamental question to which there is no simple answer that applies to all families. The only universal truth is that, to be successful, all students will need the support and understanding of loved ones. Your student's transformation into adulthood will require your confidence and trust, and perhaps most importantly, space to try new things and to learn their capacity for self-advocacy and self-direction. Things may not always go perfectly, but you have spent many years preparing your student for the transition; now is the time to trust that they have learned those lessons well.
Again, welcome to the Miami Family. Keep an eye out for the next issue of Miami Family Focus in a few days, then throughout the summer and the coming academic year. We look forward to getting to know you and your student over the next four years.
Sincerely,
Jayne Brownell
Vice President for Student Affairs
Michael Curme
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs
and Dean of Students
