We definitely had a cold and snowy winter so far in Rochester! We know parents love to hear about the weather on campus, so our students have started sharing a Weekly Weather Report on our Facebook page. Be sure to check it out!

William H. Sanders has been named Rochester Institute of Technology’s 11th president. The current dean of Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Engineering was introduced to the RIT community on Jan. 28. The RIT Board of Trustees selected Sanders from a national pool of candidates. He will assume RIT’s top post July 1, succeeding David Munson who will retire after serving eight years as RIT’s president.

Read more about RIT’s new President here.

You can now shop for RIT apparel, Apple® products, computers, and more without coming to campus with the new online Campus Store. To celebrate the launch of the online store, enjoy 25% off all RIT hooded sweatshirts if ordered online. You are also welcome to shop at the RIT Campus Store, located in Monroe Hall, while on campus.

The Spring University-Wide Career Fair will be held on Wednesday, March 5. The Career Fair, held in the Gordon Field House, draws a variety of companies, ranging from small tech firms to Fortune 500 companies. Students need to bring their student ID to the Career Fair to be admitted. More information on the Career Fair and Career Services resources is available on the Career Services and Co-op website. 

RIT Orientation is currently recruiting students to serve as Orientation Leaders. Orientation Leaders (OLs) play a vital role in introducing new students and their families to life at RIT. Each OL will guide a group of students during Orientation, representing RIT through their leadership skills. OLs create an inclusive and engaging atmosphere for incoming students while attending to students’ needs.

Applications for Orientation Leaders are currently open until March 25. If your student is interested in welcoming new students and their families and have a desire to impact RIT in a positive way, they can learn more and apply on CampusGroups.

Imagine RIT: Creativity and Innovation Festival is a signature event that showcases the imaginative and inventive spirit of RIT students, faculty, and staff.

The 2025 festival is on Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m and is is open to the community. 

The Writing Center is a great resource for all students that offers guidance on academic and professional writing at any stage of the writing process. Consultants support students in becoming confident, inventive, and dynamic writers with everything from research papers to lab reports. Students can schedule a one-on-one appointment (either one time or recurring) or attend a group session which provides the opportunity for a small group of students working on a shared writing project to talk collaboratively with a writing consultant. In-person and virtual appointments are available. The Writing Center is located on the first floor of Wallace Library in the Knowledge Marketplace.

As your student encounters new people and ideas while at college, they are likely to be challenged by the beliefs of others and have their own views challenged. Learning how to communicate effectively and have dialogue about issues is an important aspect of student development and the goal of a program on campus, Horizons. Based on the National Issues Forums model for deliberative dialogues, the goal of Horizons is to promote active listening and dialogue rather than debate on difficult topics. In a space where students, faculty, and staff can approach what may seem like a difficult conversation in a respectful, educational, and constructive manner, attendees will come away with a greater understanding of others who hold diverse views and be able to form an educated opinion on challenging and complex issues our society faces today. Students can learn more and look for upcoming events on the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement CampusGroups page.

Off-Campus and Commuter Services (OCCS) offers a range of services to support off-campus and commuter students at RIT, including the Commuter Lounge designed just for them. This welcoming environment offers a perfect blend of relaxation and productivity, featuring comfortable lounge chairs and built-in wall cubbies for personal belongings. Students can enjoy one complimentary coffee or tea each day, access free printing services, and reserve free lockers for the semester. 

The Lounge is also equipped with a fridge/freezer for storing lunches, a microwave, and tables and chairs suitable for study sessions and socializing.

Student Commuter Ambassadors (CAs) staff the Lounge throughout the academic year and organize various events, such as monthly Breakfast in the Basement. As members of the off-campus and commuter community themselves, CAs are invaluable resources off-campus and commuter students. The Commuter Lounge is located in the A-Level of the Campus Center and is open weekdays during the semester.

Who are off-campus and commuter students?
RIT defines a commuter student as any student living at "home" (generally with a family member, parent, or guardian). An off-campus student is any student not living in RIT Housing or at “home”, including Park Point, Province, Apex, and The Lodge.

We know one of the worst calls you can get is that your student is sick on campus and doesn’t know what to do to get help. Understanding the services provided at the Student Health Center will help you support your student if you get that call. Please make sure your student is aware of the live chat available in the Wellness Portal, which is the easiest way to make an appointment. Students can also use chat to text directly with a nurse to discuss any medical concerns and get recommendations for care. Chat is available Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Students can use the live chat to ask Student Health Center staff questions regarding acute illness, immunizations, required forms, insurance, or appointment scheduling. When the Student Health Center is closed, your student may call the after-hours nursing line (585-475-2255) for guidance.

In preparation for the University Wide Career Fair next month, students should be thinking about their elevator speech—a 60-second pitch that will showcase who they are to potential employers. An effective pitch is concise, clear, targeted, and should include the following:

Their elevator speech should include their major, what related extracurricular activities they have engaged in, any work or previous co-op experiences, and what skills they have developed that apply to the job they are seeking. Employers will hear from many students that day, so finding ways to stand out is key.

Students should also remember that the time they have with potential employers is a two-way conversation, and they should take the opportunity to gather information about the company. It is beneficial if students can do research on the companies they wish to speak to ahead of time in order to personalize their questions. Students can find lists of example questions to ask on the Career Services website.

*Adapted from Post-College Ready: Expert Advice for Parents to Support Their College Senior

Spring is a season of many holidays for those of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Pagan traditions. These holidays may be important events for your students. Please note that RIT’s attendance policy does not automatically excuse absences for religious reasons, but students can make arrangements with professors ahead of time if they must miss class. For more information, visit the Spirituality and Religious Life page.

Spring Break is on March 9-16. If your student is traveling, please have a discussion within the next month about Spring Break safety and health. RIT Housing requests that students who are leaving their rooms/apartments for the week prepare by emptying trash cans and cleaning out fridges, locking windows and doors, and unplugging electronic equipment (fridges can remain plugged in). Dining hours and locations during the week can be found on the RIT Dining website.

This spring break, over 30 students are choosing service over vacation—traveling to Florida, Georgia, and Puerto Rico to support communities in need with Alternative Spring Break hosted by the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement. The Alternative Spring Break Fund supports travel expenses for students, who are responsible for funding their trip costs. By donating to this fund, you can help these students travel and make a difference in communities across the globe.

Additionally, February is Matching Gift Month, during which many employers will match your gift, doubling the impact. You can search to see if your employer participates here.

It’s only February, but we know you may already planning for the end of the semester move out. A local storage company offers a full service for students needing to store belongings over the summer. Rochester College Storage (The UPS Store) provides supplies including tape, labels, boxes, and bubble wrap along with on-campus (and surrounding area) pickup and delivery. There is no charge for pickup and delivery during peak move-out and move-in days. If you make your reservation by March 31, you will receive 10% off the storage cost using the promo code newsletter10. Refer to the website for more information and call 585-427-8080 (ext 9) for additional questions.

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 January, we asked if you give your student college-related advice at the start of a new semester. Half of you said you offer advice freely, while another 28% said it depends on the topic. Please take a moment to answer our February question.

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

Campus was decked out the past two weeks celebrating FreezeFest! FreezeFest is a favorite RIT tradition, celebrating all things winter with events, giveaways, a lot of hot chocolate, and a new addition this year-Balloon Roarie. 

Read more about other RIT Campus Traditions here!

Sincerely,

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

rit.edu/parents

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