Happy winter and spring semester! We are excited to welcome students back to campus this week, where winter has hit. It is COLD and we are ready to celebrate winter with FreezeFest on Jan. 27-Feb. 8.

One note about this newsletter: in recognizing that parents have many questions about the co-op experience, we are introducing a new section, Co-op-Corner, which will provide monthly information and tips to support your student through their co-op and job search. These monthly tips will be more specific; please continue to use the Career Services and Co-op website for more resources and information. 

The Center for Residence Life is seeking student leaders for the position of Resident Advisor (RA). RAs live in RIT’s Residence Halls to help support and mentor students. For more information and to apply, student should visit the Center for Residence Life website.

Applications are due Jan. 27 at 8 a.m. Interested students can join a virtual information session on Jan. 23 at 9 p.m. to learn more about the role.

The annual Expressions of King's Legacy celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will be held on Jan. 29 at noon in the Gordon Field House. This year’s speaker will be Deborah Archer, the eighth President of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Professor of Clinical Law at the New York University School of Law, and Faculty Director of the Law School’s Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law. Students can register here.

The Change of Major Fair is an opportunity for students to learn about the available majors on campus and the resources offered to change majors. Representatives from all nine colleges, University Advising Office, Career Counseling, and the School of Individualized Study (SOIS) will be at the fair to talk with students about their options. The Change of Major Fair is on Thursday, Jan. 30 from noon-2 p.m. in the SHED Atrium. Students can register here.

Room selection for current students for the 2025-2026 year begins on Feb. 10. This process is for students currently living in Residence Halls, Global Village, or Greek Circle, students who did not renew their current room during housing renewal, or those who were not on campus this year. Students should keep these important dates in mind: 

Instructions and more information are available on the RIT Housing website.

The RIT Community is looking forward to celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2025! Commencement will be held on May 9-10. Ceremonies include Friday morning’s Academic Convocation, a celebration of all graduates with a keynote address, and individual commencement ceremonies on Friday afternoon and Saturday, where students walk across the stage to receive their diplomas. Please check the commencement schedule to see when your graduate's ceremony will be held.

Use the FAQ section of the Commencement website to find information on tickets, photos, and all about your visit. You should make your travel arrangements now. Remind your student to check their email frequently and apply for graduation when notified—they must complete the application in SIS by Apr. 1. If you are traveling to Rochester, make your travel and accommodation plans soon!

No matter what year your student is, they are likely still learning how to advocate for themselves and ask for help when needed. Asking for help can be a challenge for anyone, especially a generation of students who spent important development years on Zoom. Building connections with faculty, academic advisors, tutors, and other campus supporters can make a huge difference in your student’s success in the classroom and down the road in their career search. The key is to get through the door. 

Encourage your student to go to office hours, schedule a meeting with their advisor, or take advantage of the many academic support resources before any issues occur. In building these relationships early, they will be more comfortable if they have to have more challenging conversations in the future. While email is a necessary part of our lives, in-person conversations are more memorable and will give your student a leg up when they need to ask for advice or for a job reference. 

At RIT, we look for ways to celebrate winter! FreezeFest is RIT’s annual winter festival that encourages students to embrace the cold Rochester weather and enjoy many planned activities. FreezeFest 2025 is Jan. 27-Feb. 8. It is a great way for students to take a break from their academics, get out of their residence hall room or apartment, and experience many fun, diverse, and free activities, events, food, and giveaways. Students can learn more on CampusGroups and by following RIT Student Life on social media.

The Campus Connect initiative has turned the residence halls into more than just places students live—they have become places that support student success by connecting living areas with learning opportunities that build a sense of community. For instance, academic advisors held an “Ask Me Anything” session and the faculty teaching calculus held an “office hours” night for students to practice meeting with faculty in a low-stakes, informal setting.

This past summer, four residence hall spaces underwent renovations to make learning and collaboration more accessible. The renovated rooms, now called Connection Hubs, are Kate Gleason Hall A055, Fredericka Douglass Sprague Perry Hall 1250, Sol Huemann Hall 1st floor study rooms, and Ellingson Hall 1st floor lounge.

These rooms have become communal areas that allow for organizing social events, studying, and organizing programs that promote collaborative learning. Students, faculty, and staff can access rooms from 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Students are welcome to use the rooms when programs aren’t in session. Panels outside each space indicate when rooms are open or reserved. When open, students just swipe in with their ID. 

A start of a new year brings motivation to set new goals. Spring semester is a great time to reflect upon what went well last semester, challenges, and what will help students accomplish new goals in the areas of academics, involvement, health, relationships, etc. In helping your student think about their 2025 goals, remind them to:

Along with the University-Wide Career Fair in March, there are many other events happening this spring to help your student find a co-op or job. Please remind your student to keep an eye out for the weekly Career Connect e-Newsletter, sent to all students beginning in their second year. This newsletter shares the most current events, employer tabling, and workshops that occur all semester, including these events:

Packaging Science Career Fair
Wednesday, Feb. 5, 12:30-5 p.m.

Creative Industry Days
Monday-Friday, Feb. 10-14

Mock Interview Days
Thursday and Friday, Feb. 20-21

Affinity Networking Reception 
Tuesday, March 4, 5-7 p.m.

Performance Teams Open House*
Tuesday, March 4, 7-9 p.m.

Clinical Connections Fair*
Wednesday, March 19, 3-5 p.m.

Civil Engineering and Construction Industry Career Fair
Thursday, March 20, 1-4 p.m.

*students can find details on Career Connect

Now that RIT is an Adobe Creative Campus, all students have free access to Adobe Express, as well as additional trainings and certifications that can enhance their digital literacy and skillsets. With Adobe Express, all students can enhance their visual communications regardless of their skill or experience level. Your student can learn more about how to access Adobe Creative Campus here.

1098-T tax statements will be sent to eligible students' permanent addresses by the end of January. The IRS Form 1098-T provides information to students which may be used in determining a student’s eligibility for education tax credits. Additional information can be found on the Student Financial Services page.

A student account credit balance results when the total of the credits posted to a student's account (e.g., payments, loan disbursements, scholarships) exceeds the total of the charges on the account. RIT’s policy is to resolve eligible credit balances as promptly as possible, in compliance with all applicable regulations, by issuing refunds to the student. Students should request their refund, through the Refund Request page of eServices, after Financial Aid has paid to their account. Visit the Refund of Credit Balance page for all details on requesting refunds and setting up direct deposit.

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 December, we asked if you expect your student to attend a graduate program following their undergraduate degree. 42% of you said maybe someday and 32% said yes, right away. 

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

Just as students arrived back on campus for spring semester, winter has hit with cold temps and snow!

Sincerely,

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

rit.edu/parents

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