Division of Student Success

August 2026 newsletter

Dear Division of Student Success Colleagues,

It was wonderful to see so many of you at our divisional kick-off yesterday. Looking around the room, I felt so much gratitude for this team, and I hope you are all using your new divisional gear with pride!

While we announced our evolution to the Division of Student Success back in May, seeing it truly come to life across campus makes it real. We continue to share this new chapter with our students, families and campus partners—and with the new academic year, we are ready to put our commitment to be measured on the success of our students into action!

Move-in is right around the corner, and the energy on campus is already building. This massive undertaking simply wouldn’t be possible without your tireless dedication, energy, and presence. As you head out for your shifts during Move-in Days, I encourage you to take a moment to really connect with our incoming students and families. Let’s show them exactly what "Student Success" looks like from day one and welcome them home!

Looking ahead, please make sure to mark your calendars for our first monthly Divisional Meeting of the year in Risa Commons on Wednesday, September 9.  Light refreshments will be available starting at 8 a.m.

Thank you for your commitment to our students, our campus, and to one another. I am excited to embark together on a year of growth, innovation, and collaboration.

Warmly,

Anna "Dr. G" Gonzalez
Vice Chancellor for Student Success
@akgonzal327

Move-in is right around the corner. In fact, some students including RAs, WUSAs and athletes will start to move-in this week. Your presence helps create a welcoming and supportive environment for our community. Here are some important details and dates to remember as we welcome our incoming new and returning students:

Orientation for first-year students will take place Saturday, Aug. 15 through Saturday, Aug. 22. See the Orientation schedule. Parent & Family Orientation (PFO) is Friday, Aug. 14-Sunday, Aug. 16. View the complete PFO schedule. 

Please be sure to submit your responses to the "Defining Student Success" activity if you were not able to do so during our kickoff event. Access the form here. Results will be shared at the next divisional meeting. 

Be sure to download the division's new brand assets from the Student Success Toolkits & Guides on our website. There, you will find branded templates, including Zoom backgrounds and email signatures, an image library, and details about the division's communications tools, resources and more. 

The On-campus Student Employment Opportunities Fair is Thursday, Aug. 27 from 12:30-4 p.m. in the Clark-Fox Forum at Hillman Hall. New this year—a larger location and lunch will be provided for participating departments! 

Fair tabling is free and open to all WashU departments and schools who hire students at any point throughout the year for paid on-campus positions. (Please note that you do not need a currently open position to participate). Register now. 

A respected counselor, educator and administrator, Dr. Mariaimeé Gonzalez brings nearly two decades of leadership experience across public and private higher education institutions as the next director of the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services (CCPS). Read the full story. 

Please help make this year's The Longest Table a success on Wednesday, Sept. 2! Encourage your students to attend with our ready-to-use media kit. Faculty and staff are also encouraged to volunteer, especially as facilitators, or to register to attend as participants. 

For questions, contact Rachel Deffenbaugh. 

The WashU Fall Career Expo 2026 is Wednesday, Sept. 16 and Thursday, Sept. 17 from 3-6 p.m. at the Athletic Complex on the Danforth Campus. This premier recruiting event is open to all schools, majors, class levels, alumni, and undergraduate, graduate, PhD, Post Doc and MBA students. Students can register on Handshake.

Calling all marketers, communicators, web wranglers and social media coordinators!

Mark your calendars for the upcoming MarComm Social Hour and join colleagues from across the division who support marketing, communications, website management, and social media. It's a chance to connect, share ideas, swap success stories, and meet others doing similar work across the division. 

📅 Sept. 22
⏰ 2-3 p.m.
📍 Risa Commons

The Red Folder Project provides practical guidance and campus resources to help you confidently respond to students in distress and connect them with the appropriate care. Request your Red Folder or learn more to be prepared. 

Sept. 7: Labor Day - university closed

Sept. 9: September Divisional Meeting

Sept. 9: Well-being Wednesday

Sept. 16: Well-being Wednesday

Sept. 16-17: WashU Fall Career Expo

Sept. 21: Well-being Wednesday

Sept. 30: Well-being Wednesday

Submit an entry for the next Student Success newsletter

The Student Success newsletter is usually sent the first Tuesday of each month. If your department has content you would like featured, submit via the link below at least a week prior to the edition you would like to be included in.

Examples of items to submit are highlights of new initiatives or programming; staff achievements, publications or awards; department spotlights and upcoming events you would like Student Success staff members to know about.

Submit here →

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