Over the next three Sundays, members of Southwestern’s Parent Leadership Gift Council (PLGC) and other generous parent volunteers will be hosting send-off parties across Texas for incoming SU students and their parents. As families prepare for move-in and orientation, a certain level of nervousness or curiosity about the transition to college is inevitable. The PLGC’s send-off parties are a fun way to ease that transition and kick off the Fall 2018 semester.

At each meet-and-greet, families can expect to engage in lively break-out groups. New parents, current parents, and University staff participate in an informative Q&A covering everything from move-in day and 2018 Parent Orientation to billing and campus safety. Meanwhile, it’s not unusual to hear high-spirited laughter from the other room as new students write their questions anonymously on sticky notes and current students offer their candid, off-the-cuff responses. Each party usually lasts for two hours, and families can expect to go home with their own coveted Pirates yard sign.

The send-off parties serve as just one introduction to the University’s welcoming community. Each reception is a terrific opportunity for students to meet classmates before arriving on campus, acquainting them with familiar faces to look for during and after orientation. But they’re also a fun forum for current families to connect, get answers to practical questions, and share tips for preparing for the upcoming school year. According to Southwestern data from the past decade, parents who become more involved in the SU community support each other throughout their students’ years at the University and can even help their students achieve higher graduation rates and GPAs.

The first PLGC-hosted send-off party took place in 2014. This will be the first such event organized in the Rio Grande Valley. In 2017, more than 130 parents and students attended the Houston social, so this year, six families are working together to cohost the event. In addition to the official send-offs in the Rio Grande Valley and the state’s major metropolitan areas of Texas, an informal gathering is being planned in San Diego.

For additional details about a gathering near you, please visit the following links:

• July 29, 2018: Rio Grande Valley
• August 5, 2018: Houston, Austin, San Antonio
• August 12, 2018: Dallas

Families who are unable to attend a send-off party are invited to join a University-hosted webinar at noon on July 24, 2018. Parents will have the opportunity to learn more about move-in, life in the residence halls, and logistics for those arriving from out of state.

RSVP To Webinar