YOU WILL TEACH THEM TO FLY

But they will not fly your flight.
You will teach them to dream,
but they will not dream your dream.
You will teach them to live,
but they will not live your life.
Nevertheless, in every flight, in every life, in every dream,
the print of the way you taught will always remain.
-Mother Teresa

Dear T-Bird Parents & Families,

It has been an exciting couple of weeks having your students back at SUU, their presence is what gives campus the great life that we all love. It has been amazing to watch your students as they learn to coexist with new roommates, meet new professors, and adapt to the rigor of the new school year.

We know at this point in the semester many students are feeling overwhelmed with their classes and many are struggling with homesickness. This is normal, but it can be hard to know how to support them when they are struggling. I loved this article on helping your students deal with homesickness and this article has some tips that you could send to your student. This is a great time to send your student a note of encouragement or a package from home. Family postcards from Parent Orientation are also being delivered this week, which are sure to bring a smile to their faces.

Here are some questions you could ask your student to see how they are doing:
"Are you attending class regularly?" 
'"How are you managing your time?"
"Have you visited the tutoring center?"
"Do you set aside time for each class during the day to get your work done?"
"Have you gone to your Professor's office hours and discussed your struggles with their class?"
“Have you met any new friends?”
“What event has been your favorite?”
“What’s your favorite thing about SUU?”
“What has been the hardest part about going to college?”

Thank you for all the support you give to your student. If you feel like your student is struggling and you aren't sure where to send them, please contact me and we can work together to get them the support they need.
Is your student struggling? If yes, please choose in which area?
Connection / Making Friends
Getting Involved
Academics
Mental Health
Other
If you clicked an area above, please email me at parents@suu.edu and explain the situation a little bit more so I can help you figure out how to best support your student.
Mindful Self-Compassion with CAPS

Being a human is hard. We all suffer, fall short, and have moments of deep pain. Self-compassion provides a way to approach yourself with more openness and care during these difficult times. It's like being your own best friend!
This workshop is formatted much like a class. Through lessons, written exercises, and meditations, SUU students learn practical ways to apply the 3 steps of self-compassion. It is a great place to learn skills with no pressure to self-disclose. Many students keep their cameras off and interact via chat if they have questions for the workshop leaders. We recommend that you attend a minimum of 3 consecutive weeks, and welcome you to attend as many as you want. 

Days: Thursdays
Time: 12:00PM-12:45PM


Workshop space is reserved for your SUU students. Others interested in self-compassion can explore the resources on self-compassion.org. Your student can join the Mindful Self-Compassion workshop via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/98450857209.

CAPS offers a variety of workshops and open enrollment groups to meet the mental health needs of students. Learn more here: www.suu.edu/caps/groups.html
Important Dates to Know for Fall
If your student is coming home over any of the breaks, schedule travel, doctor, and dentist
appointments around these dates.

  • September 28: Last day to drop a class without a "W" on transcript & a 100% refund.
  • Wednesday, September 29: Last Day to Add
  • Monday, November 8: Last Day to Withdraw with a "W" From individual course(s)
  • Wednesday, November 24: Thanksgiving Break No classes; campus is OPEN
  • November 25-26: Thanksgiving Break No classes; campus is CLOSED
  • Friday, December 10: Last Day to Withdraw with W From all courses
  • Send your student a note of encouragement for finals!
  • Monday, December 13: Instruction Ends Last day of regular class meetings 
  • Tuesday, December 14 thru Friday, December 17th: Final Exams

For details about other important dates throughout the academic year, review the Academic Calendar.
Student Resources
The following resources are available to all SUU students, please encourage your student to utilize the resources that would be helpful to them. To see the full list, click here.

Free tutoring- Tutoring Center
Free help with presentations- Speech & Presentation Center
Free help with disability support- Disability Support Center
Free counseling for anxiety, depression, homesickness, etc.- Counseling and Psychological Services
Free help finding a job, preparing a resume, or improving interview skills- Career Center
Free help for military veterans- Veterans Center
Free help finding access to free money- Financial Aid
Free adventures- the Outdoor Center
Free help finding information on campus- Visit the Nest (Student Center room 178).
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Thank you to those parents who came to our Parent and Family Weekend! We loved seeing you there in your red! We hope that you had a chance to spend some time with your student and attend our homecoming events!

We randomly drew names from those parents that checked into our Parent & Family Weekend. Congrats to Claudia, Mike, Circe, Rita, Jen, Lahela, Dean, and Elizabeth!
The health, safety, and well-being of every member of the SUU family is a priority for us. SUU operates under the direction and guidance of a number of entities including the Utah State Legislature, the Utah System of Higher Education, the U.S. Department of Education, the Utah Department of Health, the Southwest Department of Health, and various accrediting bodies.

For more information on our COVID-19 updates, please visit our campus COVID-19 information website.
If your student is struggling emotionally, physically, mentally, etc. and you aren't sure where to send them, please contact us and we will help you find the resources they need. parents@suu.edu or 435-865-8752

We have created a way for you to report a student concern to SUU so we can help your student find success: https://www.suu.edu/safety/report.html

SUU.EDU/PARENTS | Southern Utah University | (435) 865-8752