American University Alumni Relations Events and Resources for New Eagle Families
orientation 2022

Greetings Eagle Families,

The first six weeks of the semester are predictably challenging for many students (and their families). If you were able to join us for our Parent & Family Transitions webinar this summer, you may remember Fanta Aw, VP of Undergraduate Enrollment, Campus Life, and Inclusive Excellence referring to this as "the red zone." The excitement of new friends and a new city can contrast sharply with feelings of homesickness or initial grades. Families are adjusting as well - maybe there's one less picky eater at the table, but there's now an empty chair. We host Family Weekend as we reach this milestone together.

We hope you are looking forward to connecting with your student, whether in person during Family Weekend or in your own special ways. For families that cannot travel, encourage your student to check out our on-campus events while you make plans to join us for our live online events and recordings. No matter where you are - we invite you give your student a social media shout-out with the #AUEagleFamily tag and we'll post those to our screens at select events over the weekend.

As we end these first six weeks, we are also wrapping up this Orientation Weekly and next week's edition will be our last. Whether we get to greet you in person or online - we look forward to staying connected through our Family Update newsletters and our Family Webinar Series. As always, you are welcome to reach out to us any time at [email protected].

From our nest to yours,
New Student and Family Programs 

 
Family Resources

Did you know we have a website with curated content just for our AU parents and families? You'll find quick links to campus services and offices, a planning calendar with key dates and deadlines, travel tips and a listing of our favorite hotels, a collection of our recorded webinars and so much more! Visit us at www.american.edu/ocl/families.

 

Dates and Deadlines

Parent & Family resource calendar

Fall 2022 Room Change has opened! Students can apply for a room change between now and November 28. Details are online

10/7-10/9: Family Weekend

10/14: Fall break (one day); no classes, university offices remain open, halls remain open

11/22: Holiday schedule adjustment: Tuesday classes cancelled; Friday classes meet instead

11/23 - 11/27: Thanksgiving holiday; no classes, halls remain open, dining services modified, university offices closed on Thursday and Friday

12/17: Last day of final exams (exam times may differ from class meeting times, please consult with your student)

12/18: Residence halls close by noon (students returning to the same room for the spring semester do not need to move)

It's not too late to register for family weekend

Family Weekend

It is not to late to register for Family Weekend! More than 2,000 of you have already shared your weekend plans with us - thank you! Registered guests receive parking permits, guest passes to use our fitness centers and more family freebies. You can register now online or drop by check-in (in the Mary Graydon Center on Friday, October 7 or in Bender Lobby the morning of Saturday, October 8) to register in person. 

Orientation videos on demand

Orientation playlist

Don't forget! You can always find recordings of our New Eagle Essentials sessions on our Campus Life YouTube playlist. You can find brief refreshers on key topics and campus resoursces like dining, health, safety, wellness, understanding financial aid, viewing the student bill, and opportunities for involvement in campus life. 

new eagle Essentials recordings  

Navigating Academics 10/19

Family webinar series

How is your student guided through the process of choosing courses, declaring a major, finding support to meet academic challenges, and ultimately mapping and realizing a unique plan that carries them into the future? Find out what happens to help your student make the most of an AU education. 

Join us for  "Navigating Academics" 
Wednesday, October 19: 7 - 8 p.m. EST

All of our family webinars are recorded and live-captioned. We include registration links for upcoming webinars in our Family Update newsletters, but you can always explore the full schedule and find our recordings on the family website

register for family webinars

you've been asking

In these last few Orientation Weekly newsletters, we'll share answers to some of the questions that you have been asking.

Q: What is AU doing to address health & safety issues with dining services?
A: The DC Department of Health regularly conducts health and safety visits at the city’s more than 6,500 food establishments.  An inspector visited dining facilities at Mary Graydon Center on September 21 and identified areas of improvement to our services. The items noted included regular temperature checks for hot/cold food, proper labeling, and surface cleaning. Upon receipt of the DC Health report, we took steps to address the identified issues and all have been resolved. We encourage parents and students with additional questions or concerns to reach out to us at [email protected].

Q: When should my student be looking for an internship?
A: Washington, DC is an amazing place for students to get practical experience in their anticipated career fields and to build networks - of course they're eager to dive in! We encourage our first year students to spend this year volunteering, exploring and finding strategies to succeed academically before committing to an internship. This is a good time to start exploring the Career Center's internship resources so they are stronger candidates when they find the right opportunity. Not all academic programs require internships.

If you are not sure where to direct your question, you can always reach out to us at [email protected] or explore our collection of quick links to help families find answers to frequently asked questions.

family quick links

 

  
 

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