FALL 2015 News, events, resources, and more from the Nichols College Parents Committee
Welcome or Welcome Back! Many of you have students returning to campus as sophomores, juniors or (WOW) seniors. Welcome to you, “veterans.” Many of you have students attending Nichols for the first time in the fall of 2015. Welcome to you, “first timers.” This newsletter is for all of you. Nichols believes that a relationship with parents is an important part of a successful college experience. Nichols values all parents as partners and members of the Nichols community. Nichols has established a Parents Committee which publishes this newsletter and which will also host a reception during Family and Friends Day on October 24, 2015. Please plan to attend on October 24 and please attend the Parents Committee Reception.
Parents Helping Underclassmen Earlier this year, the Nichols College Parents Committee put out a call to parents for volunteers to conduct mock and informational interviews with students. The sessions are used to develop interview skills, provide opportunities to learn about specific industries and to broaden a student’s network. We are pleased to report that several volunteers stepped forward to help underclassmen become better prepared for the next steps following graduation.
This fall students will benefit from the new academic building located next to Davis Hall that will house several collaborative classrooms designed to enhance teamwork. The building will also house a green screen room for student-produced videos. The building will be open for fall semester and the official opening will be Friday, September 18, during Homecoming weekend, at 1:30 p.m. Parents are encouraged to attend Homecoming and tour the new facility as well as join in the other weekend activities. Details on Homecoming can be found on the Nichols alumni website at community.nichols.edu. The renovated Chalmers Field House will include new locker rooms, a fitness center, and a weight room. It will also provide separate spaces for athletic team workouts and for individual students who wish to use the expanded facilities. Parts of the renovated center, including training, weight, and locker rooms, and tennis courts will be open this fall as work continues on the project. The Parents Committee plans to publish two newsletters each academic year prior to the start of each semester. Look for another newsletter in December/January and please consider joining the Parents Committee. It is a great way to keep up with things on campus and to contribute to the Nichols community. In the meantime, if you have questions about the Parents Committee, please email us at parents.committee@nichols.edu. Sincerely,
Dave Cole P ’16 Chair, Nichols College Parents Committee
Parents are invited to help students with their interviewing skills.
If you, or someone you know, has interviewing experience or would be interested in answering questions about your job or industry, please contact the Office of Career Services at 508-213-2489 or email Liz Horgan, director of career services, at liz.horgan@nichols.edu. Offering even a few minutes of time a couple times a year would provide a very valuable experience to our students.
Mark Your Calendars! See page 4
Spotlight: Janet Newman Academic Advisor What is your role at Nichols College? I am an academic advisor, a first- and second-year Professional Development Seminar (PDS) instructor, coordinator of the College Success Program, and academic liaison to athletics. In my advising role, I primarily work with first-year students and provide them counsel in a variety of areas such as academic advisement, registration, transition to college, and other matters important to the success of new college students. I work with students who are academically atrisk through the College Success Program, and as the academic liaison to athletics, I collaborate with the staff and coaches to address any academic issues that impact our student-athletes.
What is your favorite part of working at Nichols? The people who make up the Nichols community – students, staff, faculty, parents, and alumni – are the reason why I look forward to coming to work every single day. I am so fortunate to have a career where I get to witness (and sometimes influence) the growth and evolution of our students as they transition through this important time in their lives.
“ I am so fortunate to have a career where I get to witness (and sometimes
Do you have any hobbies or special interests? As the mother of two young boys, I find that most of my “free” time is spent taking care of their needs and activities! When I do find opportunities to do things I enjoy, they include going to Gillette Stadium to watch the New England Patriots, traveling to Maine to see my family (which always includes a few visits to the ocean), and brushing up on as much pop culture as possible through current movies, TV, books, and music.
influence) the growth and evolution of our students...
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Who do you most admire and why? I admire my amazing mother and father. Now that I am a parent myself, I have come to realize that I couldn’t have asked for better role models. They both are incredibly wise, kind, and selfless individuals who are constantly doing something for others. They work hard but always make time for new adventures, and after 45 years of marriage, they are still best friends.
Building a Legacy Parents of new and existing students can expect to hear about the importance of giving to Nichols College through messaging in the Parents Post, postcards and other means. Our reaction may be pretty quick and dismissive. After all, in most instances we are already footing a pretty large bill, so why would we write another check!
The Parents Committee would like to remind you that giving, in any amount, helps to grow the legacy that is our students’ educational institution. Giving demonstrates commitment, appreciation and the desire to help ensure the school can continue to evolve and invest in the future. It also shows our students the value of giving for that time after graduation when they will be in a position to give back.
Gifts are used across a variety of purposes including scholarships, infrastructure improvements, and growth. Regardless of the purpose, contributions matter, and any consideration you provide is greatly appreciated.
Learning from a Team
Team-taught courses add a new dimension to learning at Nichols College, allowing students to see the same material through the lens of two different subject areas. This past spring, for example, Professors Brian McCoy and Libba Moore taught the class Sex Matters: Gender Awareness and the Future of Work. The course explored gender relationships in the workplace from the standpoints of psychology – McCoy’s area of expertise – as well as Moore’s focus on human resources. “Students see the inter-relatedness between disciplines and the connections between various perspectives on the course topics,” Moore notes. Tim Born, a freshman member of the class, adds, “When a course encompasses more than one specific area of knowledge, it can make for an exceptional learning experience to have two professors who know the varying areas so well.” “If students can see that both professors are invested in the outcomes of the course and the learning they hope will happen, then there will be more investment on the students’ part as well,” McCoy agrees, emphasizing that the learning experience is not confined to his students. “Working with an expert in a field other than your own, you find that you learn alongside the students.” There will be five team-taught courses offered at Nichols in the fall semester, including a Visual Communication class and another entitled, How Women Lead. Excerpted from an article written by Jack McQuesten ’17 for the Nichols College website.
Professors Len Harmon (left) and Tom Davis team teaching The Psychology of Advertising
Nichols College Parents Committee
Mark Your Calendars!
parents.committee@nichols.edu
Family and Friends Day is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2015. Many activities are planned, including a Welcome Social, co-sponsored by the Nichols College Parents Committee, at 10 a.m. Join us for a continental breakfast and meet fellow parents, faculty and staff. A detailed schedule will be available in early fall.
left, Mary, Cathe in the family, from The Hoeys keep it , Rob ’84 MBA ’01 Patrick ’15, Sean ’16
Nichols Calendar of Events |
Academic Year 2015–2016
AUGUST 2015
Friday, August 28
New students arrive
Sunday, August 30
Returning students arrive
Monday, August 31
Day Division classes begin
Labor Day, no classes
Friday-Saturday, September 18–19
JANUARY 2016 Monday, January 18
Martin Luther King Day Residence halls open at noon
Tuesday, January 19
Day Division classes begin
FEBRUARY
SEPTEMBER Monday, September 7
rine ’18,
Monday, February 15
President’s Day, no classes
MARCH Homecoming
Friday, March 11
Day Division Spring Break Residence halls close at 7 p.m.
Columbus Day Holiday, no classes
Sunday, March 20
Residence halls open at noon
Friday, October 16
Mid-semester reports due
Monday, March 21
Day Division classes resume
Saturday, October 24
Family Weekend
APRIL
OCTOBER Monday, October 12
NOVEMBER
Friday-Sunday, April 14–16
Bison Fest
Friday, November 20
Thanksgiving Holiday begins Residence halls close at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, April 19
Academic Awards
MAY
Sunday, November 29
Residence halls open at noon
Thursday, May 5
Monday, November 30
Classes resume
Day Division classes end Residence halls close at 7 p.m.
Friday, May 6
Senior Reception
Sunday, May 8
Undergraduate Commencement
DECEMBER Thursday, December 17
Day Division classes end
Friday, December 18
Residence halls close at 10 a.m.