Gonzaga Parent & Family 2015-2016 Calendar

CARE. COMPASSION. CONCERN. 2015-2016 PARENT & FAMILY CALENDAR

GREETINGS FROM GONZAGA’S PARENT AND FAMILY OFFICE! We are excited that you are part of the Gonzaga Family, and we look forward to sharing in your student’s college experience at GU! We’re here to assist you and your student during this important transition in your lives. It will surely be a time of great discovery and growth.

The Parent and Family Office is here especially for you. Studies show that parent and family involvement improves and enhances the college experience for students, and our office is committed to providing the guidance and support you need to help your student be successful.

Because we understand the integral role parents and families play in making this new phase of your student’s educational journey a positive one, we have created several resources to keep you involved and informed. The Parent and Family eNewsletter, the Parent and Family Guide and our website at gonzaga.edu/parents are all full of helpful tips and information. In addition, our Parent and Family Advisory Council serves a crucial role by keeping us in touch with what you need to know, and how best to keep you informed.

Our intent is to make the Gonzaga campus a “home away from home” by offering you a full range of services and resources. We are available to answer your questions, big or small. If we don’t have an answer, we will certainly find one for you! Please feel free to call or email our office any time, or stop by if you’re in Spokane. We are located in the Crosby Student Center, Suite 100.

We sincerely hope that this journey, for you and your student, will be fulfilling and successful. Welcome to our Gonzaga Family!

GO ZAGS! Amy Swank, Director Parent and Family Relations swank@gonzaga.edu (509) 313-4154

SEPTEMBER 2015

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Residence Halls open - first year students (Aug. 28) New Student Orientation (Aug. 28-31) Residence Halls open - returning students (Aug. 30) Welcome Masses (Aug. 30) Monday-only classes begin (Aug. 31)

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Classes begin First payment due for the 2015-2016 8-month payment plan

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

University Ministry Roundup Last day to change meal plans

1 2 3 4 5 Labor Day - no classes

Last day to add a class † St. Peter Claver

Last day to drop a class

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rosh Hashana begins CCASL mentoring applications due

Mass of the Holy Spirit - no classes Study Abroad Fair

† St. Robert Bellarmine Club Fair

Pilgrimage

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 International Day of Peace

Yom Kippur New York Trek (Sept. 23-27)

Eid al-Adha

Native American Day

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 † St. Vincent de Paul

27 28 29 30 Take comfort in the foundation you have provided for your student.

This foundation will accompany your son or daughter across the miles and throughout the years.

AUGUST 2015

OCTOBER 2015

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

OCTOBER 2015

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY Spring Study Abroad application deadline

TIP: ADD BULLDOG BUCKS FOR MID- TERM STUDY BREAK

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Search Retreat (Oct. 2-4)

1 2 3 † St. Francis of Assisi

Faith and Culture Week (Oct. 5-9)

Fall Family Weekend (Oct. 9-11)

† St. Francis Borgia

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Zagapalooza All-Zag Reunion (Oct. 15-18) Because You Believe event

Columbus Day

John J. Hemmingson Center Opening

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Founder’s Day - no classes

First Year Retreat (Oct. 23-25)

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Speed Mock Interviews

All Majors Career & Internship Fair

Engineering and Computer Science Career & Internship Fair

Spokane Trek Excursions

† St. Alphonsus Rodriguez

Halloween

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Discuss academic goals and expectations ahead of time.

Many first-year students do not do as well academically first semester as they did in high school, and many change their minds about their proposed course of study. Ask your student what they hope to accomplish academically during their first year. It is important for them to take ownership of their education. Remember, though, that grades are not the only indication of learning.

SEPTEMBER 2015

NOVEMBER 2015

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

NOVEMBER 2015

SUNDAY † All Saints Day Daylight Saving Time ends Week of Prayer (Nov. 1-5)

MONDAY † All Souls Day

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Election Day

THURSDAY † All Saints of the Society of Jesus

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Montserrat Contemplative Retreat (Nov. 6-8) Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice (Nov. 6-9)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Veterans’ Day Diwali begins

Last day to withdraw from a class Search Retreat (Nov. 13-15)

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 International Day of Tolerance

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Thanksgiving Holiday (Nov. 25-27)

Thanksgiving Day † St. John Berchmans

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 † First Sunday of Advent

Advent Kickoff Night

29 30 Send care packages!

Early in the year, sharing popcorn or chocolate chip cookies is a wonderful way for a student to meet floor mates. Photographs are personal reminders of home. Holiday decorations, baskets of treats at exam time, and even everyday necessities like shampoo and school supplies are reminders that say, “I’m thinking of you.”

OCTOBER 2015

DECEMBER 2015

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

DECEMBER 2015

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

TIP: ADD BULLDOG BUCKS FOR FINALS STUDY BREAK

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY † St. Francis Xavier

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Career Discernment Retreat (Dec. 4-6)

1 2 3 4 5 † St. Nicholas

Hanukkah begins

† Our Lady of Guadalupe Reading/Study Days (Dec. 12-14)

† Immaculate Conception

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Finals Week (Dec. 15-18)

Residence Halls close for break

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Christmas break begins † St. Peter Canisius

Christmas Day

Kwanzaa begins

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31 Don’t overschedule.

Tell your child ahead of time about family plans, especially over the holidays, so that he or she can make plans accordingly.

NOVEMBER 2015

JANUARY 2016

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

JANUARY 2016

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

† Mary, Mother of the Society of Jesus 2016-2017 FAFSA available New Year’s Day

1 2 Justice in January (Jan. 3-10)

† St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Spring Semester 2016 payment in full deadline

Portland Trek

† Epiphany

Seattle Trek

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Residence Halls open for spring semester

Monday-only classes begin

Classes begin

Last day to change meal plans

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - no classes

Last day to add a class

Last day to drop a class Cardoner Retreat (Jan. 22-24)

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

† St. Thomas Aquinas

Montserrat Contemplative Retreat (Jan. 29-31)

Housing applications due for 2016-2017

31 25 26 27 28 29 30 Encourage your student to visit his or her professors.

Every professor sets aside three or four hours per week for office hours. Office hours are meant for one-on-one conferences to help students with papers, test prep, and other questions. Encourage your student to avail him or herself of this service as often as possible.

DECEMBER 2015

FEBRUARY 2016

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

FEBRUARY 2016

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Summer Study Abroad application deadline FAFSA priority filing date

THURSDAY

FRIDAY Search Retreat (Feb. 5-7)

SATURDAY † St. Paul Miki and Companions

1 2 3 4 5 6 Chinese New Year

† Ash Wednesday

Lenten Kickoff Night

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 † St. Valentine’s Day

President’s Day - no classes

First Year Retreat (Feb. 19-21)

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Men’s Retreat (Feb. 26-28)

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 Coach your student to solve problems, rather than solving them yourself.

You’re likely to hear more than your share of problems. College students usually call their parents for reassurance when things aren’t going well, and call their friends with the latest exciting news. When you get those phone calls, encourage your student to use the appropriate campus resources—visit the Health Center or Career Center; talk to an advisor or dean; seek help from a counselor or tutor. Read resource information from the Parent and Family Office so you can be an informed coach for your Zag.

JANUARY 2016

MARCH 2016

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

MARCH 2016

SUNDAY

MONDAY TIP: ADD BULLDOG BUCKS FOR MID- TERM STUDY BREAK

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Fall Study Abroad application deadline Academic Year Study Abroad application deadline

SATURDAY Mission: Possible (Mar. 5-12)

1 2 3 4 5 Spring break begins (Mar. 7-11)

International Women’s Day

Silicon Valley Trek

San Francisco Trek

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Daylight Saving Time begins

Nine Days of Grace (Mar. 16-24)

† St. Patrick’s Day

† St. Joseph

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 † Palm Sunday

Lenten Healing Service

† Holy Thursday Last day to withdraw from a class Purim

† Good Friday - no classes

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 † Easter Sunday

Easter Holiday - no classes

27 28 29 30 31 Acknowledge that college today is different.

Although century-old buildings look untouched by time, college life today is very different from the campus scene 25 or 30 years ago. Think twice before beginning a sentence with “when I was your age...”

FEBRUARY 2016

APRIL 2016

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

APRIL 2016

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

TIP: ADD BULLDOG BUCKS FOR FINALS STUDY BREAK

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Cardoner Retreat (Apr. 1-3)

1 2 Search Retreat (Apr. 8-10)

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Tax Day

GEL Weekend (Apr. 16-17)

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Passover begins

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Reading/Study Days (Apr. 30-May 2)

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Talk to your student about how, and how often, you’ll keep in touch.

Do you want a planned time to talk, or do you want to be more spontaneous? A cell phone can be a wonderful tool for connecting, or it can be, as one student described, an “electronic leash.” Encourage your student to use it with discretion and not just to fill in time. Email and social media are also great ways to stay connected. Just don’t count on a reply to every message!

MARCH 2016

MAY 2016

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

MAY 2016

SUNDAY

MONDAY † St. Jose Maria Rubio

TUESDAY Finals Week (May 3-6)

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

† Ascension Cinco de Mayo

SATURDAY Residence Halls close for those not graduating Commencement Mass

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Undergraduate Commencement Mothers’ Day

Residence Halls close for those graduating

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 † Pentecost

Summer Session I begins Full Summer Session begins Summer Session 2016 payment/ payment arrangement deadline

Armed Forces Day

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 † Trinity Sunday

† Corpus Christi

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Memorial Day

29 30 31 Renegotiate expectations.

When your Zag comes home to visit, remember they’ve been making their own decisions on how to spend their time. You, however, may have strong feelings when they come in late at night, sleep in, or arrive late for dinner. Most students respond well if you treat them with respect. You might say, “I know at Gonzaga you can be out until all hours of the night, but I can’t sleep when you’re not here at 2 a.m. Let’s talk about how to handle this so we’ll both feel good about it.” Be flexible and communicate to find common ground.

APRIL 2016

JUNE 2016

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

JUNE 2016

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY Last day to sign up for 10-month payment plan for 2016-2017

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

† Sacred Heart of Jesus

1 2 3 4 Ramadan begins

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Fathers’ Day Juneteenth (Emancipation Day)

† St. Aloysius Gonzaga

† St. Thomas More

Summer Session I ends

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Summer Session II begins

26 27 28 29 30 Understand that the college years are a time for exploration.

Your son or daughter may come home with a new identity—someone else’s clothes; new politics, philosophies, or eating habits; or even a new major and career goals. Most of these changes are temporary. Take a step back, have a sense of humor, and pick your battles. They need you to stick with them, have patience when they are uncertain and support them as they chart the course of their own lives.

MAY 2016

JULY 2016

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

JULY 2016

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Canada Day First payment due for the 2016-2017 10-month payment plan

1 2 Independence Day

Eid al-Fitr

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 † St. Kateri Tekakwitha

† St. Benedict

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Parents’ Day

24

† St. Ignatius of Loyola

31 25 26 27 28 29 30 Ask questions—but not too many.

First year students are “cool” and have a tendency to resent interference with their newfound lifestyles. Still, most desire the security of knowing that someone is interested in them. Parental curiosity might seem obnoxious and alienating, or could seem relief-giving and supportive… depending on the attitudes of the people involved. Questions tinged with ulterior motives should be avoided. However, honest inquiries and discussion will help further the parent/student relationship.

JUNE 2016

AUGUST 2016

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Parent and Family Office 502 E. Boone Avenue Spokane, WA 99528-2464 (509) 313-4154 gonzaga.edu/parents

Photos by Rajah Bose.