Dear Parents and Families of Students in the Class of 2030,
Welcome to the Wesleyan community! As Dean for the Class of 2030, I will work closely with your student throughout their Wesleyan journey. My role is to help students navigate academic policies, connect them with resources, celebrate their successes and support them through challenges when they arise.
While this is an exciting milestone for your student, it is also a significant transition for your family. One of the greatest gifts you can give your student is the space to solve problems, make decisions, and learn from setbacks. Encourage them to speak with their professors, advisors, coaches, and deans before stepping in to solve a challenge for them. Building confidence often begins with taking that first step independently, while knowing they have people cheering them on from home.
As for the questions that you as a parent or guardian may have, many answers can be found on the Parent and Families website. Another good resource is Parents’ Questions for Students, which provides an overview of the kinds of academic, co-curricular, and personal challenges that students typically face during their time at Wesleyan. Also, I encourage you to follow the Class of 2030 blog, all class communications that I have already sent and will send to the class are posted there.
Arrival day for new students is Wednesday, September 2, and classes begin on Monday, September 7. The course add/drop period for the fall semester starts on Monday, September 7 and ends on Friday, September 18.
As you finalize your preparations to bring your student to Wesleyan for arrival day, encourage your student to step outside of their comfort zone and explore all that Wesleyan has to offer. Wesleyan prides itself on providing a liberal arts education that encourages students to ask difficult questions, challenge assumptions, explore broadly, and develop into thoughtful, engaged members of their communities.
I look forward to welcoming you and your student to campus on Arrival Day and hope to see many of you again during Homecoming/Family Weekend in October.
Best,
Shelissa Newball
Dean for the Class of 2030
snewball@wesleyan.edu