New Parent Reception Offers Essential Information
If you would like to watch the video that accompanies this article, please visit here.
Going off to college is such an exciting time—but also somewhat stressful for parents as they launch their kids into the world. (As the mother of an 8-year-old, I am taking notes!)
Our annual New Parents Reception, offered online for easy access, is a place where parents can get to know some key UC Davis leaders and pose questions in a friendly, welcoming space. And while it is aimed at new parents, returning families, too, are sure to find information and resources of interest. (It’s hard to learn about everything during your student’s first year!)
We were pleased to feature a warm video welcome by Chancellor Gary S. May, who spoke not only as a chancellor but also as the parent of two young adults. Knowing that safety concerns are paramount, he invited parents to visit campusready.ucdavis.edu to learn about free COVID rapid testing for students and other public health information.
And, in welcoming families to one of the nation’s top public universities, he emphasized his commitment to preparing students for their lives beyond: “My goal for our students is for them to have a job offer or a grad school acceptance in hand before they graduate.”
Chancellor May also directed families to such resources as the Undergraduate Research Center, where students can get help identifying and conducting all manner of research projects; the Internship and Career Center (or ICC—more on that below), which helps students identify career paths, connects them to internship and job opportunities, and prepares them for all stages of the application process; and the Educational Opportunity Program, which offers mentorship, tutoring, academic planning, financial assistance and more.
For more detailed information followed by a vibrant Q&A session, we welcomed a panel of campus leaders offering key resources to students: Andrea Hanson, associate director of career recruiting from the ICC; Sheri Atkinson, associate vice chancellor for student life, campus community, and retention services; and Dana Allen, assistant vice chancellor of alumni and affiliate relations and executive director of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association (CAAA).
I encourage all of you to watch their excellent presentations and hear the amazing questions posed by parents, but I offer the following highlights.
From Andrea Hanson, we learned the importance of getting involved early with ICC services and programs. “The data shows that the earlier we see students, the more likely they are to have that job or graduate school plan in hand at graduation,” she said. And she encouraged students to promptly activate their accounts with Handshake, an online platform connecting students with internship and job opportunities both on and off campus.
She also encouraged students to attend career fairs, which are being held in person this academic year for the first time since the COVID outbreak. The fall career fair is on Oct. 12, but if your student misses that, mark your calendars for career fairs in winter (Feb. 22, 2023) and spring (April 19, 2023). More information at https://icc.ucdavis.edu/services/fair.
From Sheri Atkinson, we learned about vital resources for students, from helping them find friends and fun activities to connecting them with basic needs such as housing, mental health services and more. “I just want to reassure you, you’re leaving your students in good hands with many caring professionals who are committed to your student’s success here at UC Davis,” she said.
And we heard from Dana Allen of CAAA about forging a network dedicated to serving Aggies for life. The best way to start that journey with your student is to become a member of the Cal Aggie Parent and Family Association, which may be combined with gifting your student a Student Life Membership. But whether you are a member or not, CAAA offers students myriad ways to connect with alumni for career networking, community service and a range of other fruitful activities.
Our reception also included information about the power of philanthropy—how gifts of any size from UC Davis families enhance all aspects of our students’ experience. We heard from Darrick Lam ’87, an alum and former Aggie parent. Darrick serves as the founding chair of Family Fellows, a group of UC Davis parents and families who are dedicated to supporting programs they care about and encourage others to join them.
Those are the highlights of our gathering! Please watch the video to learn much more. And if I can be of assistance with questions of any kind, please do get in touch. We welcome you and your student to the Aggie family!
With warm wishes,
Cari
For more information about how parent giving makes a difference in students’ lives, contact Cari DuBois-Wright, Associate Director of Development in Parent Giving, at caduboiswright@ucdavis.edu, 510-388-3605. You can visit our Parents Fund website here as well as learn more about our Family Fellows.