October Newsletter

Mid-term break begins on Friday, October 27. Classes resume on Monday, October 30. The 2023-2024 Academic Calendar contains important dates and deadlines, including dates of holiday breaks and other days when classes are not held.

Off-Campus Student Life launches its annual Off-Campus Housing Series, a line-up of programs and opportunities for students considering living off campus next year to learn more about their options and make good decisions. Programs include renter education opportunities, roommate development, and an off-campus housing fair.

October can be a time when some roommates start to experience challenges and may need to revisit their roommate agreement. Encourage your student to contact their RA to ask for help or mediation.

Information about housing for the 2024-2025 academic year will be sent to all current on-campus students soon and will be published on our Residence Life website.

Encourage your student to attend the Last Chance Mass on Sunday evenings at 9 p.m. Weekends are busy, and this on-campus mass provides your student one last opportunity for worship. Fellowship and snacks are provided following mass each week. All students are welcome!

We invite alumni, parents, and friends of St. Thomas to join us once a month for 15 minutes to pause, gather online, and pray. Pray It Forward will include reading the upcoming Sunday's Gospel, a brief reflection, an offering of intentions, and a prayer.

The Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) invites families to join the Thanksgiving Dinner Host Program. This program matches international students with local families to provide students with the opportunity to experience Thanksgiving in the United States. If you are interested in hosting, please contact Tina in the OISS at albi6299@stthomas.edu. Learn more about OISS social events and programs.

Students receive registration time tickets from the Registrar’s Office via their St. Thomas email account on October 17. Remind your student that a registration hold is placed on all undergraduate student records, as students must meet with their advisor before they register for classes. After meeting and discussing enrollment plans, their advisor will remove their hold. Remind your scholar to plan ahead as advising calendars fill quickly!

Some students might be feeling stressed as they plan for upcoming mid-terms. Encourage your student to discover testing strategies on our Academic Counseling web page. Students can also check out other academic and personal resources on campus designed to support them. These links are to the St. Thomas intranet, and only your student will be able to access the referenced pages.

The St. Thomas Family Handbook is here to help guide parents and families through the university experience. The Handbook contains information regarding academic and campus resources along with student health and well-being services and conversation starters for families to help you support your student through their college years. The handbook is available in Hmong, Somali, and Spanish.

During the National College Health Association survey last year, 71 percent of students reported consuming alcohol in the past, and 55 percent reported consuming alcohol in the last two weeks. Having open and honest conversations with your student(s) about substance use is important. The Center for Well-Being offers a free workshop called Sober Curious that helps students explore their relationship with substances. Your student can learn more and register on Tommie Link.

Getting an up-to-date COVID vaccine and annual flu shot is a safe and simple way for your student to protect themselves and those around them from infections. Flu clinics are offered on campus at convenient times and locations to fit into your student's busy day. The updated Covid vaccine is available at the Center for Well-Being. Your student can schedule an immunization appointment on myHealthPortal or call 651-962-6750. Please encourage your student/s to get vaccinated to stay healthy this year.

We invite you and your student(s) to a special evening with Dr. Yohuru Williams on October 23 to learn what Martin Luther King, Jr.'s words mean for all of us today and to showcase what the Racial Justice Initiative (RJI) is doing to make racial justice more than a dream.

Register for the RJI event and visit our website for more information about the Racial Justice Initiative and our MasterClass series.

The Fowler Business Concept Challenge is currently accepting submissions from current University of St. Thomas students to compete for up to $15,000 in scholarships. The Business Concept Track focuses on traditional commercial ventures, and the Social Venture Track focuses on solving social and/or environmental problems using entrepreneurial methods. Submission deadline is October 23.

Is your student interested in the Fall 2024 Rome Empower Program? Encourage them to attend an info session this fall.

To learn more about all the program options available, First Step Sessions are a great place for students to begin their study abroad journey!