We are thrilled to have you join the Tommie community. You play an important role in helping your student navigate the transition into the life of a scholar and the beginning of adulthood.
We look to you as partners in this journey. At St. Thomas we take pride in our conviction of personal attention—we strive to foster a caring culture that supports the well-being of each member. We are an inclusive community of learners and educators and we believe in creating an environment where all students feel welcomed. We are here to support your student(s) and we are here to support you.
We are hoping to meet you in-person this summer at orientation! The safety of our community remains our top priority. We will have ongoing communication with you this spring and summer about modes available for orientation. We look forward to meeting your student(s) soon.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions as we move through the spring and summer.
| Key Dates for New Fall 2021 Students | Date / Date Span |
|---|---|
| Deciding on St. Thomas | May 1 |
| Start the New Student Orientation Course in Canvas | May 4 |
| Complete Registration Readiness module and submit Course Preference Form | June 2 |
| Meet with Faculty Advisor to discuss your schedule | at your Orientation & Registration session |
| Welcome Days for new students | September 3-7 |
Since the St. Thomas email account is our official method of communication with students, it’s critical they have this set up and are checking it regularly. Make sure to ask every once in a while if they have anything new from us.
We asked your student to update parent/family emails with us so we can communicate directly with you. If you have not received an initial welcome email from us, be sure to work with your student to update that email, or reach out to us at orientation@stthomas.edu.
Students should start by claiming their St. Thomas account and setting up their email, along with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
Next, log into our campus systems, including OneStThomas and Murphy Online, to confirm personal information (name, address). Then students are ready to start the New Student Orientation course in Canvas.
Students are the conduit to help ensure parent/family emails are updated in the St. Thomas system.
In addition to the Family sessions offered during your student's Orientation & Registration Session Day, webinars on additional topics related to your student's transition to St. Thomas and college life will be available throughout the summer. If you would like to attend the live webinars, make sure your student has updated their family emails for you to receive your invitation to these virtual events. Recordings of each of the webinars will be available to view approximately one week after the scheduled live webinar date.
The 2021 Family Orientation webinar topics include:
Each 30-minute webinar begins at 6 p.m.
Your student needs to ensure the following activities have been completed by June 2, 2021:
Familiarize yourself with these Academic elements and the registration process by reading this Guide from Academic Counseling. (Remember that these are your student’s first college assignments, and they need to do them.)
Read through the Guide to Course Registration and increase your understanding of the curriculum.
Engage with their fellow students in their New Student Orientation course in Canvas
Attend the online Information Fair
Connect with future classmates through their Registration Readiness and FYEX 100 Cohorts
Follow TommieOrientation on Instagram
Complete online training
Submit a photo for Tommie Card (St. Thomas student ID) by June 18
Help them make an action plan for this summer. The academic pieces noted earlier on this page are due in June, but we’ll be connecting students with additional content, and fellow classmates, throughout the summer.
You should participate in our online Information Fair as well. Get your questions answered, and also help your student take initiative to explore the resources on their own.
We know that after getting the class schedule, connecting with fellow students is the next thing students value most.
Follow the St Thomas Parent page on Facebook
Engage with their fellow students in their New Student Orientation course in Canvas
Attend the online Information Fair
Connect with future classmates through their Registration Readiness and FYEX 100 Cohorts
Follow TommieOrientation on Instagram
Complete online training
Submit a photo for Tommie Card (St. Thomas student ID) by June 18
Help them make an action plan for this summer. The academic pieces noted earlier on this page are due in June, but we’ll be connecting students with additional content, and fellow classmates, throughout the summer.
You should participate in our online Information Fair as well. Get your questions answered, and also help your student take initiative to explore the resources on their own.
We know that after getting the class schedule, connecting with fellow students is the next thing students value most.
Follow the St Thomas Parent page on Facebook
We know many of our students are blessed to have you involved in managing the financial aspects of college.
That being said, the law requires us to treat the student as an adult and work directly with them. Your student can grant you access to some items (via Proxy Access), but in the end much of this is their responsibility.
You can be a tremendous support by coaching them on that responsibility, helping them know what to pay attention to and having clear conversations with them about how you want to work with them on all of these aspects.
And, be sure to get good information for yourself. You can do this by:
Students need to review the Financial Aid Checklist and complete all items. It includes items such as:
Complete the online Billing & Financial Aid training (found in the New Student Orientation course in Canvas).
Regularly check their St. Thomas email for communications from the Business Office, including future tuition bills.
We know many of our students are blessed to have you involved in managing the financial aspects of college.
That being said, the law requires us to treat the student as an adult and work directly with them. Your student can grant you access to some items (via Proxy Access), but in the end much of this is their responsibility.
You can be a tremendous support by coaching them on that responsibility, helping them know what to pay attention to and having clear conversations with them about how you want to work with them on all of these aspects.
And, be sure to get good information for yourself. You can do this by:
Students need to review the Financial Aid Checklist and complete all items. It includes items such as:
Complete the online Billing & Financial Aid training (found in the New Student Orientation course in Canvas).
Regularly check their St. Thomas email for communications from the Business Office, including future tuition bills.
You are absolutely our partners in the care and support of your student, and we want to work with you. Your student isn’t the only one experiencing change this summer and fall – you are as well! We will launch our digital parent/family orientation program in June, which will support you as you:
Check back on this site for updated information, and make sure your student has submitted updated email addresses for you so we can be in touch.
In the meantime, your student needs to prepare to take care of themselves more and manage their own physical and mental care, which includes:
You can assist your student by asking if they have questions about their tasks and empowering them with information such as: phone numbers for their doctors, details on the college budget, and documentation on past accommodations for disabilities.