Summer is a pivotal time for colleges and universities to engage with their students' families. With the right communications strategy, schools can cultivate a sense of belonging, keeping families informed while building trust and supporting student success.

As parent and family program professionals, I imagine most of us thoroughly enjoy the families that are actively involved and engaged.  We are thrilled when they register for our events (and actually show up!), grateful when they provide donations to our programs and inspired when they want to connect with other families. These parents and families remind us of our “why.”  Realistically, we can’t expect everyone to provide this form of support. Therefore, I want you to take a moment to consider these questions:

Just over a year ago, Inside Higher Ed published an article, “Parents Unaware of Students’ Mental Health Struggles,” detailing a study completed by YouGov on behalf of UnitedHealthcare. The study found that students were reporting mental health issues at much higher rates than their parents perceived. At the time, the Director of our Student Wellness Center brought this to our team in Parent and Family Programs with the question, “What can we do?” We had to do something. 

If you’re a Family Engagement professional, chances are you’ve spent your fair share of time sitting through classes, presentations, meetings, speakers, etc. Chances are also good that some of these experiences have been energizing learning opportunities, while some might have fallen flat…nap time, maybe?

How are we already several weeks into the spring semester? Time flies when you’re welcoming new and returning students and families for the start of the semester, building communication plans, planning events, and preparing for the busy summer to come. 

Dear AHEPPP family,

A comprehensive family engagement strategy that covers the entire student lifecycle is important and impactful. It’s also a lift that many small teams struggle with. When resources are tight, leaning into technology can be the helping hand that allows you to scale.