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Family Engagement in Higher Education Webinar Series

Each semester AHEPPP: Family Engagement in Higher Education provides our members with 3-5 complimentary webinars. Webinars are free of charge for members, but advance registration is required. Members also have on-demand access to our webinar archive. If you are considering becoming a member, we encourage you to take advantage of a free trial webinar. Please contact Lindsay McKinney to sign up today. 

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Faith in Families: How to Navigate the Waters of Religious Interactions
April 29, 2022
2:30pm ET/ 1:30pm CT/ 12:30pm MT/ 11:30pm PT

Parent and family program professionals often face expectations or concerns that address religious, secular, and spiritual issues. How PFP staff respond to faith-related questions depends on a number of factors, including institutional scope and mission, campus culture, the size and makeup of staff, and the comfort level of personnel when it comes to addressing religious topics. In this webinar, we will discuss examples of recent events, consider the historical context of religion and family faith in higher education, and suggest ideas for partnering with other campus offices when crafting communications and programming to include our diverse population of families.

Presenters:
Christine Self: Christine has worked in family engagement since 2002. She is currently the Director, Family Outreach & Engagement of Parent & Family Relations at Texas Tech University. Christine received her Ph.D. in Higher Education Research in 2018. She is dedicated to supporting student success by educating students and their families as well as developing programs and resources that enhance student experiences.

Jim Fawcett: Jim is a higher education professional with more than 20 years experience in both Student and Academic Affairs at large public, and small to mid-range faith-based private institutions. Jim has spent the past four years in family engagement at Gonzaga University and finds great fulfillment in advancing student success by influencing families to provide healthy support.

Marjorie Savage: Marjorie, author of You’re on Your Own (But I’m Here If You Need Me), developed and directed parent and family services at the University of Minnesota for 24 years before joining the university’s Department of Family Social Services as an education specialist focused on college parenting. Now retired, she continues to collaborate with Family Social Science on research with parents of college students, develop and revise resources for college families, and provide professional development for staff working with college families.

The Next Generation of Positive Parent Engagement & Community: Think Outside the Inbox and Beyond Facebook

March 9, 2022

1pm ET/ 12pm CT/ 11am MT/ 10am PT

Learn how Xavier University of Louisiana innovated with Nearpeer to foster parent engagement in a new way -- a way that exceeded parent expectations, improved student success, and reduced parent calls and complaints.

Xavier will also share how this new approach to parent and family engagement served them in reducing student attrition during a very challenging time -- the landfall of Hurricane Ida during the first week of classes in Fall 2021, which closed campus, knocked out power for weeks, and required students to be evacuated.

This webinar will be an opportunity for you to learn about the "5 Es" of next-gen parent engagement that have emerged from the collaboration between Xavier and Nearpeer. Dr. Curtis Wright of Xavier University will share his perspectives on: 

1. Experience - building engagement not just with parents, but *between* parents for a great experience and support system that makes parents thankful

2. Efficacy - more effectively build your parent community while converting energetic parents (bulldozers, helicopters, and snow plows) into helpful champions

3. Enrollment - improving student enrollment, retention, and success through a better parent & family support system

4. Equity - empowering all parents to engage in ways that are inclusive and accessible for the many parents and families that are far from campus and busy with work and family commitments

5. Ease - reducing in-bound calls and complaints by harnessing parent-powered support to reduce staff workload, and quickly improve the quality of your contact information to reach parents


Presenters
  • Dr. Curtis Wright, VP-Student Affairs, Xavier University of Louisiana

  • Christopher Quinn, COO, Nearpeer


Ask the Experts... Parent & Family Engagement Beyond Big Programming
March 3, 2022
3pm ET/2pm CT/1pm MT/ 12pm PT (program is scheduled for 90 minutes)

Join AHEPPP and the NODA Parent/Family Network for a joint session on engaging families beyond the two BIG traditional events of Family Weekend and Family Orientation. Together we will discuss the importance of engaging families year-round and explore creative ideas, share lessons learned, and delve into the limitless possibilities that exist to connect and support parents both virtually and in-person outside of a typical programming cycle.You can submit a question for our panelists by clicking here.

Panelists include:

Quincy Spencer | Director - New Student & Parent Programs, University of Arkansas
Amy Swank | Director - Parent, Family, and Student Connections, Bowling Green State University
Tasha Talton | Director - Transition Programs and Services, University of Texas at Arlington

College Health 101: What Every Parent Should Know
February 17, 2022
2pm ET/ 1pm CT/ 12pm MT/ 11am PT

Jill Grimes, MD, author of The Ultimate College Student Health Handbook: Your Guide to Everything from Hangovers to Homesickness, is excited to share with us her “Health 101: What College Parents Really Need to Know”. From test anxiety and “castastrophizing”, to alcohol and pot, to injuries and illness, Dr. Grimes will present practical tips that we can share with our families to help shape parent expectations and support their students. Her book offers a head-to-toe guide for the most common anxieties, illnesses, and injuries seen in the college setting, as well as the medical risks of popular trends like tattoos and piercings.  Dr. Grimes is happy to virtually (or in person, when possible) attend book club meetings or offer webinars or contribute to your newsletters as you highlight different topics with your members. 

Jill Grimes, MD, is a nationally recognized medical media expert, award-winning author, and proud parent of two collegiate daughters. After two decades of private practice in family medicine, Dr. Grimes focused on student health, working part-time at the University of Texas in Austin. She now splits her time between writing, speaking, and working for public health initiatives.

How Is COVID-19 Impacting College Students: Parents’ Perspectives
December 10, 2021
1pm ET/12pm CT/ 11am MT/ 10am PT

Results from three national surveys of college parents, conducted by the Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota, and AHEPPP: Family Engagement in Higher Education.

COVID-19 has undoubtedly changed the face of higher education. Campus closures and a transition to distance learning during the 2020-21 school year required colleges and universities to engage with families. Families were supporting students with moving, new living arrangements, and often supporting them in their daily work (that might have included food, internet access, shared spaces and cars, and shifting financial responsibilities). We have been surveying parents throughout this time and are collecting a third wave of data during fall 2021. In this webinar we will share what we have learned from families about how the pandemic has impacted higher education, students’ academic opportunities, and family well-being.