1. Stay Calm and Listen: When your student calls with a problem, take a deep breath and remain calm. Allow your student to express themselves and their feelings uninterrupted. Empathize with their emotions and let them know you are here for them. Often, that’s the only support they need to know that they can handle the issue for themselves.
2. Validate their Feelings: College is hard. It’s overwhelming. Your student will face challenges they have never faced before. Show empathy and validate their feelings. Let them know that it’s ok to feel stressed and anxious. Encourage them to seek out assistance from on-campus resources – such as the health center or counseling center – if they need it.
3. Ask Open-Ended Questions: Engage in a conversation using open-ended questions rather than questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no. By providing more open-ended questions you will both encourage your student to keep the conversation going and encourage them to think about their emotions and decisions along the way.
4. Encourage Problem-Solving: Rather than jumping right into the conversation with a solution, empower your student to think critically about the issue at hand and help them problem-solve on their own. Guide them through the process of finding solutions and weighing the pros and cons of the situation.
5. Follow Up: After the initial phone call you have with your student about the issue, stay connected with them and follow up on the progress. Continue to offer your support and be available to them whenever they need to talk.

Remember that your student’s journey through college is a learning experience for both of you. Each problem that they encounter is an opportunity for them to test their independence and problem-solving skills while growing into the strong young adult you know they can be. By being a caring and supportive family member, you will guide them through these challenges and instill the confidence and life skills in them that they need to succeed long after their college journey comes to a close.

1. Frequent Communication: Make an effort to stay in touch with your student regularly, whether through phone calls, video chats, or texts. Your student will be busy and may not be able to answer you immediately, but just seeing a message or phone call from you will go a long way to helping them remember that you are entirely behind them during this new adventure.
2. Respect their Independence: While talking to your student frequently is important, it equally important to respect their new-found independence. Remember, this is new and exciting for them. They are testing their boundaries, trying new things, and figuring out who they are as a person. Now is the time to step back and let them try things for themselves before you intervene.
3. Be a Good Listener: During conversations with your student, practice your active listening. They are facing an overwhelming amount of new challenges and may be feeling overwhelmed. Allow them to express their concerns without feeling judged. Consider starting each conversation with expectations. Ask your student up front, “Are you just looking to vent or do you want my advice?” In doing this, you will avoid overstepping your student’s boundaries and can provide them with what they need at that time.
4. Show up for Family Day: Mark your calendar – Saturday, September 23! You won’t want to miss the chance to experience campus life with your student. Family Day is a fun-filled day of events and activities that will allow you to spend some quality time with your student in their new home away from home.

As you support your student during their first semester at Missouri Western, remember that your love and encouragement is invaluable. Stay connected, be a source of strength, and celebrate all of their achievements big and small. With your unwavering support, your student will have a successful and enjoyable time at Missouri Western.

The initial weeks on campus are a pivotal time for your student to make connections and establish a sense of belonging. Engaging with student organizations during this period can lead to a smoother transition into university life. These organizations provide a welcoming environment where students can find other students who share their interests and values.

Our diverse selection of student organizations include

• Academic/Departmental
• Faith-Based
• Fraternity and Sorority Life
• Honor Societies
• Leadership
• Multicultural
• Performing Arts
• Service
• Social Interest
• Student Governance

By taking the time to explore their student organization options, your student can find their place, create memories and build skills that will last a lifetime. If your student doesn’t like any of the clubs and organizations listed in Max Engage, they can always start their own. When your student is ready to find the organization that is right for them, encourage them to stop by the Center for Student Involvement in Blum Union 207 to start their search.

Spiritual wellness relates to our sense of life meaning and purpose. it includes possessing a set of guiding beliefs, principles, or values that help give directions to one’s life. It is enhanced by having the ability to focus on ourselves, others, our environment, and our purpose. We can express ourselves creatively, having an openness to new ideas, selfless concern for the well-being of others, and having a strong support network of family and friends. Spiritual wellness may or may not involve religious activities. According to Wellness Everyday, studies have shown that faith, hope, forgiveness, expressions of love, social support, compassion and prayer have a positive impact on wellness and our ability to heal from illness.

Here is a list of ways to encourage your student to foster their spiritual well-being:

• Take Time to Enjoy a Little Peace and Quiet
• Make a Gratitude List
• Go out and Experience Nature
• Keep a Journal
• Attend a Religious Service
• Recite Self-Affirmations
• Focus on Hobbies
• ĚýSpeak with Someone They Trust
• Meditate
• Practice Yoga
• Volunteer in your Community
• Spend Time with Family

Spiritual wellness is important for your student’s overall well-being. It can help your student through tough times. They will be strong emotionally and mentally as it can help your student cope with life’s challenges, and aid them in making decisions that are in alignment with their values and beliefs. In the end, it will provide your student with a greater sense of peace, joy, and contentment and ensure their overall health.

The Center for Diversity staff is more than happy to help if your student needs guidance on fostering their spiritual wellness. Please have them visit Blum Student Union, 207A.

Leslie Stone

Director for Diversity and Inclusion

Environmental wellness encourages individuals to occupy pleasant, stimulating environments that support well-being. College students should become aware of how their external environments affect them. They can strategically think through how they can redesign their environments to more effectively support and/or reinforce their needs.

Rakow and Eells (2019) identified that one of the most influential and often underutilized resources on a college campus to support college students’ health and well-being is time in nature. How are you encouraging your student to take some time and be in the moment and utilize the many green spaces on the ş¬Đ߲ÝÉçÇř campus as a tool to de-stress from the many aspects of their college lives? When we embrace environmental wellness, we find balance in our hectic lives and create those pleasant environments that will positively influence all aspects and dimensions of our health and well-being.

Submitted by: Dr. Brett Bruner, Assistant Vice President/Dean of Students

Jobs and Internships

First and foremost, it’s important to encourage your student to take advantage of any opportunities for work or internships that may be available. Not only will this help them gain valuable experience in their field of study, but it will also help them build their resume and establish connections that could be useful later on. Additionally, having a job or internship will give your student a sense of responsibility and help them develop good work habits.

If your student isn’t able to find a job or internship in their field, encourage them to look for other types of work that could be beneficial. For example, working in a restaurant or retail store can help develop customer service and communication skills, while working as a camp counselor can help develop leadership and teamwork skills.

Rest and relaxation

Of course, it’s also important to make sure your student has plenty of time to relax and recharge over the summer. Encourage them to pursue hobbies or interests that they may not have had time for during the school year, such as reading for pleasure or learning a new skill. This will help them maintain a sense of balance and prevent burnout.

Summer classes

Another option to consider is taking summer classes. These classes can be a great way for your student to get ahead on their coursework. Additionally, taking classes over the summer can help your student stay in the academic mindset and prevent them from losing momentum between semesters.

Discuss their goals

Finally, it’s important to have open and honest conversations with your child about their goals and aspirations for the summer. Ask them what they hope to accomplish over the next few months and help them come up with a plan for achieving those goals. Whether it’s securing an internship, mastering a new skill, or simply finding a balance between work and play, having a clear sense of purpose can help your child make the most of their time off.

In a worldwide post-pandemic issue, many students are underprepared for the academic rigor of college. This leads to stress and feeling overwhelmed. We want to assure you that at ş¬Đ߲ÝÉçÇř, we have programs in place to help your student succeed. Following are some ways that you, as a parent, can help your student.

• Encourage the student to seek out academic assistance. Many are hesitant or intimidated, but learning to reach out is a valuable skill.
  • Stay after class and talk to the professor. Each faculty member has office – or student hours – that are set aside just for students to come in and talk to them. This is specifically what those hours are for – to allow those who might need clarification to get one-on-one time with the expert.
  • Visit the Center for Academic Support. We provide free tutoring for all MWSU students, and it’s a great way to study more efficiently. The tutors are students who have had the course and are well-versed in study techniques and ways to interact with the material. Tutoring is both in-person and online. Visit for more information.
• Reassure the student that strong study habits and time management are normal expectations. Many had high grades in high school and don’t realize the extra time and work that has to be put in to do well at a university.
  • Attend class. It is critical so that the student can hear what other students ask, take notes and thus interact with the material.
  • There is a significant amount of homework and studying that must be done outside of the classroom. Time management and planning their day to include study time are crucial for success.
  • Find a quiet, distraction-free space to study. The library has a variety of places where students can spread out notes, use the computers, and focus on learning.
  • Find classmates and form a study group. Studying as a group is an excellent way to retain information. As the group discusses the material, it helps each individual store the information in their brain.

You as a parent can encourage and help in your student’s education. While university courses may seem more difficult, a simple shift in thinking about how to study can provide huge dividends. Implementing different, easy strategies can make the difference between stressing over grades to academic confidence.

Susan Garrison

Director and Writing Coordinator

Center for Academic Support, Hearnes 213

Blum Union 210, careercenter@missouriwestern.edu, (816)271-4292

You don’t often hear about occupational wellness. When you read or hear about wellness, traditionally the first thing many people think of is their physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, or financial well-being. I always find that interesting because occupational wellness focuses on a person’s ability to balance their work and leisure time in a way that positively impacts all the aspects of wellness previously mentioned.

Occupational wellness is not “one size fits all”.Ěý What inspires, challenges, and makes one person feel appreciated and a sense of accomplishment can be different than someone else. Some people enjoy and are energized if they can travel as part of their jobs. Other individuals’ happiness may be dependent upon them being able to go home each day. Some individuals thrive off of being around serving and working alongside a wide variety of people, others may thrive and be happier if they primarily work alone. Since different students have different needs and goals the Career Development Center provides Griffons with personalized services.

Traditionally, students are only aware of the careers of people around them and careers they see portrayed online, on television, or in movies. If none of those sound appealing, they may struggle to choose a major or a career. Other students may want to confirm that the major or career they are pursuing is a good match for them. The CDC helps these students by providing free career coaching and free assessments. Through active listening, staff learns more about each student, careers, and majors that sound exciting to them, which do not, and why. ĚýWe administer the Strong Interest Inventory or Clifton Strengths Finder free of charge. The Strong Interest Survey lists occupations and jobs that align with students’ interests and work-related values. The Clifton StrengthsFinder helps us understand a student’s natural talents and abilities so they can keep that in mind as they explore career options.

Once students have identified a limited number of careers to explore or if a student wants to confirm interest in a job or career, we provide detailed information, the names of relevant professional societies, and resources to learn more. Often, we can connect students to a professional they can talk to or shadow so they have an accurate understanding of not just what someone does in a job, but what types of education and experiences a Griffon should consider so they are a competitive candidate when they graduate.

Once a Griffon has identified an occupation that will support their wellness, we can help them design a job or internship search. We review, print, and help students create career-related documents such as resumes, cover letters, and personal statements for graduate school applications. We host career fairs, mock interviews, and create opportunities other opportunities for our students to engage with professionals. In an effort to help our students make a fantastic first impression we have a Career Closet where students are provided with Free professional attire.

In the CDC, we also support Griffons’ occupational wellness while they are in college by helping them find part-time jobs, internships, and summer jobs across the United States and abroad. Handshake, our career platform, allows students to search for jobs, find out about events, and upload documents to be reviewed. Our office is located in Blum Union 210 and we can be contacted at careercenter@missouriwestern.edu or by calling (816)271-4292. If your student wants to learn more about our services I hope you will encourage them to drop by or make an appointment.

Encourage Self-Reflection

Your student must first reflect on their strengths and weaknesses before setting any short- or long-term goals. Encourage your student to take some time to reflect on what they enjoy, what they are good at, and what they want to improve. This self-reflection will help them set achievable and meaningful goals.

Set SMART Goals

The next step is to have a discussion with your student about SMART goals. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Your student will be more likely to reach a SMART goal with distinct objectives than one that is more abstract.

Provide Support

Once your student has set their goals, provide them with the support they need to achieve them. This could include helping them acquire essential supplies and resources. It will also necessarily include your emotional support and encouragement. Listen to their concerns and encourage them to keep going even when things become difficult. Above all, tell them how proud of them you are.

Celebrate With Your Student

As your student achieves the goals they set, take the time to celebrate their accomplishments. This could be as simple as a phone call telling them how proud you are, or as intricate as taking them out to a celebratory dinner with your family. Take the time to make them feel special because they are special.

Be Flexible

As your student evaluates their life and goals, they may develop different interests and objectives along the way. Be open to having discussions with your student about the possibilities that are open to them. Continue supporting and encouraging them, and remember that they are trying to develop a life that is meaningful to them.

My name is Patty. I am a non-traditional freshman with a very unique perspective. I am just wrapping up my first semester of college, but I am quite a bit older than most of my classmates. What makes this perspective unique? I am both a college freshman and a parent of young adults. I talk to students every day as a colleague, but I hear the things they aren’t saying because I’m a parent.
Your student may have just been home a few short weeks ago, but the upcoming semester break is longer and can be more final if they have connected with students who are graduating this semester. While your student may be sad about leaving their new college friends, they may also feel anxious or awkward about returning home to friendships from high school or earlier. People change significantly as they enter adulthood, and it is normal to outgrow some friendships and relationships. Studies show that friendships established in college are more likely to last for decades or longer than childhood friendships. However, those who may have been inseparable in high school may not have much in common anymore, and that can be a source of both pain and confusion. It can be hard to process the emotions that come from dissolved relationships, especially if your student has never processed this before.
Your student has just finished their first semester of college. There will be a lot of emotions connected to grades, responsibility and independence. Your student may feel relief that the semester is over, regardless of their grades. They may also be anxious about the upcoming semester, whether they want to do better or continue in their success. As a parent, you do not have access to your student’s college grades unless they have expressly given you that access. If you’re curious, ask, but don’t be hurt if your student won’t tell you or doesn’t want to talk about it. Chances are, if they did well, they’ll tell you. If they don’t tell you, they probably didn’t do well and they may be disappointed or embarrassed to admit that.
In addition, if your student had minimal responsibility before going off to college, the expectation from professors can be confusing. While independence is, of course, liberating, it can also be overwhelming. Your student may be uneasy about rules and boundaries when returning to their childhood home after being independent for a few months, but there is also a chance that the rules and boundaries might be comforting.
What can you do?
We parents tend to want to fix what’s wrong, but that may not be what your student needs right now. As children enter adulthood, the role of parenting doesn’t end, it evolves. So, what can you do to help your student process all of these feelings? The most important thing to do is to keep communication open. Some of the questions that might start these conversations:

• How can I help you work through this?
• What can I do to help you?
• Do you want my help or do you just want me to listen?
• What have you experienced that you weren’t prepared for?
• What are you most proud of from this semester?
• What are you most looking forward to next semester?

It is also important to encourage your student and express your confidence in their adultness. Approach these conversations and challenges more as a peer than as a parent unless they expressly request your parental contribution.