March 2012 - Parent E-Newsletter
Parent E-Newsletter – March 2012
• Welcome
• Note from the Parent’s Council
• PLNU Dates to Remember
• Chapel & Time-Out Schedule
• PLNU News
• Offices of Strengths and Vocation
• Student Financial Information
• Sweet Celebration Treat!
• Tutoring Center: Study Tip of the Day
Welcome
Hello Parents,
Spring Break is here and we hope that your students have something fun, adventurous, or just simple plans for their break! It is certainly going to be quiet here on campus next week!
As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions. Remember that the Parents Council is available for any questions as well. To learn how to contact the Parents Council members, please visit here.
Blessings,
Cristy Booher
Parent Connection Manager
parents@pointloma.edu
Note from the Parent's Council
Dear Parents,
Parenting college students is like trying to balance a teeter-totter. You have to live somewhere in the middle of supporting and letting go, somewhere between the roots and the wings so to speak. You have spent years developing those roots and they lie very deep within you and now you have to balance those roots with a different role - to allow your student to test their wings, to let them go and discover all the “stuff” they need to discover to be able to soar. I have to admit it is a very difficult place to be – and often we teeter to one side or the other only to be reminded (hopefully gently) that we need to keep the board level…
Spring break is just days away and as I have chatted with students on campus there seems to be a wide variety of activities going on next week. A few students will be staying on campus to work, others will travel home, while others will travel with their friends on their first real “road trip”, while still others will travel on a short term missions trip or a school sponsored event. No matter where they go, they are probably exhausted and really need this downtime in order to make it through the rest of the semester. Your support is needed now more than ever (that’s the teeter), but at the same time they will want to spread their wings and experience some life on their own (that’s the totter). Staying in balance is your job right now and may I suggest the only way to really do that is to PRAY.
PRAY that God will pour out His Spirit upon them –
“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:13
PRAY that they will have a heart for God and His Word –
“I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.” Jer. 24:7
PRAY that they will walk into the future God has for them –
“As it is written: No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Cor. 2:9
And, as you teeter and totter, just remember the roots that you have developed will provide comfort in the heat and fruit in the drought.
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Jer. 17:7-9
May you find rest in knowing that the roots you planted deep within them will allow them to spread their wings.
Blessings,
Susan (and Rob) Brownlee, Parent Council Members
PLNU Dates to Remember
March 3 – Residence Halls Close (Noon)
March 3 – MSN Information Reception
March 5-9 – Spring Break Week (No Classes)
March 11 – Residence Halls Open (Noon)
March 13 – Last Day to Add Quad II Classes
March 13 – Perspectives on Science Seminar: Harnessing the Immune System to Fight Cancer
March 14 – Tuition Freedom Day
March 14 – Study Abroad Panel
March 14-16 – Missio Ecclesia, Missio Dei: A Wesleyan Perspective on the Church in Mission
March 16 – Get to the Point: Preview Day
March 22 – OSV: Network 9 for Biology and Chemistry Departments
March 23 – Last Day to Drop Semester Long Classes
March 28 – Internships and Job Fair
March 30 – Last Day to Drop Quad II Classes
March 30 – The Point Loma Singers’ Madrigal Dinner
March 30 – The 29th Annual Point Loma Sports Associates W. Shelburne Brown Memorial Golf Classic
Looking Ahead:
April 2 – Study Abroad Deadline for Summer and Fall 2012
April 5-9 – Easter Recess (No Classes)
April 12 – Senior Dessert
May 5 – Undergraduate Convocation
Chapel & Time-Out Schedule – All Things New
3/2 – Chapel: Concert Choir
3/5 – No Chapel: Spring Break
3/7 – No Chapel: Spring Break
3/5 – No TimeOut: Spring Break
3/9 – No Chapel: Spring Break
3/12 – Chapel: Praise & Worship
3/14 – Chapel: Ron Benefiel, Dean of PLNU’s School of Theology and Christian Ministry
3/14 – TimeOut: ASB Spiritual Life
3/16 – Chapel: Shawna Songer-Gaines, PLNU Alumni
3/19 – Chapel: Advising Chapel
3/21 – Chapel: Mark Carter, PLNU Chaplain
3/21 – TimeOut: Ron and Janet Benefiel
3/23 – Chapel: Chris Webb
3/26 – Chapel: Student Preaching Series
3/28 – Chapel: Student Preaching Series
3/28 – TimeOut: Student Preaching Series
3/30 – Chapel: Student Preaching Series
View Chapel via the Live Stream.
More information about Chapel.
PLNU News
Stay up to date by visiting the PLNU website. You can always find recent information about what is going on around campus HERE.
Fore! Attention All Golfers!
The 29th Annual Point Loma Sports Associates W. Shelburne Brown Memorial Golf Classic, supporting Point Loma Nazarene University athletics, will tee off on Friday, March 30 at the Sycuan Resort in El Cajon.
Please consider joining us for a fun filled day of golf and reunion with PLNU supporters, alumni, and current coaches and players. Additionally, please forward this to any golfers you know that may be interested in joining in on the festivities.
For more information, please visit http://www.plnusealions.com/sports/2010/8/12/WSBROWN.aspx. Go Sea Lions!!
Grad Checks for Juniors and Seniors
Grad Checks for Juniors/Seniors resumed Monday, January 23. Applications are being accepted and can be found on the student portal. Please submit your application to the Office of Records ASAP in order to reserve an appointment time.
Summer Graduates:
Is your student planning on walking in Commencement May 5 but still has a few courses needed to complete their degree? If so, they need to go to the Office of Records ASAP to complete their final grad check and to sign up for graduation. Graduation Check application forms are available on the portal or in the Office of Records.
Fruits and Veggies Delivered to PLNU
How would you like to have Christmas every other week? Well, at least Christmas for your dinner plate. PLNU is now a host for Community Supported Agriculture! You can sign up to get a box of fresh, organic produce from a local San Diego farm delivered right to campus. The cost is $24 per box. You can split it with a friend, but you’ll probably want all the yummy fruits and veggies for yourself. Contact sustsu1@pointloma.edu for details.
Flu Vaccines Still Available
Did you know that flu activity typically increases during the first three months of each year? Good thing the Wellness Center still has $15 Flu vaccines available for students. Stop by the Wellness Center Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. or from 1 p.m. - 4:20 p.m. to receive yours today!
PLNU Arts & Culture Events
From award-winning operas to interviews with bestselling authors, PLNU’s vibrant array of offerings draws thousands of visitors to campus each year. Sharing the arts and culture with the San Diego community is deeply important to us and to what we do.
To learn more, visit http://www.pointloma.edu/experience/arts-culture.
PLNU Week in Pictures
Do you ever wonder what is happening on campus? Check out the Week in Pictures to see photos that students have taken throughout the current week.
You can also find the Week in Pictures on the www.pointloma.edu homepage, just look for the Week in Pictures box located on the bottom right side of the homepage.
Offices of Strengths and Vocation - Parents You are Your Student’s First Network
“Networking” is the word that many students are embracing at the beginning of their freshman year of college. How do I network? When do I start? These are the most common questions. We always encourage students through the office of OSV to attend every networking event offered to them. To students that feel overwhelmed we recommend they attend “soft events” to begin their journey. Network 9 is considered a “soft event” as it is offered on the campus with their PLNU professors and fellow students. In this venue they meet with professionals in their fields of interest who are willing to answer their questions and introduce them into the art of networking as well as offering them their business cards.
As students begin to build their lists of professionals, they should focus on attending OSV events, find internship opportunities, and engaging in as many informational interviews as possible. As their parent, you are very important in the equation of “networking.” Please check to see if any of your colleagues, friends, or family members would provide a lead to your student or conduct an informational interview.
Here are 5 networking tips for college students:
- Create an Elevator Speech
Students, in the time it takes to ride an elevator, should be able to create a sentence that will communicate who they are and what they are seeking in a career or connection. - Create a Business Card
Students should create a simple, clean business card through a graphic design or word processing program that communicates their name, email, phone number, and major. - Follow the 80/20 Rule
In order for students to build relationships they should listen 80% of the time and speak 20% of the time. It is very important that they do their homework on the background of professionals and their companies in order to fill their 20% of the time with good questions. - Always Remember Names
They should always ask professionals for a business card and keep the contact information in a file along with notes on their conversations and connections. It is crucial to remember names when you follow up and reconnect. - Do You Know Someone?
After every informational interview or connection, students should find a way to open additional leads. Each lead is a potential opening to the person who may have the job they are seeking.
Please encourage your student to begin reaching out, building relationships, and seeking career advice through informational interviews.
Say you “Like Us” and be the first to hear about upcoming networking event for your student!
Stay Connected with OSV
Facebook: facebook.com/OSVatPLNU
Twitter: @OSVatPLNU
Student Financial Information
Important Student Financial Services Dates
March 2 - FAFSA Priority Deadline
*If you missed the priority deadline, please submit the FAFSA as soon as possible at www.fafsa.ed.gov
March 16 - Financial Holds Placed on Delinquent Accounts
April 2 - Priority registration begins for Summer and Fall 2012
April 9 - SFS Named Scholarship application due
FINANCIAL HOLDS
Financial Holds will be placed on all delinquent accounts on March 16th. This hold will prevent registration for any subsequent semesters, and will prevent participation in on-campus housing room draws. Note that pending financial aid will not be taken into account, so please be sure to follow up on any sources of pending aid to ensure that it posts prior to March 16th.
GRADUATING STUDENTS
Is your student participating in Commencement this Spring? Congratulations, you made it! In order to pick up caps and gowns and participate in commencement, your student’s account balance must be paid in full. Please contact us if you have any questions about your student’s account.
2012-13 SFS NAMED SCHOLARSHIP
The SFS Named Scholarship application allows current students to apply for multiple endowed scholarship funds with one easy application. The application will be available through the student portal by mid-March. Your student will be sent an email reminder within the next two weeks. This is one application for dozens of scholarships! Be sure to have your student take advantage of this scholarship opportunity. Your student can also talk to his/her academic department to see if they have any scholarships available.
TUITION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
If you have a monthly payment contract with Tuition Management Systems (TMS), please check to ensure that the amount of the contract covers the balance owing on your PLNU account. If you need to make any adjustments, contact TMS directly at http://www.afford.com/ptloma or 888.285.3052. TMS does not have access to your PLNU account balance, but they can help you adjust the amount of your contract based on information you provide to them from your statement of account. You’ll want to be sure to keep an eye on your PLNU statement, in case there are changes to registration or any additional charges added to the account (such as fines). Any remaining balance owed can either be paid directly to PLNU or added to your TMS contract. Be sure to make timely payments to TMS, as delinquent contracts will be cancelled and returned to PLNU for immediate collection.
1098-T TAX FORMS
PLNU has contracted with ECSI to provide 1098-Ts electronically for 2011, and these tax forms are now available through your student’s portal. Form 1098-T is a tax summary issued by PLNU to all students registered during a specified tax year, and includes tuition and required fees, adjustments made for prior years, and scholarships or grants received by the student. Room and Board, living expenses, and textbook costs are not included.
Information on Form 1098-T is reported to the IRS and can be used by students to claim certain tax credits or deductions. More information is available on our 1098-T telephone line: 619.849.2799.
To view and print the 1098-T, students will login to the student portal and click on the “Students” tab.
• Click on “Financial Services”
• Click on “1098-T” on the left hand side navigation bar.
• Follow the instructions to access the 1098-T tax form through ECSI’s website.
If you run into any difficulties, please call ECSI at 866.428.1098.
Note that Box 2 of your 1098-T will reflect amounts billed for qualified tuition and related expenses during the 2010 calendar year. Box 1 should be blank. We recommend that you provide this form to your tax preparer, as neither PLNU nor ECSI is able to provide you with any tax advice.
If you have any questions regarding your student’s statement of account, please feel free to contact the Student Financial Services Office at 619.849.2538 Monday through Thursday, 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM and Friday 8:30 AM- 4:30 PM or by email at sfs@pointloma.edu. We are here to serve you!
Send a Celebration Treat!
Point Loma Nazarene University Women’s Auxiliary
Would you like to send your student some homemade desserts? For a $25 donation, the Women’s Auxiliary of PLNU will lovingly bake homemade cakes, cookies, or brownies and have them delivered right to your student’s residence hall!
You can order and pay online at www.pointloma.edu/cake.
Proceeds from this fundraiser are going toward Women’s Auxiliary’s NEW fundraising efforts to update the resident halls’ lounges. So, it is a double benefit for your student!
Please note: Two weeks advanced notice is appreciated.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call Mary De Luca at 858-461-1640.
Tutorial Center
Hours: MONDAY-THURSDAY 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and 6 – 9 p.m., FRIDAY 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
The Tutorial Center is located in Bond Academic Center next to Study Abroad Office.
Students can stop by and make a FREE tutoring appointment today, call 619-849-2593, or email at tutorialservices@pointloma.edu for more information!
Study Tip of the Month – 7 Day Anti-Procrastination Plan
• Monday: MAKE IT MEANINGFUL. List the benefits of getting it completed and the risks of delay.
• Tuesday: TAKE IT APART. Break down tasks into smaller ones that can be completed quickly and easily.
• Wednesday: WRITE AN INTENTION STATEMENT. Write out a 3X5 card of what you intend to do and when you intend to complete it.
• Thursday: TELL EVERYONE. Let others know of your intention so you have a support group.
• Friday: FIND A REWARD. Pick a reward and be willing to withhold it if you do not complete the task.
• Saturday: SETTLE IT NOW. Do it now! Plunge into the task without delay.
• Sunday: SAY NO. Re-examine the reason for doing it. If it’s a low priority, just say NO.
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