Welcome to the Winona State University community. We know how important your support and encouragement can be as your son or daughter makes the transition to college life and the responsibilities of adulthood. We have prepared this Parents’ Handbook for you in the hope that it will help you understand what your sons and daughters will experience, how they will change, how you can adjust to those changes and what we mean by our mission---A community of learners dedicated to improving our world.

I meet with many of our students and I have sent two sons to college myself. I have frequently asked students to tell me what they wish that somebody had said to their own parents when they were freshmen. You might find their comments helpful as you get used to having a college-age son or daughter. If you are sending your first child to college, this may be new to you. If you have been through this before, do reach out and share your experiences and advice with others and help us make this Parents’ Handbook as useful as possible.

First, keep in mind that new students are always homesick off and on in the first few weeks. They worry about classes and how to study. They worry about whether they will make any friends, and they fret over whether they will be able to do well. They will call you and just want you to listen; they don’t really want advice, unless they ask for it—they just want you to care.

After they tell you all their troubles, they will feel much better; don’t lie awake all night worrying about them. If you call the next day with some suggestions for how to handle their problems, they will act surprised and wonder why you are calling. If after reflecting on those calls, you think that your son or daughter is truly troubled or in difficulty, this handbook will tell you what to do.

Second, our orientation advisors want you to know that new students will make friends; they will adjust to college life; there are lots of people here who will care about them and reach out to them if they need help; they will discover new things about themselves and they will amaze themselves and you, as well, by how much they change during their years here and by what they accomplish.

Finally, your job is to believe in your sons and daughters and trust them; listen and be supportive; send letters or e-mails and an occasional package; don’t call too often but do use e-mail and call sometimes just to stay in touch; give them much-needed emotional support; enjoy the wonderful changes that you will see; expect those changes and be ready to adjust when they come home with different expectations about themselves and about how they want to interact with you. Above all, enjoy your association with this extraordinary university.

We are proud of our students and our faculty and staff. We enjoy getting to know our new parents and families as well as our new students. Whatever your own educational background, we hope that many of you will adopt us as your own university or as a second alma mater. We welcome you to our family and we are honored by your confidence in us.

Judith Ramaley

President

Winona State University

507-457-5000 * P.O. Box 5838* Winona, MN 55987

Map and Lodging Information

Parent Handbook

Important Dates

Last Updated: October 20, 2008