Chelsea Petree Headshot

Chelsea Petree

Senior. Associate Director, Campus Life and Director Parent Prg

Center for Campus Life
Student Affairs
cappfp@rit.edu
585-475-4198
Office Location
SAU-A530

Chelsea Petree

Senior. Associate Director, Campus Life and Director Parent Prg

Center for Campus Life
Student Affairs

Bio

Chelsea Petree is the Director of Parent and Family Programs. Chelsea moved to Rochester in 2015 to establish the Parent and Family Programs office, including developing a comprehensive parent communications plan and implementing family events and engagement opportunities. She has worked to establish a "parents as partners" culture at RIT, increasing support of families across the institution. 

Chelsea received her Ph.D. in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota in 2013. She serves as the Past President of AHEPPP: Family Engagement in Higher Education and is the editor of the College Ready book series. Chelsea has been nationally recognized for her research and innovated programming for parents and families, and has presented at conferences for organizations representing student affairs, parent and family programming, mental health, learning abroad, and emerging adulthood. 

 

cappfp@rit.edu
585-475-4198

In the News

  • August 21, 2026

    Student portrait in front of dormitory at college

    7 Mistakes Parents Should Avoid When a Kid Leaves for College

    Good Housekeeping speaks with Chelsea Petree, director of Parent and Family Programs at RIT, about how parents can support students as they transition to college, including giving them independence, letting them work through challenges on their own, and maintaining a familiar space at home.

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