RIT Parent Newsletter

News and Deadlines

Summer Send-Off Events
The Office of Alumni Relations invites new students and their families to attend one of RIT’s Summer Send-Off events planned in ten cities across the country from late June through early August. At these events, you can connect with fellow incoming RIT students and parents from your area before you head to Rochester, and hear from seasoned families, current students, and alumni about the RIT experience. If there is a Send-Off in your area, you have been sent an invitation by mail. You can also find information about locations and dates online. Please be sure to register if you plan to attend a Send-Off. Space is limited and registration generally closes one week before the event date.

Fall Billing
All billing notifications are sent electronically to students at their RIT email address. Your student has the option of granting parent access to their eServices account. Once you’ve been granted access and created your own account, you will receive all notifications and have the option to view and pay tuition statements. Your student can also choose to grant you access to view grades and class schedules, check balances and add funds to Tiger Bucks and Food Debit accounts, and view the status of financial aid.

The fall 2019 billing statement will be generated the first week of July. Please visit the Student Financial Services website for more information about billing and an optional payment plan.

Financial Aid Notifications
Financial aid award notifications for 2019-20 returning students have been going out since late March. Students are notified by email when their financial aid awards are viewable and can be accepted on the Financial Aid and Scholarships section of eServices. Financial Aid awards are contingent on students meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards after each term. Several notices have been sent to returning students who may need additional information to determine financial aid eligibility, depending on when the FAFSA was completed. Students who have not yet submitted requested information may not see financial aid awards appear on the July billing notice and as such should submit missing information as soon as possible.

Summer Construction on Campus
It’s construction season on campus! Check out this article to learn about the updates and improvements happening at RIT.

Student Profile

Milky Abajorga
Milky is an international student from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She is graduating in August with a degree in Biomedical Sciences.

Why did you choose RIT?
I know some alumni and they spoke so fondly about RIT and hence, I decided to apply to RIT. When I got accepted, I was also offered a scholarship, which encouraged me to come to RIT.

What was your first month like at RIT?
My first month at RIT involved getting lost both literally and figuratively. RIT is a big campus and it is not difficult to find yourself asking where you are. Additionally, I was trying to find out pieces of myself I never got the chance to know about. I was also trying to consolidate my changing views and perspectives with my culture.

How is being an international student different than being a domestic student?
I would not stay international and domestic students are significantly different. However, as international students, we have to worry about where we going to stay over the summer or winter breaks. Furthermore, lots of companies do not hire international students. Hence, finding co-ops and full-time jobs is much more difficult for international students as well.

What was the biggest surprise about American culture?
When I first came to the States, I was introduced to a stranger and I kissed this person on the cheeks just like we do back home. I guess I learned Americans like to take their time getting to know people. Another thing that surprised me is the way dates are written here. In Ethiopia, we write day/month/year and here, dates are written as month/day/year. It also came as a surprise to learn that masculinity could be determined by the type of alcohol one drinks.

How has International Student Services (ISS) supported you while at RIT?
I am really very thankful to everyone at ISS. I always felt like if I happened to be in a crisis or if I just needed to talk to someone, I can walk into the ISS office and someone would help me out. It really is great to know that I have great support.

What advice do you have for new international students?
The best advice I would give to new international students is to not be afraid to challenge themselves and to not be afraid to change. I saw my views transform and it took me a while to realize that it is okay to not agree with some aspects of my culture.

Information and Updates

Unsubscribing From this List
If you are the parent of a graduate and no longer wish to receive the Parent Newsletter, you can unsubscribe on the parent website. You can also use this link if you would like to change the email address you have in our list.

2019 RIT Parent Survey Highlights
Thanks to all who responded to the 2019 RIT Parent Survey this spring! Your feedback is valuable as we consider current and future parent programming. Here are some highlights from the findings:

Overall, you and your students are satisfied with RIT.
Almost all of you communicate with your students at least once a week.
You share information from this newsletter with your students, particularly information on campus events, co-ops, and academics.
You talk with your students about a wide variety of topics, but especially about academics, housing/living situations, and finances.
You are highly engaged in your students’ lives.
Your top concerns this year were academics and co-ops.
You are least familiar with RIT resources for personal relationships, involvement opportunities, and finances.

Parent Poll
Each month, we ask parents to respond to our Parent Poll and provide feedback on a topic related to RIT, your student, and you. In May, we asked what you like to do when you visit RIT. Responses were split: 31% grab a meal in Henrietta, 21% hang out on campus, 20% grab a meal in Rochester, and 20% run errands. Please take a moment to answer our June question.

Parent Question of the Month
Question: Our son is excited to start at RIT this fall, but we were wondering about bicycles on campus. We know, bikes in the snow, not a great combination. But when the weather is not too bad, do many students have bikes, is it helpful for getting around, theft prevention? Any tips you or others could share?

Response: Many students have bikes on campus! They are definitely a nice way to get around—especially between the residence halls and academic side of campus. There is bike storage in the basement of the residence halls during the winter, but they do get crowded. I don’t know specific bike theft-related statistics, but I know that most crimes on campus are crimes of opportunity…in other words, it’s important to have a good bike lock and to USE it!

Featured Photo
In case you don’t follow the Parent and Family Programs Facebook page, here’s what you’ve missed: One program happening on campus this summer is RIT's Career Ready Boot Camp, a program designed to help rising second-year students on the spectrum prepare for the workforce and co-op. This program allows students to network and work on their soft skills, such as teamwork, communication, and self-advocacy. Part of their program is to build 3D printers in small groups, which they will then use to create products for K-12 students in the coming weeks.

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