Dear Parents:

At this stage in the semester, we at Loyola are so thankful for the University’s caring, active community. Our students have been working hard and are eagerly engaged in the co-curricular activities that make our campus such a vibrant place to live, work, and learn. I hope your sons and daughters enjoyed the time at home over Thanksgiving break to rest, relax, and draw the support they need from their families to regroup, re-energize, and return to campus ready to take on their final exams.

This is a great time of year both to reaffirm your family values and support your sons’ and daughters’ independence. You may have noticed over Thanksgiving that your students are on different schedules or have developed a new appreciation for a particular food or activity. These changes are all part of the growth and greater maturity that the college experience brings. Embrace them—and look forward to the exciting changes still to come.

In this issue of With Parents, we showcase a number of valuable programs operated by the Counseling Center, Women’s Center, and Center for Community Service and Justice; discuss tips for considering off-campus housing; announce our 2012 Commencement speaker and the launch of our third annual Internship Challenge; and much more.

Best wishes for an enjoyable holiday season,

Sheilah Shaw Horton, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

P.S. Be sure to visit our online Advent calendar, ChristmasatLoyola.com!