Parent & Family E-Communications

 Dear Parents and Families of the Class of 2030,

As director of the Providence College Parent & Family Program I wish you a warm welcome to our campus community. As I like to remind new families, when your student becomes a Friar, you become one too.By parents and families, we mean moms, dads, guardians, grandparents, siblings—anyone who loves and cares for your student. I look forward to meeting many of you during our First Day in Friartown Program in June. I am also excited about the opportunity during the summer months to share with you information about the many resources we have in place for families.

We understand that this is a time of significant change for both students and families and we are privileged to be your partner on this journey. A journey that brings forward a whole range of emotions—excitement, anticipation, and a bit of anxiety, as well.  Over the years, parents have often asked me, “How much should I be involved in my student’s life at college?  In a sense, working to find that balance of wanting to hold students close, while also giving them freedom to move on to a new stage in life. Of course, there is no one size that fits all to this question. Our experience tells us that—Different students need various levels of support, at various times.

 Most often it is you that your students first reach out to because you know them, and they know you, far better than anyone else. Clearly, the more information you havethe better equipped you will be to support your students as they navigate their new campus landscape. That is where our Parent & Family Program comes in—to arm you with information about the college experience and to take that information to gently guide your student to make good and wise decisions.  Basically, WE WANT TO HELP PARENTS TO HELP STUDENTS TO HELP THEMSELVES!

 To help you to assist your students as they get ready to begin their first semester at Providence College,  I wish to bring the following information to your attention:

*New Student Checklist

Please remind your students to review the New Student Checklist for the Class of 2030 which can be found at: https://student-engagement-leadership.providence.edu/orientation/checklist/. Some tasks need to be completed prior to students attending First Day in Friartown in June, while other tasks need to be addressed in July and August before Fall Orientation, when classes begin.  As students click on each task, it will indicate the date that the item becomes available and the deadline to complete the item.

 *Student Health Center – Required Health Information

Sometime after June 15, 2026, every incoming student is required to go into their health center patient portal and fill out their health history, enter the dates (month, day, year) of the immunizations required by the College and Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), upload a copy of their most recent immunizations and answer the questions on the TB questionnaire. This is to be done no later than July 15, 2026.

More information regarding health records can be viewed here: https://health-center.providence.edu/immunization-requirements/. For questions, please email the Executive Director of Health Services, Catherine M. Kelleher at: ckellehe@providence.edu.

*Introduction to Providence College (SAS 178) – Quality ROI, Return on Investment!

Parents, this small but mighty course speaks for itself, so encourage your First-Year Friar to register during FDIF.  

Introduction to Providence College is a one-credit course with powerful benefits!  SAS 178 promotes early student success and adjustment to college life. Students get to know the campus, the curricular offerings, crucial study habits, the professors, and extracurriculars. For one hour per week students survey the opportunities and encounter the people who will shape their future at PC and beyond. Undeclared students explore majors in a low-pressure way. Declared students learn more about academic options and connect with important resources beyond their home department.

In the words of past students: College is a lot – this course is a helpful playbook for it. | I definitely would not have known as much as I do about what the school (college) offers without this course. | It helped me become a more confident writer. | My favorite part was meeting the people in the class because it helped me make friends.

*Parent/Guardian Emails:  The Office of the Registrar over-sees parent/guardian emails. If you are not receiving our e-communications, students can add or update parent/guardian contact information by following these steps:

• Log into CyberFriar using your Providence College credentials.

• Click “Open General Dashboard” on the Personal Information card.
• To add a parent/guardian along with their email address and/or cell phone number, click “Add New” on the right side of the screen.
• To edit an existing email address and/or cell phone number, select the pencil icon.

Students having difficulty making changes may contact the Office of the Registrar at (401) 865-1033 or records@providence.edu for assistance.

At Providence College we are committed to viewing parents and families as our partners in promoting student success. During the next four years, I look forward to our on-going partnership as we work together to support and encourage our students to become all they are called to be.  Welcome to the Friar family!

 God Bless.

Jackie

Jacqueline Kiernan MacKay
Director, PC Parent & Family Program
Adjunct Faculty, Graduate Program in Higher Education
AHEPPP Board of Directors Emeritus

parents@providence.edu

401-865-1550