The times they are a-changing’ may be a song from the baby-boom era, but it is also a phrase that aptly describes how colleges are treating Gen X parents.
Until the 1990s, it was rare for any college or university to think of parents as anything other than good targets for fundraising. A typical pattern for schools was mail tuition bill, receive tuition payment, and send solicitation for annual fund.
So what’s happening now?
Slowly but surely, this restricted view of parents began to unravel, thanks to the leadership of schools such as The George Washington University (GW), Syracuse University, the University of North Carolina and the University of Minnesota.
These forward-thinking schools, now joined by many others, had the vision then to see what now seems obvious: that parents can play an important role in the recruitment and retention of students.
These parent program professionals all recognize the importance of treating you, the current and future college parent, with the respect and care that you deserve. As Rodney Johnson, who heads parent services at GW puts it, when you are “making supreme sacrifices on behalf of your child, you want to know what is going on with that investment.”
So whether you are the parent of a nearly graduated senior in college, or a precocious middle schooler, you should be pleased to know that inside the college gates around America are parent relations professionals who realize there is a place for parents on campus and that meeting your needs will make the process of educating your child a whole lot easier.
Kathie Boozer is the founder and president of Explore Colleges, a premier college group tour operator. Explore Colleges’ customized tours help students experience the unique cultures, environments, and opportunities on each campus and inspire them to follow their dreams. Contact Kathie at kboozer@explorecolleges.org
