Spring 2014

Dear Parents,

As another school year comes to a close, we have lots of news to share with you!

Celebrate Your Senior

With graduation coming up next month, senior parents have a lot to be excited about! One way to celebrate your son's or daughter's experience at Eckerd is to join our Parent Council members in making a gift to the Parent Fund. Your gift will help your child's soon-to-be alma mater continue to thrive and increase the value of an Eckerd education. Thank you for considering a gift to the Parent Fund in honor of your Eckerd graduate. With your contribution, you will also have the opportunity to write a note that will be delivered to your student. Be on the lookout for a letter from the Parent Council, or make a gift online now and use the comment box for a message to your graduate.

Commencement Weekend

View more photos from Commencement 2013 here.

Commencement will take place Sunday, May 18, at 8 a.m. on South Beach Field. For a complete schedule of Commencement Weekend events, please click here.

Don't miss the Dean of Students' Dessert Reception following Baccalaureate on Saturday evening, May 17! The festivities begin at 8 p.m. in Hough Quad, and include a spectacular fireworks display at 9:15 p.m. Reservations are not needed.

Information for Freshman, Sophomore and Junior Parents

Students must vacate residence halls within 24 hours after their last exam. Residence halls will be closed to all but graduating seniors on Friday, May 16, at 12 p.m.

How to Store Belongings Over the Summer

Many students choose to rent a portable storage unit for summer storage. Empty units are delivered to campus; filled units are stored in a temperature-controlled facility and delivered to campus when students return in the fall. One mobile storage unit can be shared by roommates. The Eckerd College Housing page offers information on summer storage options and summer housing options for students staying on campus. If you have questions about the process for vacating a residence hall or storing belongings, email Justin Long, director of campus housing, at longjc@eckerd.edu.

Advice for a Successful Commencement, from Eckerd Parents

To help parents of graduates prepare, we asked Parent Council members for their tips and tricks: What do you wish you would have known before your student graduated? What are you glad you knew before your student graduated? Here's what they had to say!

Commencement Day Advice

"Weather can be hot and humid. Cotton and linen sundresses and slacks will be most comfortable. The site is on a field, so flat shoes or dressy sandals work well."

"There are coolers with bottles of water available; be sure to grab a bottle for the ceremony."

"Arrive at least one hour before the Commencement ceremony. There are shuttles between the parking areas and field, but you may still need to walk some distance, so leave yourself plenty of time."

"Bring an extra memory card and batteries for cameras. There will be an Eckerd banner strung between two palm trees on the beach; it's a great place to take photos."

"There is plenty of seating under the tents. And at the end of many aisles, there are portable fans on the ground to keep you cool."

"If you sit on the left side of the graduates, you will be able to see them walking down the steps of the stage after shaking President Eastman's hand. Then they'll have their photo taken by the photographer. If you sit on the right side of the graduates, you'll see them lining up to receive their diplomas. All of the seats offer good vantage points."

"The local dollar stores offer lots of decorations and balloons."

"If you plan to have a celebratory lunch after Commencement, make reservations ahead of time."

New Parent Council Members

The following families were welcomed to the Parent Council at our spring meeting during Family Weekend. We are excited to have these great new members on board!

Donna Inkster and Lynn Russell (P '17), from Decautur, Georgia are the parents of Eric Inkster, a freshman majoring in biology. Donna and Lynn serve on the Parent Council's Admission Committee.

Barry Radick and Sloane Elman (P '17) are the parents of Olivia Radick, a freshman majoring in environmental studies. They reside in New York, New York and serve on the Parent Council's Admission Committee.

Rian Gorey (P '14), from Atlanta, Georgia, is the parent of Erin Gorey, a senior majoring in environmental studies. Rian serves on the Parent Council's Career Services and Internship Committee.

Joerg and Angela Matthiessen (P '15) are the parents of Austin Matthiessen, a junior majoring in biology. They reside in Atlanta, Georgia and serve on the Parent Council's Career Services and Internship Committee.

Interested in volunteering for Eckerd College? Please contact parentcouncil@eckerd.edu to learn more about ways you can get involved.

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