Permission to ‘Be Involved’: NSU Parent Program Gives Mom & Dad Perks

Permission to Be Involved: NSU Parent Program Gives Mom & Dad Perks

Special coverage by NSU Intern Laura Butler

When Northeastern State University staffer Suzanne Myers did her capstone for graduate school in 1993, she wrote it on developing a parent program at the institution.

It sat on a back burner for awhile, said Myers, who is now Director of Transfer and Parent Program. But Dean of Student Affairs Laura Boren, Housing Director Todd Heffner and Penny Moore from the NSU Foundation along with a few others, met a few times and came up with a mission statement, wrote a proposal, presented it to the presidents cabinet and got approved in December. A lot of people expressed a need and an interest.

I was very pleased Suzanne Myers asked me to be an adviser, Moore said. A lot of our students parents are NSU alumni and that has a big impact. Its really exciting to see parents involved in a different way.

Myers said their main goal was to develop a program that allows parents and grandparents of students a means to stay involved in the college experience, which is something that NSU has not had before.

You don't realize how much parents want to be involved and have the opportunity to stay connected with students and the university, explained graduate student assistant Carly Jones said.

The mission of the NSU Parent Program is to engage families as partners in education with the NSU Community and to provide resources to all NSU parents to aid in supporting student success. Preparation for the program began in January and it was presented to the first group of parents in May.

The pressure is now on to produce, Myers added. We will be asking participants what they expect from us.

The Parent Programs first big event was a freshmen send-off for students from the Broken Arrow community on July 22. A cookout was held at a parents home. All incoming students from Broken Arrow that have enrolled, their parents and some potential students who are still in high school attended.

We will use this first event as a learning opportunity and we hope to do more in other communities, Myers explained.

The program will hold a Parents, Family and Friends Weekend on September 25 and 26 and hopes to do a grandparents reception with NSU President Don Betz and his wife Susanne.

We are fortunate to have a president who embraces the program, Myers noted. Dr. Betz and his wife have opened their home to events.

Myers said that the Parent Program is like a big umbrella. One thing under that umbrella is the NSU Parent Association. The Parent Association provides a formal, organized outlet for parents to engage in the university experience.

The Parent Association sends its members email updates to upcoming events and provides them with access to a webpage portal with blogs, chat rooms and newsletters. They enjoy reserved seating and discount tickets for university events and priority access to upcoming student opportunities. Members also receive invitations to special events exclusively for Parent Association members and opportunities to volunteer with programs and activities involving their students.

When parents join for only $25, they get a membership card similar to an NSU student ID. Many local retail outlets give discounts to Parent Association members. The Sequoyah Institute also gives a discount, the athletic department gives a reduced rate and the Riverhawk Shoppe gives 15 percent off. Members also receive a gift bag and promotional items when they join. The Parent Association recently registered its 200th family.

Jones and fellow graduate student assistant, Kyle Williams, are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Parent Program and for recruiting members into the NSU Parent Association.

Parents come twice a day and as students are testing, Carly and Kyle meet with parents, show them our video and introduce them to the program, Myers explained.

This has been a growing experience and an educational experience. We are taking it one step at a time, Jones said. We have been trying different things and seeing how it works with different parents.

Myers added that she hopes participants are telling other people in their communities about the Parent Program.

It allows parents to be more than just the person who pays the bills, she said. We give them permission to be involved. Parents or vendors wishing to be part of the NSU Parent Program should contact Myers at 918-444-2139 or visit www.nsuok.edu/parentprogram.

7/27/2009

Published: 2009-07-27 00:00:00