In this edition:

1. Help your student finish the semester strong
2. Parking update
3. Support your student athlete during One Hill, One Team
4. Final exams are almost here!
5. Commencement information for parents of graduating seniors
6. Sophomores declare their majors
7. First-years reflect on their SOAR experience
8. A Letter from Lacy

Help your student finish the semester strong

By Esperanza Carrera Murgo ’25

As we enter the final month of the semester, it’s crucial for parents to support their students by helping them maintain their established routines, stay on track with academic goals, and prioritize their emotional well-being. Encourage your student to maintain healthy sleep habits, setaside time for studying, and take regular breaks.

Tips to help your student finish strong:

• Re-establishing good sleep habits. During break, students often stay up later than usual. As they return to campus, it’s important to help them get back into a consistent sleep routine to ensure they are well-rested and focused for the remainder of the school year.
• Checking on emotional well-being. The end of the semester can bring stress or burnout, so offering support and encouraging open communication can help your student feel supported and navigate any challenges they may face. 
• Encourage breaks. While staying on top of academics is important, it’s equally essential to take regular breaks. These moments of rest help your student stay refreshed, recharged, and able to focus on their studies more effectively.

As the semester comes to a close, it’s especially important to check on your seniors. The end of the year can be a time of excitement, anxiety, and uncertainty as they prepare for graduation and the next chapter of their lives. Take time to check in on how they are feeling about the transition ahead. Offering emotional support can help reduce any stress they might be feeling towards graduation, academics, or even post-graduation plans and can help them finish strong.

Parking updates

Parking permit applications for rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors will be open Monday, April 7 through Friday, April 25. Returning students will receive the application link in an email from the Parking Office. 

There are a few important things to keep in mind: 

• Applicants are assigned permits on a first-come, first-served basis. There is limited parking available on campus, and permit applications fill quickly. 
• Failure to submit a parking permit application by the deadline means your student will be ineligible to obtain a parking permit. No exceptions will be granted.
• Permit applications will be reviewed and processed May–July of 2025. Your student will receive email communication from the Parking Office regarding the status of their application. 
• Permits are not purchased at the time of application. Payment is submitted once the permit application has been approved. Failure to pay by the payment deadline results in an automatic release of the parking permit. No exceptions will be granted. 
• We strongly suggest that students do not bring a vehicle to campus unless they have obtained a campus parking permit. Parking options in the city of Northfield are extremely limited, and overnight street parking is prohibited between November 15 and March 15.

Please contact parking@stolaf.edu with any questions.

Support your student athlete during One Hill, One Team

Being an Ole student-athlete means being a part of one team, one family. Join St. Olaf Athletics April 21-25 as it launches One Hill, One Team — a campaign to support and celebrate Ole student-athletes.

With a goal of 700 gifts, there are many ways to get involved in the campaign:

• Offer a match or challenge to inspire other parent and family supporters (email Tiara Jellum at jellum1@stolaf.edu)
• Share the campaign on social media (#1Hill1Team) or via email
• Become an Advocate to cheer on others

Keep an eye on your inbox as we get closer to the launch date to help St. Olaf Athletics start the climb toward its goals!

Final exams are almost here!

Final exams will take place May 15-20. Students are expected to stay on campus for all of their in-person exams. Please do not schedule pick-up or departure before your student’s last on-campus final exam.

The final exam schedule can be found on the Registrar’s website.  

The Academic Success Center offers student-centered, accessible, and inclusive services at no extra cost. Remind your student that, in the weeks leading up to finals, they can take advantage of any of the following:

• One-on-one meetings with our Success Coaches in a “Finals Planning” meeting
• On-demand, pre-recorded academic strategy video workshops
• Review sessions in courses with Supplemental Instruction (SI)
• Subject-area and accountability tutoring
• Writing support through the Writing Desk

Encourage your student to come in and pick up a “Countdown to Finals” calendar with daily tips. Supplemental Instruction and academic tutoring continues through the last week of classes.
If your student is one of the many who experience heightened levels of stress as exam week approaches, the Wellness Center has resources for coping, and, if test anxiety is an issue for your student, Academic Success Center staff can provide strategies.

Commencement information for families of graduating seniors

Commencement is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 24. We look forward to welcoming families and friends to the Hill to celebrate the Class of 2025!

Check out the Schedule of Events for more information on the many exciting ways to celebrate your graduate. Some events require a ticket purchase, while many events are free and open to all!
If you have additional questions about commencement, please refer to the Commencement Weekend 2025 website for links to a FAQ, information for your graduating senior, a campus map, and links to streamed events.

Sophomores declared their majors

Earlier this month, 557 students participated in the Major Declaration Celebration! Sophomores should declare their major by March 15, and this event celebrates that milestone. It was a chance for students to be congratulated by department faculty, receive a unique gift, meet others in their cohort, and pose with Ole the Lion. Declaring a major ensures students are added to department aliases and can hear about speakers, research and internship opportunities, pre-registration, scholarships, and department activities. In addition, departments can review their progress toward their major and alert students to missing requirements. Ask your Ole about their major — and if they are still deciding, encourage them to talk with the many formal and informal advisors and mentors on and off campus.

First-years reflect on their SOAR experience

When parents said good-bye to their first-year Oles in August, those students immediately met their St. Olaf Orientation to Academics and Resources (SOAR) groups and started building community on the Hill. Throughout this year, SOAR groups discovered campus resources and programs, shared study and organization tips and strategies, figured out registration, heard from an expert on the importance of sleep, and so much more. Many students made lasting connections — and found friends and mentors within their group as well. In fact, 99 percent of Oles say they made a connection through SOAR. On April 10, students will wrap up their year in SOAR by reading a letter they wrote to themselves during New Student Orientation and reflecting on their first year. Students will also preview the exciting opportunities that lay ahead in their second year at St. Olaf. 

SOAR on, Oles!

A Letter from Lacy

Hello! My name is Lacy Williams ‘21, and I am a staff member in the Wellness Center. While a student at St. Olaf, I was a resident assistant for three years, heavily involved in the choral ensembles, and tried my best to soak up as much of my four years on the Hill as possible! I enjoyed my time so much that I came back to St. Olaf in 2022 as a professional Residence Life staff member. Most of my job was supporting students with a variety of needs, much of which fell in the scope of mental health challenges or crises. This ultimately led me to my current role at St. Olaf as the coordinator for a mental health support grant that the college received.

Like many students, I had my own mental health challenges: the passing of a loved one, a few breakups, my first ever ‘F’ on a paper, not making it into the desired choir for the year, etc. While I can look back at those things now and brush it off or know that bigger things were coming for me, it definitely hurt in the moment. I’m very grateful I had the support and resources to move forward. 

In Residence Life, I witnessed firsthand the struggles of my first-year residence hall community as they transitioned to college. Not only did those students go through their fair share of disappointing test scores, breakups, and the occasional friend group struggles, but post-pandemic mental health concerns were starting to be more widely known and acknowledged. While initially it felt like a first-year concern, older students were feeling these same things, too. Roommates who had been friends for years suddenly didn’t want to live together. Many students changed their majors in their junior year, which can be hard. A lot of people who had really great social circles suddenly felt very isolated when their best friends were abroad.

A lot of what I’ve seen is very common for our students. It’s part of the natural college progression. Oles are strong. They can and will get through it, but they need support to do so. Our campus has a ton of resources such as the Counseling Center, the Wellness Center, Residence Life, TimelyCare, and College Ministry. You can support your student by encouraging them to use these resources or engaging in conversations about mental health and well-being before a major concern comes up. If you’re noticing concerns within your conversations, there are ways to be prepared and know the next steps.

St. Olaf offers two mental health training opportunities to help you feel more confident and comfortable having conversations with your student around mental health concerns. 

I’d love your feedback so I can make these training sessions more accessible to you. These opportunities are provided at no cost to you or the college, and I’d love to do what I can to support your schedule. Please complete this brief survey.

If you’re interested in upcoming mental health training, use this link to sign up!

Thank you for taking the time to support our community on the Hill and being there for your student’s growth and mental health.

Sending love, happiness, and sunshine to you all!

Lacy Williams