In this edition:

• Commencement information for families of graduating seniors
• Key dates for the end of the academic year
• Parking update — permit applications close soon!
• Support your student-athlete with One Hill, One Team!
• Virtual mental health trainings available for students and parents/families

Commencement information for families of graduating seniors

We are excited to celebrate the Class of 2025 this spring during Commencement Weekend. Commencement is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 24. We look forward to welcoming families and friends to the Hill to celebrate your graduates! Check out the Schedule of Events for more information on the many exciting ways you can celebrate your graduating senior, and the many ways seniors can celebrate each other during this milestone. 

Graduating seniors are invited to attend the Celebration Concert, dine throughout Buntrock Commons during the Illumination Social, honor their time on the Hill Saturday evening at the Illumination Social (bring the tissues!), dine together at the Celebration Brunch, and much more. Advanced ticket purchase is required for the Illumination Social and the Celebration Brunch, while all other Commencement-related events are free and open to all.

GradFest: 

All graduates should plan to attend GradFest on Wednesday, May 14 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Buntrock Crossroads. In addition to picking up or purchasing their cap & gown, students will also pick up their rain/indoor Commencement tickets. Parents and families, check out the many other reasons your student should attend GradFest!

Senior Days:

Before crossing the stage at the Commencement ceremony, graduates are invited to celebrate and commemorate their time together during Senior Days! Organized by the Programming Board and Office of Student Activities team, Senior Days is packed with fun events and campus traditions exclusively for the Class of 2025. More information will be shared with seniors related to Senior Days in the coming months!

Name Pronunciation: 

Graduates are encouraged to record the pronunciation of their name (if they have not done so in SIS) for the ceremony name reader. Students will also have the opportunity to meet the name reader at GradFest for additional name pronunciation time. To find the name pronunciation tool, log into SIS and click “Personal” on the left-hand side. Please wait about a half-second after pressing “record” to begin speaking.

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. 

Key dates for the end of the academic year

As you begin to make travel arrangements with your student for the end of this academic year, please keep the following dates in mind:

• Tuesday, May 13: Last Day of Classes
• Thursday, May 15–Tuesday, May 20: Final Exams 

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.

• Saturday, May 24: Baccalaureate/Commencement

For more information on finals, please review the April 2025 Parent & Family Newsletter.

Parking updates – permit applications close soon!

Parking permit applications for rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors close Friday, April 25. Parking permit applications for incoming first-years will open May 5–23. 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 through July of 2025. Your student will receive email communication from the Parking Office regarding the status of their application. It is your student’s responsibility to monitor their email during this time frame for communication and action items regarding their parking permit status. 
• 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 with One Hill, One Team!

Parents and families: support your Ole student-athletes during One Hill, One Team today!

One Hill, One Team, April 21–25, is your chance to make an impact. By supporting student-athletes, you give are giving them the tools, opportunities, and resources they need to thrive. Your gifts help fuel their success. 

Make your gift now to help ensure Oles continue to shine both on and off the field.

Virtual mental health trainings available for students and parents/families

As students navigate through their academic journey, stress and uncertainty can be common. One way they can build resilience and develop skills to help themselves and others is by pursuing mental health training. Certifications like Mental Health First Aid and/or Question Persuade Refer Certifications look impressive on a resume. They are also available to parents and families looking to better support their students.

Upcoming Mental Health First Aid Training:

• May 8 and 9, 3–7 p.m. each day (virtual two-day training; attendance both days is required for certification)

Upcoming Question Persuade Refer Trainings:

• April 24 2–3 p.m.
• April 30 1–2 p.m.
• May 6 6:30–7:30 p.m.
• May 12 6–7 p.m.
• May 14 7–8 p.m.

Click here to sign up for any of the above listed trainings.

Learning is Better Together

That’s what so many students have found this semester.

• So far, 288 students have been to the Writing Desk for 620 meetings with tutors.
• So far, 187 students scheduled 633 used Academic Tutoring appointments!
• So far, 590 students have attended SI an average of 4.3 times each!
• The final SOAR session of the year was on April 10, with 90% of first-year students in attendance!! Most students found connection on campus through their SOAR group.

Peer leaders take their roles seriously and make us so proud. In addition to regular training, 15 tutors attended the Midwest Writing Center Association conference in March, and five of them presented their research there!

Milestones Matter

All sophomores are required to declare their major by mid-March of their spring semester, and this year a record 97% of sophomores have done so!!