Family Connection In the News at Hofstra Medical Students Enter the Doors of Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine for First Time Hofstra University Parent and Family Newsletter Fall 2011 inside this issue An Important Message From the Office of Student Financial Services... 2 Let Us Upgrade You!... 2 A Message From Kevin Dexter, Class of 2013... 2 Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) Welcomes You to the Hofstra Community!... 3 Oh, the Places Your Student Will Go!...4 After more than three years of planning, discussion and research by hundreds of academic and medical professionals and scholars, the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine at Hofstra University welcomed its inaugural class of 40 students on July 25. After participating in a weeklong orientation, students began their classes on August 1. The School of Medicine is New York s first new allopathic medical school in 40 years and the nation s 133rd medical school. The medical school received more than 4,000 applications for its inaugural class. Today these students take the first bold step on a journey to become the physicians of tomorrow, said Dr. Lawrence Smith, dean of the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine. They represent a unique and diverse cross section of educational and life experiences, and were selected not only for their test scores, but equally for their characters and core values. From the shared vision of a new medical school on Long Island, to welcoming our first class of 40 students, in less than four years we and our partner North Shore-LIJ Health System have succeeded in making this new and innovative medical school a reality, said Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz. With this inaugural class, we are bringing in 40 bright, talented individuals who recognize that we are offering an extraordinary opportunity to create an entirely new model for the way medicine is practiced in this country, said Michael Dowling, president and chief executive officer of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. Most of them had other offers to attend more traditional medical schools, but they chose to come here and make history by becoming part of a new breed of physicians who understand the importance of teamwork and communication in the future of health care delivery. The school s groundbreaking academic course content offers students the unique opportunity to learn medicine through a new and innovative curriculum that integrates basic science with hands-on clinical experience throughout all four years of medical school. Summer 2011 Parent Orientation.. 5 Service and Leadership Development... 6 Parent Voice... 6 Hofstra Parent Council s Chance Auction... 7 Hofstra Fall Festival... back cover School of Medicine Fast Facts Number of Students in Inaugural Class: 40: 20 women, 20 men Dean: Dr. Lawrence Smith Eventual Class Size: 60 in 2012; 80 in 2013; and 100 in 2014 Number of Faculty: 1,000 Office of Parent and Family Programs, Division of Student Affairs
An Important Message From the Office of Student Financial Services v The Student Financial Services Parent Checklist for Undergraduate Students is now available at hofstra.edu/sfsforms. It is a must-have for parents! v Visit hofstra.edu/sfshowto for simple step-by-step instructions regarding FERPA, billing, payment, financial aid, registration and academic records. v Encourage your student to read their Hofstra Pride e-mail account and share that information with you. As part of our continued green efforts, important deadlines, financial aid information, requests for missing documentation, and billing information are sent to students via their secure Hofstra Pride e-mail account. v Reminder: File the FAFSA by February 15 every year at FAFSA.gov. For FREE step-by-step assistance, call the FAFSA processor at 1-800-433-3243. New York state residents should also file the TAP application at HESC.com. For FREE step-by-step assistance, call 1-888-697-4372. v For FREE step-by-step assistance filing for Federal Stafford loans and/or Parent PLUS Loans at studentloans.gov, call the Direct Student Loan Service Center at 1-800-557-7394. v For tuition payment options, please visit hofstra.edu/paymentoptions. For further information, please call the Office of Student Financial Services at 516-463-8000, e-mail studentfinancialservices@hofstra.edu, or view their how-to guides at hofstra.edu/sfshowto. Let Us Upgrade You! The staff of the Office of Residential Programs hopes you and your family had a wonderful summer. They are looking forward to a great academic year with your child in the residence halls! The office has made major upgrades to Hofstra s residence halls during the past few summers. This year, both Bill of Rights and Enterprise Halls received a complete face-lift: newly designed entrances were constructed to better manage the flow of traffic in and out of the buildings; new windows were installed; and new flooring, paint, and ceiling tiles have enhanced the hallways, bedrooms, and common spaces. Restorations were made to student HVAC units and new state-of-the-art furnishings were placed throughout the buildings. In addition, workers installed new furnishings in Suffolk Hall, which completed the renovation project that began last summer. Colonial Square was also repainted and received furniture upgrades, such as wood beds and dressers in select locations. The staff of the Office of Residential Programs is here to assist your child throughout the academic year and looks forward to seeing you and your child at various programming. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail reslife@hofstra.edu or call 516-463-6930. A Message From Kevin Dexter, Class of 2013 I hope that your student is enjoying his or her experience at Hofstra University as much as I am, and that you are enjoying your experience as a parent at Hofstra. There are so many opportunities that Hofstra gives your student to be successful while they are still in school, and I am a prime example. I am a rising junior from nearby Levittown, New York, and I knew I wanted to attend Hofstra since I was a sophomore in high school. I am a broadcast journalism major; Hofstra s outstanding School of Communication is what drew me to the school. My classes, combined with the outside professional experience that I receive, makes this school great. If Kevin Dexter, Class of 2013 and 2011 Parent Orientation leader looks familiar, you might have seen him act in student skits during last summer s Parent Orientation. I currently work as the sports director at WRHU-FM Radio Hofstra University, our 24/7/365 student-run radio station. WRHU is almost completely run by students outside of four professional administrators, giving us real-world experience as leaders in the field of media. We serve as the flagship radio station for all 17 Hofstra Pride sports and are the only college radio station in the country to have a professional sports team on our airwaves, the NHL s New York Islanders. As you might have guessed, we re joined by veteran continued on page 3. 2
A Message From Kevin Dexter, Class of 2013 continued from page 2 play-by-play man Chris King on our Islanders broadcasts, but other than that, the broadcasts are completely student-run. Students serve as color commentators, sideline reporters, engineers, studio hosts and studio update anchors, giving us experience that nobody else in the country has the opportunity to get. I grew up less than 10 minutes away from the Nassau Coliseum and am a die-hard Islanders fan, through the good times and the real bad ones, and now at just 20 years old, I get to talk about and interview the guys that I look up to as my idols. Not many people can say they ve had that experience. While covering the Hofstra Men s and Women s Basketball teams last year, I traveled to places like San Diego, Boston, Baltimore and Niagara Falls to broadcast their road games. Over the past two years I ve gotten to interview and talk with Hofstra alumnus and former Pride basketball player Charles Jenkins on multiple occasions, who now plays basketball for the Golden State Warriors in the NBA. I was a credentialed member of the media at the 2011 NBA Draft at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey and saw Charles Jenkins get his name announced by NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, and the next day I was back at Nassau Coliseum hosting a three-hour live broadcast from the New York Islanders Draft Party, reporting on the 2011 NHL Draft. I would never have been able to have these great opportunities without Hofstra University and WRHU. Since I was 5 years old I ve wanted to be a sports broadcaster, and I m living out my dream while I m still in college. Even though everything I ve done here at Hofstra can t guarantee that I will have my big break and get a prestigious on-air job once I graduate, I do know that I m being given every possible opportunity to succeed once I get my diploma. I could go on forever about how much I love Hofstra and WRHU, and how grateful I am for everything I ve gotten to do in my two years at the University. I know that your student may not be interested in broadcasting as a career, but I also know that there are experiences like this for them all over Hofstra University. I hope your student chases their dreams like I have, and has as a rewarding of a college experience that I have had these past two years. I m just glad that I still have two years to go. Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) Welcomes You to the Hofstra Community! The staff at SSD is here to help you and your new student as you prepare for the important transition to college. The office provides accommodations and services to students with documented disabilities. Unlike the K-12 educational system, SSD is governed by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Unlike educational laws that guarantee appropriate specialized educational services, these are non-discrimination laws, designed to allow equal access to education regardless of disability. In order to be eligible to receive accommodations, a student must: 1. Fill out a Self-Disclosure Form and Application for Services and return them to SSD. 2. Provide supporting documentation of the disability and its impact on the student s functioning. Both forms, as well as detailed guidelines for documentation are available at hofstra.edu/ StudentAffairs/stddis/stddis_forms.html. While a student may disclose a disability at any time, we recommend registering with the office at the earliest possible time. This will allow sufficient time to ensure that SSD can meet the student s needs in a timely manner. It is important to remember that accommodations are not retroactive, and the presence of a disability does not automatically make students eligible for accommodations. Frequently approved accommodations include extended time and separate settings for exams, supplemental class notes, alternate formats of texts and exams, and appropriate housing accommodations. Of course, this is not an exhaustive list. Accommodations are individualized, and are based on the student s disability and the manner in which the disability impedes their full participation in programs and services available to all students. If your student has a disability, but is unsure of how SSD can be of service, the best thing to do is to contact the office at 516-463-7075 or ssd@hofstra.edu. In addition to providing accommodations to all qualified students with disabilities, SSD offers fee-based support services to students who choose to enroll in them. Learning specialists work one-on-one with students on a weekly basis to help them develop learning strategies, and time management and organizational skills. The PALS program (Program for Academic Learning Skills) is designed to meet the needs of incoming first year students with language-based learning disabilities and/or ADHD. The PALS program charges a one-year fee, with services available to the student as needed as long as he/she remains enrolled at Hofstra. Our Academic Coaching program can assist new or returning students with disabilities through a short term, customized program of skill building and one-on-one academic support. For more information about PALS, the Academic Coaching program, or any of the services provided by SSD, please feel free to contact the office: Services for Students with Disabilities 212 Memorial Hall 126 Hofstra University Hempstead, NY 11549-1260 Phone: 516-463-7075 E-mail: ssd@hofstra.edu Website:hofstra.edu/studentaffairs/stddis 3
Oh, the Places Your Student Will Go! Hofstra in Athens Hofstra in Venice Hofstra s LGBT in Paris Dear Parents: On behalf of the Office of Study Abroad Programs, I would like to welcome your student to Hofstra University, and I sincerely hope that your child will take advantage of the wonderful programs available. Study abroad offers our students a unique and valuable experience the opportunity not only to study and earn credits, but also to immerse themselves in another country and culture, thus expanding their view of the world. The valuable interpersonal skills and life experiences they attain will help prepare them for the professional world that lies ahead. Hofstra University offers study abroad opportunities for a whole semester, summer semester, or during January intercession. Our January programs include Athens, London, Venice, LGBT in Paris, and Australia (for HCLAS speech-language-hearing sciences majors). Students who participate in a January program take one three-credit course and explore the sites through the many excursions and trips that are organized. Our summer programs (during sessions 1, 2 and 3), which are five weeks in duration, give students the opportunity to take three or six credits while enjoying and experiencing cultural and linguistic immersion. During summer the following programs are offered: Spain, France, Italy, Peru, China, Japan, Ireland and Germany. The European Odyssey Program is a semester-long program offered in the spring. Students travel for 10 weeks by minivan throughout Western and Eastern Europe, and earn 16 credits. Students may also study abroad for a semester through a non-hofstra program, either through another American university or an approved international university. Should you or your child have questions regarding study abroad at Hofstra University, please feel free to contact me at 516-463-4765 or Maria.L.Fixell@hofstra.edu. If you are on campus, please visit our office, located in 107 Roosevelt Hall, South Campus. Regards, Maria L. Fixell Assistant Dean for Study Abroad Programs Congratulations to Parent Council Member Gail Cohen, P 13, New York, who was randomly selected to win an ipad2 32G. Thank you to all the Hofstra parents who completed the Parent Survey 2011. Your input will help us improve and enhance our programs and services. 4
Summer 2011 Parent Orientation More than 1,400 parents and family members attended Parent Orientation this year! 5
Service and Leadership Development There are many ways students can get involved in service-learning and leadership development at Hofstra University. The Office of Student Leadership and Activities (OSLA) will host many different service and leadership opportunities for students throughout the 2011-2012 school year, and we hope to see your student getting involved! In the fall, students can join OSLA and participate in the American Cancer Society s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk at Jones Beach, distribute items to the homeless for the Midnight Run in New York City, and/ or build a winter wonderland for underprivileged children during Hofstra Celebrates the Holidays. In addition, some of our greatest traditions occur in the spring, including the annual Alternative Spring Break and the American Cancer Society s Relay for Life fund-raising walk, during which we raised more than $93,000 last year (the fifth-highest grossing college relay in the Eastern Division)! Leadership development is a key component in higher education, and OSLA is dedicated to helping every student gain the necessary leadership skills needed to succeed after graduation. Some more ways students can get involved is by participating in the Blue and Gold Leadership Programs, the Student Government Association, various student clubs and organizations, and fraternity and sorority life. OSLA is also organizing a new a la carte leadership program that will allow students to pick and choose from a variety of workshops that focus on Hofstra s P.R.I.D.E. Principles. Student participants discuss their service and leadership experiences and plans for future engagement at the closing ceremonies of one of OSLA s signature events, Hofstra s Discovery Program. The Discovery Program offers first-year students the opportunity to begin their journey of service-learning and engagement at Hofstra University prior to their first semester. These opportunities are only a small portion of the service-learning and leadership events that OSLA offers every year. For more information contact the Office of Student Leadership and Activities at 516-463-6914 or OSLA@hofstra.edu. You may also learn more at hofstra.edu/osla. Parent Voice 6 Learning to Let Go: The Unique Challenges of Being a Hofstra Mom and a Hofstra Professor By Amy R. Stein (P 15) We are truly a Hofstra family I am the proud parent of a Hofstra first-year student, my husband is a graduate of the School of Law, and I am entering my 12th year of teaching at the University. We are delighted that our daughter, Sarah, has chosen to become part of the Hofstra family. We know firsthand that she is becoming a member of a supportive and caring community of educators and administrators who are deeply dedicated to the success of every student, both inside and outside the classroom. Yet in this age of helicopter parenting, being both a Hofstra mom and a Hofstra professor creates some unique issues. How can I help Sarah to establish her own independence and enjoy a college experience that is exclusively hers, despite my presence on campus? I have always described parenting as the daily struggle over how much control to give up on any particular day, and I think the fact that I work where she will be attending college complicates this. It is important for Sarah to have the opportunity to get excited about what she will be doing at Hofstra, not what I do. It is not trivial that the sticker on the rear window of my car says Hofstra Mom; this distinguishes it from the various other Hofstra stickers on my car that show that I am a Hofstra employee. Even though she has spent a lot of time here over the years, I want her to see the campus from a different perspective hers, not mine. I made sure that we came to every prospective student open house and admitted student event. Sarah wants to pursue a career in early childhood education, and we were all thrilled when we went to the presentations by faculty members in that area and heard what the school has to offer. Our family enjoyed seeing the residence halls and the entire campus from a student s perspective at these events. Sarah and I also agreed that I would pretend she is at school in Boston. What does that mean? Most significantly, it gives her the control. It means that she knows I will respect her boundaries; I will not show up at her residence hall unannounced, or troll the dining halls looking for her, nor will I pop in on her classes or speak to her professors. While it gives me great comfort to know that I am nearby if Sarah needs me, I think it gives Sarah great comfort to know that my assistance will only be provided if she asks for it. I wish I could offer some tidy solution to solving the larger issue of how much independence to give our college-age children. What I do know is that over the years I have learned so much from Sarah patience, understanding, kindness, unconditional love and I have to rely on her once again to teach me how to let her go.
Parent Voice Our Family s Impression of Hofstra: After Four Years By Peter and Linda Joyce, Parents of Jennifer Joyce (Class of 2011) We didn't know what to expect when our daughter, Jennifer, starting applying to colleges. All we knew was that it seemed like a daunting task filled with stress, anxiety and the unknown. We tried to do a careful job selecting a college and visited more than 16 campuses. Hofstra s campus ranked among the more impressive campuses. However, our daughter was far from convinced that Hofstra was the college for her. It actually ranked toward the bottom of Jennifer s list. That s how we began the article we wrote for Hofstra s Family Connection newsletter in fall 2007. Our article went on to say that while Hofstra began at the bottom of Jennifer s list of potential colleges, it eventually rose to the top after repeated visits to the campus. Jennifer s opinion of Hofstra changed due to the excellent reception and information she received from the faculty and staff at the three Open Houses we attended. She also had an outstanding experience when she experienced a day of classes on the campus and shadowed a student for a day. Jennifer says that the academic level of the classes and the caliber of the students convinced her that Hofstra was the school for her. That was four years ago, and Jennifer has just graduated from Hofstra with a B.A. in education. We have returned to write for the newsletter to discuss if Jennifer made the right decision to attend Hofstra. We are happy to say that Hofstra more than exceeded both Jennifer s and our expectations. From the exceptional education she received to the various social programs and activities that Hofstra offered, Jennifer s undergraduate experience was indeed impressive! Of particular note are the courses, faculty and staff in the School of Education, Health and Human Services. We feel that this school is completely dedicated to preparing young adults to become the best the teaching profession has to offer. Jennifer received a great deal of personalized attention, and the school worked hard to maximize her student teaching placement as well as opportunity for employment. Even though we live a short distance from Hofstra, Jennifer chose to live on campus. Linda, Jennifer, and Peter Joyce at May 2011 Commencement During her four years of living in Hofstra s residence halls, Jennifer took advantage of everything residential life had to offer. She joined many clubs, attended dances and formal balls, participated in many trips to New York City, and was fortunate to have been selected to work at both the presidential and New York gubernatorial debates that were held on campus. Because her social life was so full and satisfactory, Jennifer rarely came home during the school year. We could not be happier with Jennifer s choice to attend Hofstra. In fact, she is so thrilled with her decision, she eagerly advises high school students to be sure to consider Hofstra when debating which school they want to attend. We often tease her that she is a walking advertisement for the University. As a testament to how positive Jennifer feels about Hofstra, she has decided to pursue a master s degree at Hofstra. We are confident that the next two years will be as rewarding and gratifying for Jennifer as the past four years have been. Hofstra Parent Council s Chance Auction Dear Parents and Families: The Chance Auction, Hofstra Parent Council s largest fundraiser, will be held during the Hofstra Fall Festival/Family Weekend, on Saturday, September 24, 2011. (For more information about the Hofstra Fall Festival: Alumni, Student and Family Weekend, please visit hofstra.edu/fw.) All proceeds will directly benefit Hofstra University s academic and social programming. We invite you to donate items and services to this great cause! Please refer to the following lists for suggested items and services for donation. Suggested Items v Sports items: jerseys, signed baseballs or footballs, etc. v Tickets (Broadway; Yankees, Mets, or Islanders games; television shows; concerts) v Fine art v Handmade items, such as clothing, handbags and jewelry v Fine jewelry v Gift cards or certifi cates (e.g., national retailers, airline vouchers, restaurants) v Electronics (ipad, high-defi nition television, Amazon Kindle, digital camera, Barnes & Noble Nook, laptop, etc.) v Hofstra Pride donations, such as apparel and sports items Suggested Services v Professional services (e.g., tax preparation, transportation, legal consultation/ advice, photography, medical) v Weekend/week in your vacation home or time-share v Lessons (e.g., golf, music, dance, personal training, cooking, museum visits) Local Families v Home Away From Home: Dinner in your home for two Hofstra students v Home Away From Home: A weekend at your home for two Hofstra students v Home Away From Home: A holiday (e.g., seder, Thanksgiving) at your home for two Hofstra students To find out how you can donate, please contact the Office of Parent and Family Programs at 516-463-4698 or parents@hofstra.edu. 7
Office of Parent and Family Programs Division of Student Affairs 200 Phillips Hall 128 Hofstra University Hempstead, NY 11549-1280 Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Hofstra University Hofstra Fall Festival: Alumni, Student and Family Weekend Friday-Sunday, September 23-25, 2011 Friday, September 23, 2011 Noon-1:20 p.m. Lunch and Resource Fair Noon-6 p.m. Registration Mack Student Center, North Campus 1:30-3:30 p.m. Model Classes, Tours and Information Sessions 3:30-5 p.m. Regional Reception 5-7 p.m. President s Welcome and Dinner 8 p.m. Student Talent Show: Hofstra s Got Talent Saturday, September 24, 2011 8:30-9:45 a.m. Hot Breakfast and Student Club Performances 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Registration Mack Student Center, North Campus 10-11:50 a.m. Cub Zone (for children, ages 6-11), Information Sessions, and Tours Noon Parade of Floats and Student Performances 1-8 p.m. Vibe Live 2011 Concert/Carnival 7 p.m. Hofstra Men s Soccer vs. UNC-Wilmington 7 p.m. Hofstra Women s Volleyball vs. Northeastern University 8 p.m. Fireworks by Grucci 9 p.m. Comedy Show: Out Loud One Night Only with Louis C.K.! Sunday, September 25, 2011 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Family Barbecue 1 p.m. Hofstra Women s Soccer vs. Virginia Commonwealth University Office of Parent and Family programs Phone: 516-463-4698 Fax: 516-463-7017 E-mail: parents@hofstra.edu Website: hofstra.edu/parents facebook.com/ Follow us on @HofstraParents HofstraParents Hofstra University is an EO/AA/ADA educator and employer. 32531:8/11