In an effort to increase the retention rate at Grambling State University, the Office of Retention is asking parents to become partners.Not only were freshmen students involved in orientation, so were the freshmen parents!
The Office of Retention, under the auspices of Enrollment Management, treated the parents of new freshmen to a whirlwind education on what to expect of college life.
College enrollment is a wonderful time, but it can be traumatic to the first-time college parent. Therefore, the two-day session was designed to give parents the need to know information so vital for ensuring that their child receives the most out of college.
Speakers for the forum were Dr. Paul Bryant, Vice President for Enrollment Management.
Bryant stressed what parents should be aware of when communicating with their children.
Dr. Stacy Duhon, vice president for Student Affairs, and Registrar Patricia Hutcherson also told parents how to help their children succeed.
A wide variety of faculty from across the campus took time out of their Sunday to discuss their prospective area. The parents were able to ask questions and get specific answers which made them feel comfortable about leaving their child at Grambling State University.
Those additional faculty and staff members were Dr. Nan McJamerson, College of Education; Dr. Edrene Frazier, mass communication; Dr. Sarah Dennis, Public Administration; Dr. Waneen Dorsey, biology; Melanie C. Thomas and Edward Jones, English; and Miranda Warren, Counseling Center.
Carolyn D. Collier, director of the Office of Retention, supplied the parents with useful information for keeping their children motivated.
The parents were also given a GSU cup with the Class of 2014 printed on it. The 2014 is a constant reminder of graduating in four years which is the desired time for most majors and lends itself to less debt and time wasted.