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Office of First-Year Experience March 2017 Inside this Issue: It’s Festival Time 1 Tips for Student Success 2 Study Abroad 2 Summer & Part Time Jobs 3 Taking on Spring Break 4 At This Time, Your Student 5 Parent Newsletter After what turned out to be a decently chilly Louisiana winter, it’s time to shake off the winter blues and join the fun of festival season. The season is already underway and it can be hard to choose among all the options! First, the UL Lafayette College of Arts will be presenting in the annual Festival of the Arts. Their ArTech Fusion will be held on March 17 and includes activities and presentations from the depart-ments of Visual Arts, Architecture, Music, and Perform-ing Arts. Highlights include discussion about Big Data and Virtual Reality, as well as premier performances featuring music, dance, theater, poetry and animation. Additional information can be located on the Festival of the Arts’ schedule. The City of Lafayette is home to a world-famous francophone festival, the Festival International de Louisiane which celebrates French cultures from Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Cultural highlights include music, cuisine, dance, and arts and crafts. In its 31st year, the festival will be held April 26-30 at stages throughout down-town Lafayette and will feature over 100 performanc-es like Isreal-born New Yorkers: Balkan Beat Box, French: Ginkgoa, Zimbabwe’s Mokoomba, and local favorites like Marc Broussard and GIVERS, plus so many more! With no charge for admission, it is a great event for the whole family! For additional infor-mation or to plan your festival weekend please visit their website. Whatever your interests or culinary tastes Festival International is guaranteed to impress! Festival of the Arts and Festival International are just a small example of what Spring in Louisiana has to offer. Think of an iconic food or object and there is probably a nearby festival for it! To name just a few, the Acadian Memorial Heritage Festival and Wooden Boat Congress will be on March 18, the Acadiana Dragon Boat Festival will be March 25, the Scott Boudin Festival will be April 21-23, the Arnaudville Etouffee Festival will be April 28-30, the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival will be May 5-7, and the Capital City Kite Fest will be April 1-2. And these are just a handful taking place near the Lafayette area. Loui-siana is a state steeped in culture, and if there is one thing we know how to do, it is to share that culture. Consult the Louisiana Travel’s Festival webpage for a full listing of events taking place during Spring 2017. IT’S FESTIVAL TIME! 1

2 SPRING 2017 ACADEMIC CALENDAR Mar 13-24: Academic Advising Period Mar 27: Registration begins for Priority and Seniors Apr 14—23: Spring Break/Easter Break Apr 24: Class Resumes Apr 26—30: Dead Days Apr 28: Last Day of Classes May 1—5: Final Exams May 12: Spring Commencement May 12: Semester Officially Ends LOOKING TOWARD SUMMER: STUDY ABROAD Having the opportunity to study abroad can be a transformative experience! In addition to building confidence and global competence, students who have international experience are considered to be more valuable to almost any potential employer as our world becomes more globally interconnected. Luckily the UL Lafayette Study Abroad Program works hard to facilitate this experience for Ragin Cajuns. It’s never too early to discuss study abroad options with your first-year students. Although most students do not actually enroll in a study abroad program until later in their academic career, the time is now to start thinking about locations, costs and options. Typically students enroll for 3-9 credits and live/study abroad for one semester or during the summer. UL Lafayette hosts programs in Costa Rica, France, and Italy; the England program has been cancelled for Summer 2017 but it is planned to happen again in 2018. Did you know that financial aid packages may be able to be applied to study abroad, making this an affordable option for many? If your student is interested, have them fill out the “I’m Interested” form online or get more information by email at studyabroad@louisiana.edu. HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR STUDENT IS LEARNING Have you ever wondered what your student is learning in class, or if they are even attending class? As their parent you not only wish to give them the tools they need to succeed in life, but as someone who might be paying for their education you no doubt want to make sure they are receiving what you are paying for. The news media is constantly talking about major academic scandals on campuses from the Naval Academy, to the University of West Virginia, to Harvard. Even the Wainstein Report was recently published detailing the extent of dishonesty at UNC Chapel Hill. Though scandals are rare, it can be difficult as a parent to know whether your student is learning. Sometimes college kids just skip class. In times like these, how are parents supposed to feel safe in the quality of their student’s education? The answer is knowing the safeguards and getting involved! In order to confer academic degrees all universities must be accredited by a recognized institution. These institutions regularly review schools on the quality of the educational experience they provide in terms of integrity, accountability, improvements, learning, and transparency. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS COC). UL Lafayette must be officially reaccredited once every decade while also undergoing interim reviews during that time period. The accreditation provided by SACS guarantees the quality of edu-cation your son or daughter receives here at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette through both teaching standards and class attendance. But why put all of your trust in one place? You should know what your student is getting out of UL Lafayette! The best way to do that is simply talk with your student. Ask them what they are learning in class. Use open ended questions so that your student has to fill the space with all of his or her experiences. Engage them about classes, professors, clubs and organizations, their friends, and their res-hall experience if they live on campus. College is a time of adventure and discovering the world, and as their parents you deserve to be a part of your student’s adventure.

3 LOOKING TOWARD SUMMER: JOB OPPORTUNITIES RESOURCES ON CAMPUS Academic Success Center Lee Hall Rm. 115 (337) 482-6818 asc@louisiana.edu Writing Center H.L. Griffin Hall, Rm. 107-108 (337) 482-6447 Counseling & Testing Center Saucier Wellness Center O.K. Allen Hall (337) 482-6480 counseling@louisiana.edu Office of Disability Services (ODS) Conference Center, Rm. 126 (337) 482-5252 ods@louisiana.edu STEP Computer Labs on Campus Student Affairs Division Martin Hall Rm. 211 (337) 482-6266 studentaffairs@louisiana.edu The job market is fast moving to an experience-based model, meaning the more job experience a student has, the better his or her chances of being selected over other qualified candidates. With that said, summer is a great time for students to get experience without the extensive responsibilities of the classroom. The Office of Career Services will be hosting a Part-Time Summer Job Fair on March 23rd which would be a great time for students to get a sense of what is out there, and maybe even approach a potential employer. Whether your student chooses to take advantage of the fair or not, now is still the best time to think about summer employment opportunities, whether the end goal is industry experience or extra spending money. Suggested Job Boards Career Services Online (UL Lafayette sponsored) The Advertiser The Advocate Louisiana Job Connection Indeed Search Engine Local Summer Employers Red Lerille’s SELA Aquatics Mall of Acadiana Fontana Center Non-local Summer Employers Camp Stanislaus Camp Ozark Chestnut Lake Camp YMCA Summer Camp Americorps U.S. Department of State SUMMER AND PART TIME JOB FAIR On Thursday March 23rd, 2017, UL Lafayette holds the Summer and Part Time Job Fair for students in the Student Union Ballroom. This event is open to all UL Lafayette students seeking summer and part time employment opportunities. Employers from around the Acadiana area will be discussing summer employment opportunities and taking applications. This event runs from 10:00am to 1:00pm and lasts for one day only.

OUTSIDE TIPS ON SPRING BREAK 4 The coming of sunshine and warmth means one thing to college students: Spring Break. This mid-semester vacation has become equated with a dangerous experience steeped in alcohol, drugs, and sex due to coverage in American media and cinema. Unfortunately there are facts to support some of this mentality; a study conducted at the University of Wisconsin found that 75% of males and 43% of females in college reported being intoxicated on a regular basis during Spring Break. Exploring the world is an important part of life in college, so what can you do as parents to help your student prepare for Spring Break? According to the website Fight Back on Spring Break one of the best ways to plan a trip is to research the location and know its reputation so your student knows what he or she is getting into. A growing trend amongst college kids is to head for new locations that don’t match the typical “spring break beach trip.” Once there, the best rule is the simplest rule: follow the law. Don’t partake in the use of illegal drugs, and if underage, don’t consume alcohol. For those of age, the best advice is to be smart and rely on your gut. It may be urban legend, but you always know what the right thing to do is, and your gut is the friend that reminds you what that is. Following it will always lead to smarter decisions. A second situation to be aware of is that your student may not always have to fend for just him or herself. The smartest thing any student can do on Spring Break is stick with a group of trustworthy friends. That could mean your student may have to take care of a friend should any situations arise. Knowing how to recognize and respond to things like binge drinking and alcohol poisoning may be critical to keep a bad situation from getting worse. Also, when sticking with a group of friends it is always a good idea for at the least one to remain sober, to be fully aware of any situation and provide uninhibited assistance. Finally, the last thing we can do for these freshmen is to trust them. Despite how we may sometimes feel, they are now adults and deep inside they know right from wrong because they were taught these principles by you (their parents) and us (their teachers). We can prepare them for any situation, but in the end they are out there flying free and will more than likely make the right decisions to stay healthy and safe. For additional tips about planning a Spring Break trip and staying safe, please explore the links provided in the left hand column under Outside Tips on Spring Break. TAKING ON SPRING BREAK Spring Break Safety Tip Sheet Your First Spring Break Travel Safety Tips Spring Break Tips for Parents Another “Letting Go” Experience ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK IDEAS Stay in Lafayette to enjoy sleep and Ragin Cajun Athletic events. If you’re not from Lafayette, head home for quality family time. Take the City of New Orleans on a site-seeing tour to Chicago. Take a trip through Louisiana Plantation country. Go camping in a Louisiana state park. Volunteer abroad as a way to see the world but also give back. Visit attractions such as Blue Bayou or Six Flags Gain experience by traveling to locations that support your academic or career interests.

Contact Information Visit us at our office: 230 Hebrard Blvd. Lee Hall, Room 106 Monday-Thursday 7:30am-5:00pm Friday 7:30am-12:30pm firstyear.louisiana.edu (337) 482-6599 ofye@louisiana.edu Follow OFYE on Social Media 5 YOUR STUDENT THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER: MARCH During the month of March, students begin preparing for the upcoming Fall semester by scheduling classes and meeting with their advisors. Often, students begin to feel the pressure and stress of mid-term exams at this point in the semester as they begin preparing for them. Additionally, if your student has not declared a major or is dissatisfied with their major choice, they may look into changing majors, or declaring a major. Students may also feel stressed about the summer: finding summer jobs or internships can often be difficult. As parents, here are a few things that you can do to help them. 1. Be open to communication. They may or may not ask you for advice; this is ok. Be there for them if they ask. 2. Send postcards or care packages during this stressful time. Maybe include notecards, pens, granola bars, or gum. Anything to show that you are there for them. 3. If they ask for guidance, especially in academic-related areas, refer them to see academic counselors. Here at Lee Hall, we offer counseling if students are unsure about their major, want to see if they’re on track to graduate, or any other academic advice—with no appointment necessary! Click here to see what freshman go through during each month!