Parents

As the parent of an EKU student, you've invested a lot in your child's success. Without doubt, you want to ensure that your student receives quality instruction, excellent resources, and an experience that will pay off in terms of intellectual growth and a future career.

The Office of First-Year Courses & Learning Communities exists to help students transition into college life during the first semester. We administer Student Success Seminars, courses that

• Teach students the skills they need to succeed academically,
• Provide them with knowledge about resources that will help them persist to graduation, and
• Facilitate opportunities to engage with other students and the larger campus environment.

First-year seminar instructors, in particular, are parts professor, guidance counselor, and mentor; they're often the first person your student will go to when they're having trouble understanding assignments in one of their classes or looking for opportunities to get involved with the community. In fact, if you observe or notice something about EKU that can improve the odds of success for first-semester students, our instructors want to know. 

The single most important thing you can do to help your student succeed is talk to them. Homesickness is one of the top obstacles to student success, and even if your student wants to appear independent, it can help to know that there's a strong social support network rooting for them back home. A call or message to check in from time to time can go a long way. 

Read More: "Helping freshmen succeed: Tips from college advisers," by Stacey Steinberg

Usually, there's only so much that an EKU professor can tell you about your student's performance due to The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). However, if you ever have a concern, the EKU Student Success Center has an anonymous referral form that anyone can fill out here. Simply fill out the form and a trained professional will reach out in a friendly way and see if there's anything your student needs help with. 

Also, Web-4-Parent Authorization allows a student to give written permission authorizing an individual to view academic and financial information. Another great resource you can get involved in is the EKU Parent & Family Network. 

Read More: College Parents of America