Sheridan Expert Offers Advice to Parents on Supporting Student Success

Joe Henry Shares Tips for Building Confidence, Responsibility and Resiliency

For Immediate Release: August 21, 2013
Oakville

Parents have an important role to play in helping their college-aged children build confidence, responsibility and resiliency, according to Joe Henry, Sheridan’s Associate Dean of Student Success.  Based on his experiences working in higher education for the past 12 years and research he is conducting toward a Doctorate in Education (Ed.D), Henry has some practical advice for parents.

“Many families talk about the transition to college life in general, but not all of them set ground rules for things like who is allowed to view a student’s academic progress,” observes Henry. “Colleges cannot release this information to parents without the written consent of the student.  Now is the time to have this conversation to avoid disappointment or confusion when the school term begins.”

Henry also recommends that parents get familiar with the institution’s website. “That’s where you can find key dates about when and where students will be notified about fee payments or the last day to drop a class without academic penalty. Having this information on hand enables parents to prompt their kids to be responsible for all aspects of their learning journey.”

Attending orientation is also on Henry’s list. “It has a powerful influence on academic transition and social integration. Our research has shown that students who participated in orientation last year had an average GPA of 3.15 after one term, compared to 2.49 for those who sat out. We will continue to track these groups to see if the numbers hold true over the long-term.”

At Sheridan’s orientation sessions next week, there is also one workshop that is exclusively for family and friends. “We invite parents to encourage help-seeking behaviours in their children and familiarize themselves with student services including advising and counselling. Parents can help by reinforcing the message that it’s okay to ask for help and someone will be there to help find a solution.”

About Sheridan

Sheridan College is one of Canada’s leading postsecondary institutions, offering over 100 diploma, certificate, and bachelor degree programs in an environment that fosters innovation and creativity. Its aim is to become Ontario’s first university exclusively dedicated to undergraduate professional education – a model that will be based on applied learning and Sheridan’s renown for creativity and innovation. The model also focuses on meeting university accreditation requirements so that Sheridan graduates have more pathways to the continued learning that will underscore their personal, career, and industry success.

For more information, or to arrange interview opportunities, please contact:

Christine Szustaczek, Director of Corporate Communications & External Relations
T: 905-815-4169
E: christine.szustaczek@sheridancollege.ca