Stay Connected

Welcome Parents

Whether your student is beginning or continuing the undergraduate adventure, you are embarking on an adventure of your own. While there is so much we're proud of at the College, one facet of the Sarah Lawrence experience holds particular distinction: the community. What makes this community so rich is the strength of its connections, its unusually generous spirit, and the openness of its members, including staff, students, faculty members, alums, and, yes, parents.

What makes this community so rich is you.

We have successfully kicked off a new academic year, the 86th at Sarah Lawrence. Over the summer, and across the country, we held eight Welcome Receptions for admitted students and their parents, which were either hosted by current parents or parents of alumni and alumni. The College community is eager to welcome parents into the fold, and these receptions have been a wonderful way of connecting with new members of the Sarah Lawrence family. These receptions are a good opportunity for students and parents to re-meet Admissions representatives, meet with Parent Programs staff and in some regions members of the Office of Student Affairs. The most gratifying part of these receptions is watching new students meeting other new students from their area and being able to ask questions of current students or young alumni from their region. Fostering new parents meeting other new parents and the reception hosts is another highlight of these events.

For a second year in a row, alums are getting into the act. Samuel Tucker and Elizabeth Gifford hosted receptions in San Francisco and the Boston area respectively. In Los Angeles, Janna and Jim Harris, parents of Emma '14 and members of the Parents Advisory Council, again hosted the largest of our receptions, over 70 people at their home. The Office of Parent Programs is grateful to Lucy and Jeffrey Colman, parents of Stuart ’09; Deborah Cooper and Daniel Sternberg, parents of Julia ’12; and Jamie and Cynthia Sanchez, parents of Chelsea ‘14, for hosting lovely receptions in their homes, and to Dr. Kathryn and Robert Smerling, parents of Matthew ’14, for hosting a New York City reception at the Cornell Club. Even Jody Abzug, Director of Parent Programs, got swept up in the excitement hosting at her home in Westchester.

The energy and excitement at these receptions is just one way we observe the building of the parent community. A community comprised of caring, committed individuals who look out for one another and share a profound appreciation for the unique Sarah Lawrence education. These friendships, begun at the summer receptions, continue to grow during Opening Day activities and Family Weekend. We invite all of you to attend Family Weekend on Saturday, November 3and Sunday, November 4, not only to visit with your student, but to meet other wonderful parents in our Sarah Lawrence community.

If you would like to become more involved in this dynamic community, there are a number of ways you can participate, including:

• Contributing to the Parents Fund, gifts to which immediately enrich the experience of your student and his or her classmates, by supporting all academic and extra-curricular programs
• Hosting a welcome reception in your home
• Making supportive phone calls to help ease the last-minute jitters of parents of new students
• Becoming a member of the Parents Advisory Council (PAC), which aims to strengthen the student experience and to financially strengthen the College, starting now and continuing for years to come

This is just a sampling of ways you can get involved. If you have other creative ideas, Parent Programs is eager to hear them and help you channel your particular passions into a meaningful experience for your student and the entire student body. For more information, please contact Jody Abzug, Director of Parent Programs, at (914) 395-2523.