Parent Newsletter

Residence Life

Community is beginning to take shape after a great start to the school year. Being back together creates a lot of excitement and energy. Students are building new connections in their living spaces, assessing past friendships, and figuring out who their “people” will be for the year. The purpose of the Residence Life department at Wheaton College (think RAs, GRAs, ARDs, RDs) is to create physically and relationally supportive environments where students are challenged to live out the body of Christ and grow in His likeness.

Students recently received the roommate check-up guide on building healthy relationships. It is a helpful resource for parents too, as you support your students from a distance. Having a roommate, floor mates, apartment mates and a brother or sister floor can be one of the greatest joys of your student’s college years.  Friendships, adventures, late night talks, sharing joys and sorrows, meeting people from all over the world are enormous opportunities that can shape your student. Relationships, as we all know, can also be a point of conflict, misunderstanding and distress. It is absolutely critical to understand that community, both intimate and extended, is the workshop of your student’s relationship with God. It is not by chance that Jesus said, “If you love me, love your neighbor.”

It is by design that Campus Living is one of the four pillars of Wheaton’s educational experience (along with academic, co-curricular, and chapel). For eight months of the year, students are intentionally living with roommates and floor mates in all their glory and mess. There are challenges of communication, expectations, teamwork, reconciliation, conflict management, and the working out of 1 Corinthians 13 within a real-life scenario. Students are not only building intellectual muscles while they attend Wheaton, but they are also putting their faith into practice with real people in a real community. That is why we do not simply change housing arrangements when roommate dynamics feel uncomfortable, challenging, or overwhelming. The Residence Life staff is here to walk alongside your student by giving them both support and challenge and help walk them through the practices of the Christian life as it pertains to their living situation. If your student mentions experiencing a glitch with their roommate, please encourage them to utilize this resource, reach out to their resident life staff member who can help guide and empower them to have an honest and caring conversation with their roommate.

Resources for Families:

The Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic at Wheaton College

Opening in 2020, The Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Clinic provides family, couple, and individual therapy for people throughout the state of Illinois and beyond. The MFT Clinic’s mission is to meet the mental health needs of the community through affordable, state-of-the-art care. We see clients in-person and via telehealth.

While the Wheaton College Counseling Center (WCCC) is the primary resource for students to receive short-term individual therapy, the MFT Clinic is an affordable option if longer-term individual care is needed, or if the focus of therapy is more relational in nature. For example, students, families, and anyone in the community, can receive pre-marital, couples, family, individual, and even roommate counseling at the MFT Clinic.

Another mission of the MFT Clinic is to provide clinical training for current Marriage and Family Therapy students at Wheaton College pursuing their Masters’ degree. Much like a teaching hospital, therapy interns provide care as they implement the latest evidence-based approaches under close supervision by seasoned faculty who are experts in the field.

Clients have the option of working with interns, faculty, or both in our state-of-the-art facility adjacent to Wheaton College campus at 209 N. Washington St. For more information, go to www.mftclinic.com, call 630-733-8161 or email at info@mftclinic.com.

Campus Post Office Address Update

Please use the following address for all letters and packages:

Student’s Name
421 North Chase Street, CPO #
Wheaton, IL 60187

Mail addressed to the 501 College Ave address will arrive without issue, but CPO requests that going forward, parents use the above address for letters and packages. Have questions? Email cpo@wheaton.edu.

Upcoming Events For the Whole Family:

Faithfully Forward: An Evening of Music and Mission

You are warmly invited to an inspiring evening of music, mission, and celebration during Homecoming Weekend 2025. Together, we’ll celebrate a bold new chapter in Wheaton’s story with music, fellowship, and gratitude.

Register Now

Frid‍ay, Sept‍ember 26 Faithfully Forward: An Evening of Music and Mission 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. | Edman Chapel Experience a live performance by acclaimed Christian artist TAYA, known for her work with Hillsong UNITED and powerful solo worship music, along with vocalists from Wheaton’s own Chapel Worship Band.

Family Weekend – November 7-8

Parents, grandparents, and siblings are invited to campus for Family Weekend! Come enjoy Wheaton’s vibrant campus life, meet your student’s besties, and revel in some one-on-one time with your son or daughter.

Review the Family Weekend schedule to see what is happening over the two days. You are invited to take in as much, or as little, as you like. Please pay special attention to events that require advance tickets or registration.

Students will follow their regular class schedules on Friday, November 7, so while they are in class, it might be a good time to visit Sam’s Café in lower Beamer, or explore downtown Wheaton, which is walking distance from campus.

Questions? Please email parents@wheaton.edu.