Greetings from the Parent Association Chairperson
Welcome to Union College! As the parent of a Union College Student, now part of a select group since 1795, you will be amazed, and proud, to realize the reach of Union Alumni. Many of America's thinkers and shakers, and movers, started out here in Schenectady.
Parents are encouraged to be active - within reason - in the life of their college students. All parents of current students are part of the Parent Association, and can voice their ideas. Thanks to our input, we transition in accompanying our children's lives from home to adulthood. We can help in so many ways at Union, continuing to enrich everyone's life by sharing our time and/or professional experience with the College.
Depending on each year's volunteer parental help, we are able to fulfill a few different missions from placing telephone calls to incoming freshmen families; to creating a network of Union Parents by hosting meetings; from opening your workspace to students for internships - paid or unpaid; to representing Union College at the College Fairs in your towns; and to being at the Welcome Table on Campus during Homecoming Week-end. You can see more opportunities at http://www.union.edu/Parents/volunteers.php
Homecoming and Family Weekend, in the fall, is the first time in the school year where families can meet, greet and question the key faculty players in charge of the students' wellbeing on Campus. Attending the Parent Association Meeting, going on school tours, sitting in some of the classes, going to see different sports teams play - my two children play Rugby, a Club sport here - are but a few of the opportunities to join in and enjoy the campus at that time.
Parental participation possibilities are also available with the Parent Fund. You can read more about it at http://www.union.edu/Parents/ParentFund.php. Its' chair, Vivian Falco, and I both look forward to encouraging parents to show their support of Union College. As you have guessed, parental participation is our goal.
Our Parent Association is represented on campus thanks to our Family Leadership Giving Director, Pamela Ritter, and her assistant, Lisa Mason. They ensure that we, as parents, are kept "in the know", so do give us your e-mail address to stay on the "up and up"!
I thank you in advance for your support of Union, for your involvement with us, and look forward to meeting many of you in the months to come.
Take care,
Karen Dumonet (Vanessa '07 and Sebastian '09)
Parent Association Chairperson