CMC Parent Newsletter
Fall 2023

In this issue:

By Melanie J. Malinowski P'27, Ph.D.

When our children lived with us, we were willing, enthusiastic custodians of all things health: sleep, nutrition, doctor and dentist visits, mind and heart space. However, now that they are out of state, country, home, and our reach, our influence, necessarily, wanes. Further, their desire to be independent often impedes our impact. CMC offers everything our students need for physical and mental health and well-being, but how do we, as parents, nudge our children to exploit these services and benefits? I suggest a REFRESH.

R: Remind your student that sleep creates opportunities. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine devotes the third week of September annually to student sleep health. The ubiquity of cell phones, procrastination resulting in late night studying, and socializing cause poor or little sleep. Remind them that the benefits of good and adequate sleep include better ability to study, more energy, and happier dispositions.
E: Exercise reduces stress, promotes good sleep and relaxation. Even a few minutes of walking in that beautiful California sunshine is beneficial. Visit the California Botanical Gardens (within walking distance to campus). Swim at the Axelrood Pool. Or take a group exercise class at Roberts Pavilion.
F: Feed the body what it needs, not, necessarily, what it wants. Encourage them to eat the rainbow and fill their plates with vegetables. Mention the importance of drinking water, limiting sugar, fats, and meat. The dining halls, like CMC’s Collins, offer stellar dietary options.
R: Re-energize by engaging in any of the activities offered on campus. Stress and overwhelm proliferate; however, my own daughter made Lego flowers to destress and connect with others. Her friends have planted succulents. When our students are consumed with stress over school, doing something fun and creative provides a release and an outlet and allows them to meet others.
E: Empower yourself with the knowledge and the accessibility of resources. CMC’s bounty of mental health resources includes TimelyCare, the Student Health and Wellbeing app, through which students are able to schedule medical appointments with Student Health Services as well as meet with a licensed therapist 24/7, 365 days a year. TimelyCare also offers a series of short health and wellbeing videos, such as guided mindfulness practices, community forums, and self-care videos focusing on issues like anxiety, depression, healthy eating, sleep, and more.
S: Sometimes it feels great to cry or laugh or scream. This probably sounds silly, but letting out emotions is liberating! Remind your student that emotions are temporary, whether they be sadness or elation or worry. They are transitory. Mired in the shock of a “bad” grade or experiencing anxiety over an upcoming exam feels pretty awful, yet screaming in the shower or crying to a friend alleviates the ick.
H: Have fun. Be gentle and kind to yourself. Remember this is a moment in time, and enjoy it.

Are we naïve to believe that we still have an impact on our children once they are away at college? I don’t know, and I don’t care. We are their advocates and their biggest fans! All we can do is our best, which is what we are asking of them.

Soll Center Networking Treks: How Students Gain Hands-on Experience

By Erica Skala P'27

Whether your student has always known the career path they intend to follow, or has come to CMC to figure out what their journey might be, as a parent you may want to encourage them to apply to join the Soll Center’s Networking Treks. These trips offer an important opportunity for CMC students to explore various industries, narrow their career interests, build important networks, and take key steps to jump start their careers.

For over 21 years the Soll Center has been running trips for CMC students. These treks align with the career center’s “interest clusters,” representing the fields CMC students most often want to explore. There are currently seven treks, and an eighth, focused on environmental organizations in the Pacific North, is currently being developed.

The upcoming trek offerings include:

January Winter Break | Five Day Trips

Finance /New York
Technology (ITAB)/ Bay Area

Grace Hopper Celebration in the Fall

Women and non-binary technologists in computing

March Spring Break | Five Day Trips

Government and Public Policy/Washington D.C
Healthcare and Biotech/San Diego

These treks allow students to learn firsthand about career pathways. When students visit organizations in person and connect with the members of the CMC community who work there, they are able to get a pulse of the organization, more clearly envision a career path, and establish relationships with individuals that could connect them with future internships or full-time opportunities. According to Ursula Diamond, Director for Student Opportunities, “nothing can compete with entering a physical space of work to experience first-hand the culture, the people and the type of work performed there. Many students go into a visit with certain expectations and, within an hour or two, have either completely changed their opinion or become even more committed to that organization or type of work!”

There is an application process for each trek, which typically can accommodate 18-20 students. Once confirmed, students spend a lot of time preparing for their trip, including meetings discussing etiquette and behavior, networking practice, and organization research and question brainstorming. Students who attend are well-prepared to maximize their opportunities by establishing their industry interest and by setting the groundwork for internships/job recruiting. In addition, the students get to explore the cities they are visiting, connect with numerous CMC alumni and parents, build community with each other, and have fun!

As parents, the networking trips can use our help. CMC parents can register on Engage.CMC if you have the capability to host students during a networking trek. But perhaps most importantly, we can encourage our students to read their emails, follow the CMC Instagram for information, and to sign up if the trips align with their interests.

A Mid Semester Check-In: Finding Community & Comfort on Campus

By Arti Kumar P'27

Your student may have many unsettled feelings about unfolding world events. Many of us find ourselves making an effort to be a shoulder to lean on, helping them process their feelings. It may also be helpful to direct them to various resources at CMC and the 5Cs that can help them find comfort and community on campus. Here are some resources you can mention to your student that may provide a valuable connection.

There are several clubs with a religious or identity-based focus or an interest-based focus. Students can work with the Dean of Students office to find a club to connect with by emailing clubs@cmc.edu.

Students across the consortium can also utilize the McAlister Center for Religious Activities. This center helps students with spiritual and religious needs, including locating the proper church, temple, or synagogue for students to attend. Jewish, Catholic, Interdenominational, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Latter-Day Saints, Christian Science, Zen Meditation, and other on-campus religious and spiritual groups meet at McAlister Center for worship services and programs overseen by the Chaplains. The principal role of the Chaplaincy is to understand and meet the holistic needs of the student body at the Claremont Colleges. The Chaplains serve as confidential spiritual counselors and emotional leaders, and provide ethical leadership to the campus community at large. There are four Chaplains onsite, a Protestant Pastor, a Rabbi, and an Imam and Catholic Priest. Though each Chaplain holds a specific faith, they encourage and support all religious and spiritual student groups and communities on campus. It is the goal of the Chaplains to strengthen individual faith and promote interfaith relations. The Chaplains offer religious support, engagement opportunities, and create a faith community for students as they pursue their education. The Chaplains office may be contacted at chaplains@claremont.edu.
Mental health support resources are available to students 24/7 through TimelyMD, and support can also be accessed in person through Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services (MCAPS). MCAPS can be found on the first floor of the Tranquada Student Services Building. Their contact number is 909-621-8202.
Members of the Dean of Students Office (DOS) are always available to talk to students who may be processing recent events. DOS is also available to work with students who have thoughts on gatherings and programs that would be supportive and informative.

Being involved with groups and activities that bring refreshment, satisfaction, and joy can help students to maintain equilibrium in these times. Reminding our students of their capabilities and providing a listening ear can help as they learn to weather the current storm of global events and find inner resilience and community at CMC.

Students Want YOU for Career and Life Advice

By Steve Kapner P'22

CMC offers an impressive array of personalized advice and internship opportunities, and yet your involvement as a parent can make an equally profound impact on student journeys. As parents, we possess invaluable insights and connections within industries that align with the wide range of student aspirations, and students say they want to learn from us. But how can students easily find a parent in a target sector to reach out to?

One answer: Engage.CMC, a private online platform recently unveiled by CMC and designed to foster connections among students, alumni, and parents.

Engage.CMC is automatically available to all CMC sophomores, juniors and seniors, and to first-years when they are ready. Parents are encouraged to join via an opt-in process. To be helpful to students, you don’t need to offer a job or an internship—you can just be willing to have students to contact you for wisdom and advice! (Although job and internship postings are welcome!)
Hear from Lisa Thomas P'25 on how Engage.CMC provides a space for parents to help students.

TO SIGN UP: Go to engage.cmc.edu. Click “Join now” then “Register with email.” You can click “Willing to help,” and if you want, you can include a link to your LinkedIn profile (optional).Note: Students can see and contact parents on the platform, but parents will not be able to see or search for students or alumni. Questions? Contact the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement at 909-621-8097 or email parents@cmc.edu.

Defensa y enfoque integral para la salud estudiantil

por Melanie J. Malinowski P'27, Ph.D. | traducido por Carmen Amaya P'25

Cuando nuestros hijos vivían con nosotros, estábamos atentos a todo lo relacionado con su salud: sueño, nutrición, visitas al médico y al dentista, espacio mental y emocional. Sin embargo, ahora que están fuera del estado, del país, del hogar y fuera de nuestro alcance, nuestra influencia, por necesidad, disminuye. Además, su deseo de ser independientes a menudo obstaculiza nuestro impacto. CMC ofrece todo lo que nuestros estudiantes necesitan para su salud física y mental, pero ¿cómo podemos, como padres, instar a nuestros hijos a aprovechar estos servicios y beneficios? Sugiero un RENOVAMIENTO (REFRESH por sus letras en inglés).

R: Recuérdales a tus hijos que el sueño crea oportunidades. La Academia Estadounidense de Medicina del Sueño dedica la tercera semana de septiembre de cada año a la salud del sueño de los estudiantes. La ubicuidad de los teléfonos celulares, la procrastinación que resulta en estudios nocturnos y la socialización causan un sueño deficiente o insuficiente. Recuérdales que los beneficios de un buen y adecuado sueño incluyen una mejor capacidad de estudio, más energía y disposiciones más felices.
E: El ejercicio reduce el estrés, promueve un buen sueño y te relaja. Incluso unos minutos de caminata bajo ese hermoso sol de California son beneficiosos. Visita los Jardines Botánicos de California (a poca distancia del campus). Nada en la piscina Axelrood. O toma una clase de ejercicio en grupo en el Pabellón Roberts.
F: Alimenta tu cuerpo con lo que necesita, no necesariamente con lo que quiere. Anímalos a comer alimentos de todos los colores y llenar sus platos con verduras. Menciona la importancia de beber agua, limitar el azúcar, las grasas y la carne. Las cafeterías, como la de Collins en CMC, ofrecen opciones dietéticas excepcionales.
R: Recárgate participando en cualquiera de las actividades ofrecidas en el campus. El estrés y la angustia son frecuentes; sin embargo, mi propia hija hizo flores de Lego para liberar estrés y conectarse con otros. Sus amigos han sembrado plantas suculentas. Cuando nuestros estudiantes están abrumados por el estrés escolar, hacer algo divertido y creativo les brinda una liberación y una salida, y les permite conocer a otras personas.
E: Fortalécete con el conocimiento y la accesibilidad de los recursos. La abundancia de recursos de salud mental en CMC incluye TimelyCare, la aplicación de Salud y Bienestar Estudiantil, a través de la cual los estudiantes pueden programar citas médicas con los Servicios de Salud Estudiantil y reunirse con un terapeuta con licencia las 24 horas, los 7 días de la semana, los 365 días del año. TimelyCare también ofrece una serie de videos cortos de salud y bienestar, como prácticas guiadas de mindfulness, foros comunitarios y videos de autocuidado centrados en problemas como la ansiedad, la depresión, una alimentación saludable, el sueño y más.
S: A veces se siente genial llorar, reír o gritar. Esto probablemente suene tonto, ¡pero expresar emociones es liberador! Recuérdale a tu hijo que las emociones son temporales, ya sea tristeza, euforia o preocupación. Son pasajeras. Sentirse atrapado en el impacto de una calificación "mala" o experimentar ansiedad por un próximo examen se siente bastante mal, pero gritar en la ducha o llorar con un amigo alivia esa sensación desagradable.
H: Diviértete. Sé amable y gentil contigo mismo. Recuerda que esta es una breve etapa de tu vida, ¡disfrútalo!

¿Somos ingenuos al creer que aún tenemos un impacto en nuestros hijos una vez que están en la universidad? No lo sé. Sin embargo, ¡Somos sus defensores y sus mayores admiradores! Lo único que podemos hacer es dar lo mejor de nosotros, que es lo que les estamos pidiendo a ellos.

Parent Network Board Meetings

The Parent Network Board meets quarterly to discuss ways to enhance the College experience and to hear from College leadership. Read the September 2023 Board meeting minutes here.

Read the Meeting Minutes