W
ith two students at
Manchester, parent
Tina Ray says she could
lead the admissions tours
herself now. But it wasn’t
that way when her son,
Jacob ’16, was eyeing Manchester four years
ago. “I had tons of questions, even some that
seem a little silly now,” recalls Tina.
That’s why Tina signed up for Manchester’s
new online parent community and why
she’s hoping that other parents will too. The
mom from Claypool, Ind., who also sent her
daughter Delaney ’19 to Manchester this
fall, now has more answers than questions
for other parents. But regardless of their
MU experience level, she says, “it’s good for
parents to know other parents.”
Manchester last spring launched the social
network site, which has grown to more than
250 members. The home page includes
MU’s latest Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter
feeds, as well as a link to Family Connections,
Manchester’s digital newsletter geared toward
parents. There are also clear instructions
about how to join the network.
“The online community is a great
opportunity for parents to make the most
of their MU years,” says site coordinator
Jacob Huffman ’06, assistant director for
admissions. “Meaningful parent involvement
helps encourage student success and
development,” he added. “Our private social
network enables families to connect with each
other and foster a sense of community. And
it not only links parents to each other, it links
parents to the University.”
When parents have questions, they can post
them and receive responses from other
parents. They can start discussions, form
groups based on common interests, see
The Ray family of Claypool, Ind., (from left) Mick, Jacob,
Delaney and Tina, take a break from moving Delaney
into Garver Hall on Move-In Day in late August. Jacob is
a senior at MU this year, Delaney is a first-year student.
Photo by Michele Marie Photography
MU| F e a t u r e s
Manchester photos and videos, get the latest
campus news, and monitor the University
calendar for important deadlines or events
they might want to attend.
Sometimes, parents of first-year students
meet at summer orientation events and can
continue their friendships as part of the larger
online group. “They can share questions
and suggestions among parents regarding all
aspects of student life,” says Huffman. No
question is too big or too small. A parent may
want to know about the furniture in residence
hall rooms, how much spending money their
student will need, or what MU undergrads
typically do on a Saturday night. The network
is also a great tool for finding other MU
families who live nearby and want to share
trips to and from campus.
Tina Ray didn’t go to college so she didn’t
have that foundational experience to help
her prepare Jacob and Delaney. Without the
network four years ago, she says, she spent
hours online searching for answers to some
of her questions.
And even parents who did go to college
acknowledge that a lot of things are different.
Matt and Mary Rueff of Indianapolis
are college graduates, but Mary says that
technology has changed dramatically the way
students navigate their way into college. Had
the parent network existed four years ago, it
might have helped Mary help her son,
Michael ’16.
If nothing else, the parent network “is a great
way to stay connected to the life of your son
or daughter,” says Huffman. Tina Ray agrees.
She chuckles at the term “helicopter parents,”
but she understands the emotion. “It is hard
to let go.”
Jacob and Delaney couldn’t be happier with
their choice to attend Manchester and that
makes Tina happy, too. Now that she’s a
pro, does she have advice for other parents?
“Relax,” she tells them. “It’s going to be fine.”
How to sign up
www.manchesterparents.ning.com
Access code: MUparent
How each page
works:
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Home: The splash screen provides
basic and recent activity across the
site, including feeds from MU’s Twitter,
Facebook and Pinterest accounts.
Discussion: This forum allows all
members to post topics and interact
with any post. MU is a community—
share your insights, experiences and
questions.
News and calendar: This is the goto place where MU staff will share
information and helpful updates about
what is happening on campus.
Groups: Any member can create a
group based on common interests
and invite others to join. Groups can
include alumni parents, current student
parents, prospective student parents
and much more.
Photos: Open to all members, the
gallery is visible from your profile page
and across the site.
Videos: You can watch but not post.
This feed updated regularly from
YouTube displays the newest MU
videos.
Members: A searchable member
directory also includes MU staff
members (they have special badges on
their profile photos).
My Page: The link to your profile
includes a comment wall for public
conversation and a messaging feature
for private conversation.
By Melinda Lantz ’81
Manchester | 29