Welcome to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign!

Your student has made one of the most important decisions of their lives by choosing Illinois and we want to assure you that your contributions to their education and development are as important to us as they are to you. Research in higher education demonstrates that establishing healthy, productive relationships with parents increases retention rates, participation and satisfaction with collegiate experiences. We recognize that as a parent, you are a primary contributor to your student’s education.

To help you grow as a coach and mentor, we have developed Expected Parent Outcomes that we believe will allow you to find your appropriate level of involvement and participation in your student’s transition from adolescent to productive, independent young adult. Finding the right balance will allow you and your family to enjoy this exciting time in everyone’s life. You will find the Expected Parent Outcomes, below, and the Role of the Parent Programs Office and Moms and Dads Associations on this page, or on our Web site.
 
Whether this is your first child or fourth child to go to college, we also understand how exciting, stressful and difficult this time can be for everyone in the family.  To help ease this transition, this guide introduces the services and resources available through the University and in the Champaign-Urbana community. Also, fiind a list of important dates to mark on your calendars, important Web sites, phone numbers and more!

We want to help families continue to build on their strong foundations by establishing a productive parent-University partnership.  As the parent/family liaison, we promise to continue to reach out and connect to Illini families through regular communications, our Web site, workshops and to provide volunteer opportunities that encourage participation in the University community.  The Illini Union provides support to the Moms and Dads Associations through the Parent Programs Office in a joint effort to improve the well-being of all students and provide resources for parents. We are dedicated to partnering with our Illini families to provide the best services, resources and educational experience possible for everyone.  We are proud of the tradition that the Moms and Dads Associations established more than 86 years ago. We are committed to continuing that tradition, and to being a leader in parent-university partnerships. 

Please contact our office at (217) 333-7063 or by e-mail any time you have a question, comment or suggestion. Again, welcome to the Illini family.  We look forward to getting to know you over the next few years!

Ed Slazinik
Director, Illini Union
Executive Director, Moms & Dads Associations

Becki Galardy
Program Manager
Parent Programs Office

Jennifer Copes
Program Specialist
Parent Programs Office

Expected Parent Outcomes

• Understand the developmental changes parents and families experience when children embark on their own collegiate careers.
• Be an effective mentor and coach for your college student.
• Understand the college experience your student is having in today’s higher education environment.
• Establish the appropriate level of involvement in your student’s collegiate career that is beneficial to you, your child and the University community. Know when and how to empower your student to take responsibility, enabling them to grow into a mature, productive and independent adult.