JU Parent & Family Newsletter

October 9, 2013

To our new JU parents,

Welcome to the first issue of your Dolphin Parent & Family Newsletter.

It’s been a great start to the academic year, and our new students are a big part of it all. Our incoming freshmen and transfer students total more than 800, and our total enrollment of 4,072 is the highest since we became a four-year University more than five decades ago.

We’ll keep you updated on happenings across campus, important dates and useful information for you and your student. Please let us know how we’re doing by contacting us at family@ju.edu with your feedback. We invite you to share your ideas for helping us help your student excel.

You may have heard from your student about all of the activity happening here. Many upgrades are under way to improve the student experience at JU, and it’s the most energized campus we’ve seen in years. From work begun on our new College of Health Sciences building to improvements to our Riverview Café, adding Chick-fil-A, increasing free parking and wireless locations and creating new gathering spaces such as a remodeled River House and new Williams Hall lobby area, there’s a real buzz sweeping across the University regarding our plans. Upcoming this fall is a new Student Veterans Center in our Founders Building, for our more than 300 student veterans.

These changes are designed to continue to provide the best possible experience for your student. We are all working together to achieve that, and it’s paying off: In just the last few weeks, JU was named one of U.S. News & World Report’s best colleges in the South for the 10th consecutive year, and AffordableCollegesOnline.org ranked us No. 5 among Florida colleges in providing the best return on investment over our graduates’ careers.

Please be sure to make it on to campus as often as you can to see these improvements. Coming up is our Homecoming and Family Weekend Oct. 25-27 (see ju.edu/family for more information and to register). With tailgating, a BBQ, athletic events, artistic performances and campus tours, the event is sure to offer many opportunities for you to connect with your student at their home away from home on our beautiful campus.

As the year progresses, I invite you to encourage your student to get involved here in the many activities and programs afforded him or her. With more than 90 clubs and organizations to choose from, there are plenty of choices that will allow them to express themselves, expand their academic and cultural horizons and make lifelong bonds and friendships.

Again, welcome to our JU family, and go Dolphins!

Sincerely,

Tim Cost
President
Jacksonville University
Class of 1981