March 2026

Bulldog Families,

"Spring Break" has never sounded better to our community after the past few weeks. It certainly has a nicer ring to it than 'Blizzard' or 'Bomb Cyclone'. It's important at these times to focus on the silver linings. One is psychological — as we change the clocks and 'spring forward' in a few days, we welcome more daylight and hopefully, milder weather on the horizon. More importantly, however, was the assistance students provided to one another as we worked to shovel out vehicles. It was a monumental effort and everyone pitched in — a true sign of resilience, dedication and teamwork!

As we rapidly approach the mid-point in the semester, it's a great time to check in with your student on their academic progress and their campus involvement. It's never too late to join a student organization or express interest in an executive board position for the coming year. All great resume builders. Hope all of our Bulldogs enjoy a restful and well-deserved Spring Break.

Enjoy the articles and information that follow, and please note that contacts for key campus offices can be found at the end of the newsletter.

Best,

Dave Drucker, M. Ed.
Associate Vice President, Student Life & Dean of Students

160th Commencement Exercises

Greetings from the Commencement Committee!  

Our countdown to Commencement continues. Our soon-to-be graduates and their families received email invitations to the ceremony on February 13. Monday, February 23rd marked 75 Days to Commencement. We hope everyone has begun making plans to be with us on Saturday, May 9. 

Here are two details you should know about Dean's Commencement:  

• The ceremony will be held outside in front of Dean Hall, rain or shine, so you should plan to dress accordingly. If rain is predicted, we encourage you to bring your best rain/shade hats and ponchos. However, please note that umbrellas are not allowed because they obstruct the view of others. In addition, we may delay the commencement ceremony to allow weather to pass.

• The ceremony will be live streamed so that family members and guests who aren't able to be in Franklin in person can still watch the ceremony. We will provide the link in May.  



We would kindly ask you to check in with your soon-to-be-graduate to see if they’ve done the following: 

• Completed their Graduation Application. 
• Ordered their cap and gown. The deadline for this order is Friday, March 20.  
• Taken a breath and celebrated what they’ve accomplished so far. 

We encourage you to explore our commencement webpages at dean.edu/commencement for the latest information and details. If you have any questions, please email commencement@dean.edu.  

We look forward to celebrating with you and your graduate in May! 

Academic Support at the Morton Family Learning Center

The Morton Family Learning Center offers a wide variety of academic support that will help students during midterms and throughout the semester. Study labs and tutoring through our Theodore & Cynthia Berenson Center for Writing, Mathematics and Presentation Excellence are among the many complementary services offered. We encourage students to stop by the Learning Center or email us at learning@dean.edu for more information

The Office of Residence Life

Spring Break:

The residence halls will close for Spring Break on Friday, March 6, 2026, at 6:30 PM and will reopen on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at 12:00 PM.

Need to request a late departure or stay on campus during break? Students must submit a Request via the Housing Request form on eRezLife. 

2026-2027 Housing Selection Process:

Information about the 2026-2027 Housing Selection Process for returning residents will be available this month! Details will be posted on the Residence Life page on myDean and sent directly to student emails.

To be eligible for housing selection, returning residents must:

-Complete the housing application

-Submit their enrollment deposit

-Clear any account holds with Student Financial Planning & Services

Stay tuned for full details in next month’s newsletter!

Upcoming Event: Treats in the Streets

Are your students curious about their housing options? Encourage them to attend Treats in the Streets on March 18th! This program allows students to tour upperclassmen residence hall rooms and meet with Residence Life staff to ask any questions. More information will be shared in next month’s newsletter!

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Residence Life at 508.541.1838.

Robbins Family Center for Advising and Career Planning

📅 Save the Date: Friday, March 27 — The Spring 2026 Opportunities Fair will welcome employers and graduate school representatives to campus. More details coming soon!

Spring Cleaning? Give Your Blazer a Second Career 👔

Doing a closet refresh this season? Consider donating gently used professional clothing to the Career Closet at Dean College!

Your once-loved interview outfit can help a student feel confident and prepared for interviews, networking events, internships, and those big first professional moments.

✨All donations can be dropped off at the Career Center, located on the second floor of the Dr. Paula M. Rooney Student Center.

March is Career Prep Month!

We have a full schedule of events this March designed to help Dean College students get ready for what’s next — including on-campus employment opportunities, summer job interviews, and leadership positions.

From skill-building workshops to hands-on preparation sessions, these events are a great way for students to build confidence and feel ready to take advantage of upcoming opportunities.

Encourage your student to attend and make the most of what’s available this month!

Bulldogs had the opportunity to share some Valentine's Day messages. Enjoy!

Calendar Planning

When seeking information about Dean College calendar dates, please use the Official Academic Calendar that is posted on the Dean College website under the heading Academics. Please do not use Google or other internet search engines for the calendar as it is likely to produce outdated and incorrect information.

Key Dates for Spring Semester 2026

Monday, March 9- Friday, March 13- Spring Break- No Classes

Monday, April 20- Patriots' Day- No Classes- Administrative Offices Closed

Monday, May 4- Thursday, May 7- Finals Week- Non-graduating students must vacate their room three hours after their last final

Saturday, May 9- Commencement- 11am

What's Cooking?

A look at the month ahead in the Smith Dining Center.

Student Financial Planning and Services

2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) 

The 2026-27 FAFSA is now open!  

The priority filing date for Dean College is March 15th, so complete your FAFSA as soon as possible.  

The FAFSA is designed to be user-friendly, with most families completing in under 30 minutes.  

For returning students, the Renewal FAFSA is even easier to complete. Improvements include direct data exchange with the IRS and reduced questions significantly simplifying the process! 

Filing your FAFSA just got more exciting! 

Get entered in our Monthly FAFSA Raffle! 

🎟️ How it works: 

• Complete the 2026-2027 FAFSA before Dean’s priority deadline of March 15. 
• Your name is entered in our final drawing of the 2026-2027 FAFSA raffle 

💸 Prizes include Gift cards, Dean swag, and other student favorites — drawn every month! 

💵Some aid is available on a first come first serve basis. File by March 15th for priority consideration. 

✅ Start your FAFSA today: www.studentaid.gov  

Let’s make FAFSA season rewarding in more ways than one! 

Questions about completing the FAFSA? You can always set up an appointment by contacting the Center for Student Financial Planning and Services at sfp@dean.edu or via phone at (508)-541-1518. 

Fall 2026- Deposit Due March 16th 

We can’t wait to see you in Fall 2026!  

A $250 deposit is required as part of the course registration and housing selection process which kicks off in just a few weeks. The deposit is due by March 16th. 

Below is some important deposit information: 

• You can pay the deposit online  
• If you prefer to mail payment, you may elect to send the deposit payment to: 

Dean College 

Attn: Student Financial Planning 

99 Main Street 

Franklin, MA 02038 

• If you decide not to return to Dean, you must notify Dean College in writing prior to May 1, 2026, to have your deposit refunded, providing all obligations to the college have been met. For your course and room selection to remain secured, your Fall 2026 bill must also be satisfied in full by July 16, 2026. 

Counseling Services

The Counseling Center is excited to introduce our Mindfulness Monday series for students! 

Students can join us throughout March and April on the student concourse for this drop-in tabling event focused on building practical mindfulness skills you can use in everyday life. 


Each week, we’ll highlight a new topic, including: 

Breathwork 

Grounding Techniques 

Managing Overthinking 

Setting Healthy Boundaries 

Practicing Gratitude 

No sign up is required — students can stop by our table on any Mindfulness Monday to learn new skills, grab helpful resources, and connect with Counseling Center staff. 

We look forward to seeing students there! 

Spring Break 

The Counseling Center will be closed during the week of Spring Break 3/9-3/13. Any students needing support for their mental health should reach out to their current community therapist or use the resources below. 

As a friendly reminder, the Counseling Center hours this semester are Monday, Wednesday, & Friday 9am-5pm, Tuesday & Thursday 9am-6pm. For any students interested in scheduling an appointment with one of our counselors, please fill out the counseling request form.    

Mental Health resources are located on the student portal for students to access, as well as on the Counseling Center’s Instagram Page, and the links below.  

Student Resources 

Parent Resources 

2025-2026 Performing Arts Season

Hey families, we are very excited for our spring performances at Dean. Don't miss out on the tremendous talents of our Bulldogs. Tickets are on sale now!

April 8-12, 2026

The Prom

In this comedic and heartwarming musical, four Broadway stars come together to support a high school girl in a small town who faces backlash from the school’s PTA for wanting to attend prom with her girlfriend. Winner of the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, The Prom expertly captures all the humor and heart of a classic musical comedy with a message that resonates with audiences now more than ever.

April 23-26, 2026

Dance Company

Faculty and guest choreographers will showcase the impressive talent of Dean’s dance majors through a variety of new and restaged dance works, featuring a diverse program of dance genres.

April 26-27, 2026

Theatre Senior Showcase

Featuring scenes, songs, and monologues, the “Theatre Senior Showcase” is a celebration of the Class of 2026 and the cohort’s formal introduction to the professional theatre community.

May 1-2, 2026

Dance Senior Showcase

Dean’s talented senior dance students share their choreography, performance, and production expertise in this annual collaborative showcase.

Dean has moved to a ticketless validation system for all events. There are two ways to receive your online tickets: digitally, via your mobile device (highly preferred), or by printing your receipt at home and picking up your tickets at the Will Call line at the Main Stage kiosk starting 60 minutes prior to performances with a valid ID. All events and performances are subject to change. Please visit www.dean.edu/performance for all up-to-date times and applicable venue policies. Ticket holders who do not comply with venue policies will not be admitted.

Please note: Dean College welcomes children and families to our performances. However, infants and children under 2 years of age are not allowed in the theatre, and an adult must accompany children under 16. All patrons must have their own ticketed seats; lap sitting is not permitted. Only ADA-certified service animals are allowed in the theatre.

AMGT/ARTL Students Experience Behind-the-Scenes Learning in Worcester 

On January 28, seven current AMGT/ARTL students participated in an enriching field trip to Worcester, Massachusetts, where they explored multiple performing arts organizations and connected with leaders in the industry. The day offered an exceptional opportunity for hands-on learning, professional insight, and meaningful networking. 

Students were welcomed by Alan Seiffert, President and CEO of The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory (and a professor at Dean this semester), who shared insights into the organization’s mission and evolution. The group then toured the JMAC/Brick Box Theatre, learning about its development and artistic vision from Artistic Director Livy Scanlon. 

The experience continued with a backstage tour of The Hanover Theatre, led by Main Stage Artistic Director Troy Siebels, who walked students through the rich history of the venue and its role in the Worcester arts community. Students also spent time learning about the Hanover Conservatory for the Performing Arts with Sharon Hart, Vice President of Conservatory and Education, gaining valuable perspective on arts education and community engagement. 

One highlight of the day was a powerful and personal conversation with Patrice Beckford, Senior Director of People and Culture. Patrice took time to speak with each student individually about their professional aspirations, offering thoughtful advice and guidance on pathways into the performing arts industry. 

After a fun group dinner with chaperones, students attended a preview performance of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the JMAC/Brick Box Theatre, joined by five additional Dean students for the performance. 

Overall, the trip was a memorable experience that blended education, inspiration, and connection—providing students with valuable insight into the inner workings of professional theatres and reinforcing the importance of networking and mentorship in the arts. 



A wonderful chance for learning and networking was had by all! 

Winter sports wrap; Spring seasons are underway!

The men's basketball team qualified for the GNAC postseason but fell to University of St. Joseph (Conn.) in the quarterfinals 92- 79. For full recap click on the picture below.

The men's lacrosse team is off to a solid start with a 2-1 record following victories over Wheaton College (Mass.) and Anna Maria. The women launch their season this week with home contests on Grant Field versus Salem State and Curry.

Baseball and softball will head to warmer and sunnier weather in Florida to kick off their seasons. You can follow the livestreams through the Dean College Athletics website.

Let's Go Bulldogs!

Getting Around Town -Free Shuttle for Students- GATRA GO

Reminder that students can download the Gatra Go United app for a free rideshare service available to them Monday through Friday 6:30am-8pm, Saturday 9am-8pm and Sunday 9am- 6pm. We will provide directions on the student portal (myDean) as there is a special Dean College code for our community.

Students can use the service for Franklin and the neighboring towns of Foxboro, Wrentham, Norfolk, and Bellingham. Students have the opportunity to visit grocery stores, retail shopping centers, restaurants, and movie theatres. This includes Wrentham Outlets (Wrentham) and Patriot Place (Foxboro).

Students who choose to leave and return to campus before and after the hours provided by Gatra Go must obtain their own transportation (friend, rideshare, etc.). Campus Police and Safety cannot leave campus for non-emergency transportation needs.