December 2024

Bulldog Families,

Now that the official holiday season has begun, it signifies a time for last classes, finals, and placing a proverbial bow on the semester. Make sure to tell your student to take some deep breaths as they complete their assignments and projects. They can recharge throughout the week with a few breaks to enjoy the festivities of Winter Week noted below.

Semester closing information is below; all students should be aware of when their finals will take place. Please have them connect with their faculty with any questions about dates and times of finals block periods.

We hope this semester has been a great start to the journey for our newest Bulldogs, continued achievements and growth for our returners, and special congratulations to our December 2024 graduates. We know you are ready for that next step, and you carry that dedication, drive, and perseverance on to the next phase of your lives. We are always cheering them on from afar and hope to see you all at Commencement Exercises in May.

Enjoy some pictures below of our recent Thanksgiving dinner; one of our favorite campus traditions. The annual holiday lighting will take place this week on Awpie Way. We wish all of our Bulldog students and families a very happy holiday season and look forward to seeing everyone in 2025!

Best,

Dave Drucker, M. Ed.

Associate Vice President, Student Life & Dean of Students

Residence Life

Winter Break

All residence halls close at 6:30pm on Friday, December 13, for Winter Break. Residents are required to depart two hours after the completion of their last exam during Finals Week. Residents may leave all their belongings in their rooms for the duration of the break. We ask everyone to clean out their fridges, unplug appliances, close their windows, lock their doors, and exercise caution when leaving any valuables in their room. If your student is not returning the college, please ask them to contact their Resident Director to schedule a move-out time and inspection during Finals Week. If students need to request a late departure for Winter Break, students must submit their request via the Winter Break Request Microsoft Form located on Today@Dean by Wednesday, December 4.

Congratulations to each and every resident on a successful Fall semester! We wish you all rest, relaxation and fun over the Holidays! 

Plan Ahead: Residence halls re-open for the Spring semester on Sunday, January 19, and classes will begin on Tuesday, January 21. We look forward to welcoming you back to campus! For more details, please refer our website to be updated after the Holidays -- stay tuned!

Robbins Family Center for Advising and Career Planning

Winter Intersession Courses

Important information for students interested in taking winter courses! There are a variety of online, asynchronous offerings throughout the four-week intersession, including the DCA-300 internship course if your student is looking to complete an accelerated internship! Students can access the list of course offerings through their Success & Career Advisor.

To add a winter intersession course, students must:

• Complete a registration form with their Success & Career Advisor.

• Contact the Center for Student Financial Planning Services and pay for the course in full before classes start on Monday, December 16th. This requires advance planning to be able to communicate with both their Success & Career Advisor and Student Financial Planning before the end of the semester!

Encourage your students to connect with their advisor!

Student Activities and Leadership Development

Dean Activities Board- Winter Week

The Dean Activities Board is excited for the annual Winter Week! Students will enjoy a variety of programming Monday through Friday, to celebrate their hard work this semester!

Study Away Program

Winter break is a wonderful time to reflect on 2024 and plan for 2025. A terrific discussion to have with your student during this break is to consider their participation in a study away program in 2025 or beyond. These experiences – in the United States or abroad; for 10 days, 2-6 weeks, a semester, or a year; for academic courses or an internship, or both – can transform your student’s college experience. It deepens their academic learning, increases their employability, and proves a greater understanding of our global, interconnected world. And it is fun!

Dean College provides a wide variety of opportunities for students, both in the United States and in over fifty countries around the world. During winter break, we encourage you to explore the study away program possibilities with your student, all from the comfort of your home. Students interested in studying away for the summer of fall 2025 need to complete Dean College’s internal application by February 15, 2025. This application is available on the Study Away department page on Today@Dean.

To learn more, encourage your students to attend an information session about our study away opportunities on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at 5 pm in the Campanella Board Room directly across from the Dining Center. Students may also meet with Melissa Read, Director of the Study Away Program. Contact Melissa at mread@dean.edu to schedule a time to meet.

Center for Student Financial Planning and Services

2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) 

The 2025-26 FAFSA application is now open! The earlier you submit the FAFSA the better, as some types of aid are limited and awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please be sure to have your FSA ID username and password with you to complete and sign the FAFSA. If this is your first time completing the FAFSA visit studentaid.gov to learn about the application process and how to set up your FSA ID. 

We will be having our first FAFSA workshop on Spring Check-in Day, January 19th. An email will be forthcoming with location and time details. This will be a wonderful opportunity to get help with submitting the FAFSA. As always, if you have any questions or would like to set up a one-on-one FAFSA appointment, you can contact the Center for Student Financial Planning and Services at sfp@dean.edu or via phone at (508)-541-1518. 

Spring 2025 Bills 

Bills for the Spring 2025 semester will be available the first week of December on the Student Account Portal and will be due by January 3rd.  

If you do not have access already, your student can provide you access by logging into their Student Account Portal and clicking “Add an Authorized Party” on their home screen. You will then receive an electronic invitation to set up your very own credentials. 

Did you know you could use your student account credit for books/supplies? 

Unsure if you have a student account credit? Log on to the Student Account Portal and check your balance information. If you have a credit and do not have any pending financial restrictions, then you can use your credit to buy books and supplies at the Dean College Bookstore. Any student account credit will be automatically available online or in person at the bookstore for Spring book and supplies purchases from January 6th to February 14th. 

Calendar Planning

When seeking information about Dean College calendar dates, please use the Official Academic Calendar that is listed on the Dean College website under the heading Academics > Academic Resources. 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 2024- 2025

Tuesday, December 10 - Friday, December 13

Finals Week

Sunday, January 19

Residence Halls re-open for Spring Semester

Monday, January 20

Martin Luther king Jr. Day- No Classes

Tuesday, January 21

Spring Semester Classes Begin

Monday, February 17

Presidents' Day, No Classes

Monday, March 10- Friday, March 14

Spring Break, No Classes

Monday, May 5- Thursday, May 8

Finals Week

Saturday, May 10

159th Commencement Exercises

Counseling Services

Winter Break Tips for College Parents and Families

Winter break is an excellent time for parents to reconnect with their college students, but it’s also important to navigate this time thoughtfully, as students may have different expectations after months of independence. Here are some tips for parents:

Adjust Expectations

· Give Them Space: Understand that they’ve grown used to independence; don’t expect them to revert to pre-college routines.

· Discuss Plans Early: Before they arrive, talk about schedules, family events, and expectations to avoid misunderstandings.

Be Flexible with Rules

· Negotiate Boundaries: Instead of imposing old curfews, discuss reasonable expectations for the household.

· Respect Their Schedule: They may want to catch up on sleep or spend time with friends, and that’s okay.

Encourage Rest and Recovery

· Support Downtime: Recognize they might just want to relax after a stressful semester.

· Healthy Habits: Encourage rest, nutritious meals, and moderate screen time to recharge.

Facilitate Open Communication

· Ask, Don’t Press: Be curious about their college experience, but don’t interrogate. Let them share at their own pace.

· Listen Without Judging: They might open up about struggles or changes in their goals; offer support rather than criticism.

Support Friendships

· Welcome Their Friends: Be open to hosting their college or high school friends.

· Understand Priorities: They may prioritize catching up with peers, so don’t take it personally if family time isn’t their top focus.

Plan Fun and Meaningful Activities

· Shared Traditions: Engage in holiday traditions or create new ones.

· Family Time: Suggest low-pressure activities like watching movies, cooking, or playing games.

· Encourage Local Exploration: Suggest trying new restaurants, visiting museums, or other local outings together.

Respect Their Independence

· Treat Them as Adults: Acknowledge the growth and responsibility they’ve shown at college.

· Let Them Make Decisions: Avoid micromanaging their schedule or choices during the break.

Watch for Signs of Stress

· Check Their Mood: If they seem unusually withdrawn or stressed, gently ask if they need help.

· Offer Support: Remind them that it’s okay to seek professional help if they’re struggling.



Keep It Positive

· Celebrate Successes: Recognize their hard work and accomplishments, no matter how small.

· Be a Safe Haven: Let home be a place of comfort, free of judgment or unnecessary stress



Have a restful Winter Break!

The office of Counseling Services will be closed from December 13th at 1pm through January 20th. Students needing access to support for their mental health are encouraged to contact their mental health provider from home. If a student does not have a current mental health provider, students can access mental health support through any of the following resources below:

https://988lifeline.org/

https://www.crisistextline.org/

https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline https://nami.org/help http://www.nationalparentyouthhelpline.org/ https://www.crisistextline.org/ https://www.mass.gov/cbhc-crisis-care?utm_source=google&utm_campaign=mbhp_phase2&utm_medium=english_cbhc&gad_source=1

The Counseling office will reopen to students on January 21st, 2025.

We hope all Dean students enjoy a restful winter break. Can’t wait to see you all next year!

School of Performing Arts

Theatre Adjunct Professor Max Mondi Debuts New Play Off-Broadway

Theatre Adjunct Professor Max Mondi has a new play Maybe Tomorrow premiering Off-Broadway with the Abingdon Theatre Company this coming spring. Maybe Tomorrow was the winner of the Overall Excellence in a Play at FringeNYC 2015. In the play, Gail and Ben have been together for nearly ten years, and their relationship appears to be thriving: a new job, a new city, and a brand new baby boy on the way. But as the realities of marriage and family life become a little too real for her, Gail retreats to the "pause room" – the bathroom of their mobile home. As the outside world that Gail has always known starts to slip away, we have to ask: Was it ever really there to begin with?

The production is being helmed by ATC’s Producing Artistic Director Chad Austin and will be playing in the Mezzanine Theatre at the A.R.T./New York Theatres (502 West 53rd Street, New York, NY) for a strictly limited engagement from March 15 through April 6, 2025. Tickets are on sale now.

Some of the courses Professor Mondi teaches include Theatre History, Playwriting, Scripts and Production Analysis and Performance Theory and Criticism. He holds a BA in Theatre History/Criticism from the University of Vermont and an MFA in Playwriting from Columbia University.



Dean is incredibly lucky to have Professor Mondi on faculty and we wish him the best with his Off-Broadway debut this spring!

Dean College 2024-2025

Performing Arts

Hey families, it's never too late to catch some of the great performances at Dean. Tickets are on sale now!

Photos from New Dancer and New Thespian Showcases – photo credit – David Rowell

Photos from My Favorite Year – photo credit – Cheryl Medeiros 

December 5-6, 2024

Faculty Dance Works

Two evenings of dance, featuring outstanding works conceived by the Joan Phelps Palladino Dance Program faculty and renowned guest artists.

February 19-23, 2025

Breath of Stars

A play about love and loss reimagining Shakespeare’s “Tempest” written by Caridad Svich.



February 28 - March 1, 2025

Choreographers’ Concert

Dean student choreographers will have selected works showcased and adjudicated by renowned industry professionals in this two-night concert.

March 21-23, 2025

An Evening of Short Plays

A new experience in theatre from Dean’s Schools of Performing Arts, this series of short plays will be curated, rehearsed, and performed in the Chapel at Dean Hall.

April 2-6, 2025

Freaky Friday

A new musical based on the celebrated novel by Mary Rodgers and the hit Disney films, this is a heartfelt, comedic, and unexpectedly emotional update on an American classic.

April 24-27, 2025

Dance Company

Award-winning faculty and guest choreographers showcase the impressive talent of our dance majors through a mixed bill of new and restaged dance works, ranging in style from hip-hop to jazz dance, tap to modern, and ballet.

April 29, 2025

Theatre Senior Showcase

Featuring scenes, songs, and monologues, the “Theatre Senior Showcase” is a celebration of the Class of 2025 and the cohort’s formal introduction to the professional theatre community.

May 1-2, 2025

Dance Senior Showcase

Creating a performance from the ground up, Dean’s talented senior dance students share their choreography, performance, and production expertise in this annual collaborative showcase.

The men's and women's basketball teams are both off to strong starts to begin their respective campaigns. The men's team is off to a torrid 7-0 record and will look to make it an undefeated first half with a handful of games remaining before the winter break.

 Keep up with all your favorite Bulldog teams, schedules, articles, and more at deanbulldogs.com.