February 2025

Bulldog Families,

While it’s true that the spring semester seems to fly by, the winter months in New England can sometimes leave us feeling a little less motivated to get up and go. But as we turn the page to February, there’s always hope on the horizon—even if the groundhog didn’t give the best forecast!

We look forward to many events on campus during February: 100 Days Until Commencement, Junior Jamboree, Lunar New Year Celebration, Black Excellence Showcase, Breath of Stars theatre performance, and Choreographers' Concert. Check out men's volleyball action and catch men's and women's basketball as they shoot for the GNAC playoffs. Students are reminded to check out the posters in the Rooney Student Center, Today@Dean Student Portal, and follow our social media channels for the full list of events.

At the end of the newsletter, you will find contact information for offices across campus. Click on the 'Global Day of Giving' picture below to take you the official website and countdown. We greatly appreciate all of the continued support for our programs and for our amazing students.

Let's Go Bulldogs!

Best,

Dave Drucker, M. Ed.

Associate Vice President, Student Life & Dean of Students

Greetings from the Commencement Committee!

The countdown to commencement has begun, with our celebration of 100 Days to Commencement on Thursday, January 30. Casino Night in the Student Center Atrium was a LOT of fun and a great way to kick off the next 100 days! (pictured below)

Families of our soon-to-be-graduates should start making plans to be with us on Saturday, May 10. We encourage you to explore our commencement webpages for information and details. Featured is a list of hotels and restaurants families may want to consider as they are making their weekend plans.

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

1. The ceremony is held outside in front of Dean Hall, rain or shine. So, you need to be prepared for all weather possibilities. But please note that umbrellas are not permitted.

2. The ceremony will be live streamed, so family members and guests who are unable to be here in person will still be to able watch the ceremony.

To support your soon-to-be-graduate at this point in their final semester, ask them if they’ve:

· Purchased the textbooks and materials they need to be successful in their courses?

· Are getting enough sleep and exercise?

· Completed their graduation application and ordered their cap and gown?

We are looking forward to celebrating our soon-to-be graduates throughout the semester! If you have any questions, please visit the commencement webpages and/or contact commencement@dean.edu.

Residence Life

Spring Break: Plan Ahead!

The residence halls will close for Spring Break on Friday, March 7, 2025, at 6:30 PM and will reopen on Sunday, March 16, 2025, at 12:00 PM (noon).

Need to request a late departure or stay on campus during break? Students must submit a Spring Break Request via the Microsoft Form on the Residence Life page on Today@Dean. The form will be available starting February 8th.

2025-2026 Housing Selection Process:

Information about the 2025-2026 Housing Selection Process for returning residents will be available this month! Details will be posted on the Residence Life page on Today@Dean 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 19th! 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!

Apply to be a Resident Assistant!

Looking to gain more leadership experience? Resident Assistant applications open this Friday, February 7th! Gain experience in community building, conflict management, programming, and so much more! Reach out to Area Coordinator Jay Hinkle for more information or stop by one of the tabling sessions next week on the Student Center Concourse.

Gain valuable experience in:

Community building & programming

Conflict management

Leadership development

For more information, contact Area Coordinator Jay Hinkle at jhinkle@dean.edu, or stop by one of our tabling sessions next week on the Student Center Concourse. Applications close February 21st!

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

Robbins Family Center for Advising and Career Planning- Texts from Boomer!

At the beginning of every semester, our chatbot Boomer re-introduces himself to students via text. Boomer checks in on students every few weeks to gauge how they are adjusting to the semester and if they need any additional support or resources. Students can also text Boomer questions 24/7, for example, "What time does the dining center close?" and Boomer will text back the answer!

Please encourage your students to respond and engage with Boomer. If you are receiving the texts instead of your student, please email kefitzgerald@dean.edu with your student's name and correct phone number. If your student says they aren't getting texts, have them send an email so we can get them into Boomer's contacts!

Welcome Courtney Shimer- Director of Career Services

We are excited to welcome Courtney Shimer as the new Director of Career Services at Dean College! A dedicated member of the Dean community for over six years, Courtney has served as Assistant Director of Success & Career Advising and Adjunct Faculty for our Dean Career Advantage (DCA) courses. With a strong background in career development, recruitment, and student success, she is committed to helping students navigate their professional journeys.

Passionate about bridging the gap between academics and real-world experience, Courtney looks forward to connecting students with career exploration opportunities, impactful internships, and professional networks. She will continue collaborating with faculty to expand professional opportunities and support students in preparing for success both during their time at Dean and after graduation.

Resident student reminder: when winter weather is approaching, students need to check their Dean College email and the student portal for information as to when and where to move their vehicles, as we clear campus lots.

Student Activities and Leadership Development

Our Bulldogs started off the semester with an exciting week! After our students returned to campus, they started the semester off in the best way possible, Bingo for gift cards, a nacho bar, and watching the Bills vs. Ravens game. On the first day of classes students attended a Pancake Artist event, where they were able to turn their favorite characters, pets, and friends into a pancake! Students ended the week by painting succulent pots, making vision boards for their upcoming semester, and pennant flags with their names. Pictured on the right is Casino Night in celebration of 100 Days Until Commencement.

Please remind your students to follow us on all our social media channels, view the posters in the Student Center, and check the portal daily for all of the great events happening in Bulldog Nation!

Dining Services- Check out the Everyday App

Center for Student Financial Planning and Services

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

The 2025-26 FAFSA application remains 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.

​Students can get help completing the 2025-26 FAFSA in-person!

Our Financial Aid staff will be available to assist in the Berenson Center (1st floor-library) on the following dates:

• Wednesday, February 12 - 3PM-6:30PM
• Wednesday, March 5  - 3PM-5PM
• Thursday March 6  - 4PM-6:30PM
• Tuesday, April 1  - 4PM-6PM
• Wednesday, April 16 – 3PM-5PM

No appointment needed. We ask that students register for staffing purposes at sfp@dean.edu.

As always, if you have any questions, families can contact the Center for Student Financial Planning and Services at sfp@dean.edu or via phone at (508)-541-1518.

Morton Family Learning Center

Academic Coaching is a specialized fee-based academic support service available through the Learning Center in both individual (one-on-one) or group (2-3 students per coach) formats. Please note that when registering during the semester, the Academic Coaching fee is pro-rated. Students may sign up by using the Academic Coaching Registration forms found under Essential Links on Today@Dean or by calling the Learning Center directly at 508-541-1768. Families may also email learning@dean.edu to register their student and/or gain more information about setting up weekly meetings with an Academic Coach who can help students with note-taking, time management, organization, study strategies, and test preparation.

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

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

Health Services

Flu season is here!

Stay healthy this winter:

• Wash hands regularly.
• Do NOT share drinks, toiletries, chapstick etc.
• Missed our flu vaccine clinic at Dean College? There’s still time to get your flu vaccine at the local Walgreens or CVS in Franklin.
• Be prepared! Get supplies now in case you get sick. Thermometer, cough drops, fever reducers.

Feeling sick? Health Services, located in Chapman House, is a walk-in clinic (no appointment needed). We are open Monday-Friday 9 AM-4 PM. 

Remember students should be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and symptoms should be improving before returning to class/sports.

Counseling Services

During the month of February, the Counseling Center will be hosting events to recognize Random Acts of Kindness Week 2/9-2/15 and National Eating Disorder Week 2/24-3/2. Students can find more information about these upcoming events on today@dean and our Instagram page.

As a friendly reminder, the Counseling Center hours this semester will be Monday, Wednesday, & Friday 9am-5pm, Tuesday & Thursday 9am-6pm. Students seeking support for their mental health or interested in scheduling an appointment can fill out the Counseling Request Appointment Form on the front page of the student portal (under Essential Links).

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

Dean College 2024-2025

Performing Arts

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!

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 Dean College Athletic Department has begun an extremely busy the spring semester. Both men’s and women’s basketball are in the height of their seasons, while men’s volleyball is just beginning to kick off their second-semester tour.

Men’s basketball finished the month of January with a record of 5-3, while securing all their wins versus Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opponents. For the first time in two years, the team also secured a double-digit win season. The team finishes the month of January with 13 wins, the most since 2022-23.

Meanwhile, women’s basketball recently secured another 100-point scorer. Senior Alexandria Paquet (Santa Maria, California) becomes the first player since 2020 to climb the mountain. She secured the 1,000^th point on a three-point shot versus Anna Maria College on January 29^th. With Paquet now over the mark, three players in the women’s basketball program’s history have scored 1,000 points.

In football, ten players have officially been named to the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) Academic All-Conference team. Those players include:

Darren Appiah (Worcester, MA)

Berto Maldonado (Boston, MA)

Itsuki Matsutani (Saitama, Japan)

Noah Pearson (Tilton, NH)

Griffin Sullivan (Colchester, CT)

Christian Donalson (Albany, GA)

Fontabian Donalson (San Antonio, TX)

Corey Leverette (McDonough, GA)

Melo Zelaya (Miramar, FL)

Koshown Dempsey (Waterbury, CT)

These ten athletes made the Academic All-Conference requirements, earning a G.P.A. of 3.3 or higher following the 2024 fall semester. Each selected athlete has also been a member of the football program for at least two seasons. 

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