September/ October 2023

Families,

It's been a terrific first month and we hope your student has begun to find their stride. There have been a multitude of social programs to get our Bulldogs acquainted, and the attendance has been fantastic. Our first-year class (pictured to the right) kicked things off with a good morning welcome on Channel 5 (see link below). Also noted below, student organizations have begun their meetings and are excitedly welcoming new members. Students can visit our SALD office in the Student Center Atrium if they have questions regarding joining clubs and organizations.

This is a great time to check in with your student and ask how everything is going. Remember that not everyone hits their stride in the first few weeks so it's best to positively reinforce things that are going well and to continue seeking ways for involvement academically and socially. There are a number of resources on campus that are always at the ready, and students can also check in with their advisor to seek information about Bulldog Nation. We are very excited to welcome our families and alumni to campus the weekend of October 20- 22 for Homecoming (see registration below). Also, check out an opportunity below to win tickets to see the Patriots take on the rival Buffalo Bills. Continue to search the College's many platforms on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to view other terrific highlights of the college experience.

Remember that many of the articles and photos in this newsletter have clickable links to provide quick access to information and websites. Also, at the close of each newsletter, you will find listed important offices and their phone numbers should you have any questions.

Let's Go Bulldogs!

Best,

Dave Drucker, M. Ed.

Associate Vice President, Student Life & Dean of Students

Watch our first-year Bulldogs wish everyone a great day on WCVB Channel 5 Good Morning Eye Opener here! This clip aired on September 13, 2023.

Homecoming for Alumni and Families: October 20-22

We are so excited to welcome back our proud Alumni and Bulldog families for a very festive weekend on campus. Visit the Homecoming Page on the Dean website for the schedule of events and the Alumni and Family registration links. We can't wait to see you. Go Bulldogs!

Want to see the Patriots take on the rival Bills at Gillette? See below!

Through our exclusive academic partnership with Kraft Sports + Entertainment, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to offer you the chance to attend a New England Patriots football game and private tailgate at Gillette Stadium during Homecoming for Alumni and Families. We have a limited number of tickets available for this event that we will be offering on a first-come, first-served basis. If you’d like to register for the chance to see the New England Patriots vs. the Buffalo Bills at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 22, please visit this link. Families can select 1-4 tickets. If you are selected, we will email you to let you know. 

Robbins Family Center for Advising & Career Planning

Boomer Texts!

Are you receiving text messages from Boomer instead of your student? Please email [email protected] with your student's name and correct cell phone number, and we will get it updated!

Remind your Bulldog to attend the Opportunities Fair on Monday, October 16 from 2pm-4pm in the Student Center Concourse and Atrium. Don't forget to dress to impress for our visiting employers and graduate school representatives! Students can contact the Career Planning and Internships Office in the Advising Center with any questions.

Dean Hospitality- Welcome Barbara Rose

Our food service staff is pleased to offer the services of Registered Dietician, Barbara Rose. Barbara brings a true enthusiasm for working with college students around their food choices whether it is through food education, navigating allergens, or simply wanting to change their diet. She is available Sunday through Thursday each week to meet with students in the Dining Hall. Barbara features a series called Wellness Wednesdays where she can be found just outside the Dining Center providing valuable tips and fun programming around many types of cuisine. Encourage your student to stop by and meet Barbara.

Student Financial Planning

The FAFSA is changing….

Due to the passing of the FAFSA Simplification Act on December 27, 2020, the FAFSA is changing starting with the 2024-2025 aid year. The FAFSA application process will be streamlined and easier for students and parents to complete. For more information, click here studentaid.gov.



The 2024-2025 FAFSA will be available in December 2023. As we receive more information from the Department of Education and Federal Student Aid, we will continue to share. Dean College is committed to keeping students, families, and our community updated.

Counseling Services

​We are very excited to welcome two new clinicians to our staff in Counseling Services. As of Monday, September 25, Counseling Services hours will be Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9am-5pm; Tuesday and Thursday from 9am-7pm. Students should complete the Counseling Request Appointment Form on the front page of Today@Dean (student side -Essential Links), and someone will reach out to them via phone or email. Wait times may vary at certain times during the semester. Community resources are also posted for students on the Today@Dean student portal, under Announcements.

Fresh Check Day- Friday, October 13

The college is excited to once again support the nationwide signature program of the Jordan Portco Foundation, Fresh Check Day. The event is an uplifting mental health program that supports mental health promotion and suicide prevention through interactive booths, and peer-to-peer messaging and assists students to engage in the important dialogue of wellness and mental health resources*. Booths will be staffed by several student organizations and departments from the college. This will be the sixth year that Dean has hosted the events for its campus community.

*- messaging from the freshcheckday website

Health Services

Protect yourself from COVID-19, Flu, and RSV.

It is common to get sick from respiratory viruses such as COVID-19, Flu, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), especially in the fall and winter. There are actions you can take to protect yourself and others.

Whether or not you're at higher risk, you can use strategies and tools to lower your chances of catching or spreading a respiratory virus and lower your likelihood of getting very sick if you do catch one.

Vaccines are the safest way to build immunity from a virus. Vaccines help the body learn how to defend itself from disease without the dangers of an infection. The immunity you gain from vaccination can reduce your risk of infection and becoming very sick if you do get infected. CDC recommends that all people aged 6 months and older stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and receive a seasonal flu vaccine.

Handwashing with soap removes most germs, including respiratory viruses, from your hands. If soap and water are not available, using a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can kill these germs. Using household cleaners that contain soap or detergent will remove germs and dirt on surfaces.

Their effectiveness against different viruses varies, but generally masks can help reduce the amount of germs you breathe in. You can also use masks to help protect others if you have a respiratory virus. Currently, masks are optional except when visiting Dean College Health Services.

We have a limited supply of rapid COVID-19 tests at the health center. Following an initial consultation with the nurse practitioner, if symptoms are confirmed, a rapid test may be performed. In the absence of notable symptoms, a COVID PCR test can be administered and sent to a lab where the student's insurance can be billed. 

Note: Dean College Health Services offers COVID PCR, Flu, and RSV testing. We will collect one swab for all three tests which will then be sent to Milford Regional Medical Center. The lab will bill your insurance for any tests performed. Please direct any health-related questions to our Health Services team at 508.541.1600.

New Surface - Give it a shot!

We recently renovated the outdoor court adjacent to the Student Center with a new tile surface that is lined for basketball, pickleball, and street hockey. This will allow for more recreational opportunities throughout the year. A second solar light was also added to provide additional lighting for evening play. Below are before and after photos.

Is your Bulldog looking to join a Student Organization on campus? Below is a current list of clubs and organizations. Students can visit our staff (pictured above) in the Student Activities and Leadership Development Office located in the lower level of the Atrium to find out more! Make sure to have your Bulldog check Today@Dean for weekly campus events, activities, and leadership opportunities.

Residence Life

 The Office of Residence Life was thrilled to welcome almost 1,000 residential students to campus during move-in days with sunny weather and smiling faces. Looking to get connected with the Community Advisors and Resident Directors in your area? Check out their contact information in the lounge of your residence hall, or stop by Chapman House. We want to meet you!

Important Dates

Soon enough, we will be talking about the holidays! All breaks are published on the Dean College website. We encourage students to attend hall meetings for information and to make plans early. The residence halls will close on Tuesday, November 21 at 6:30pm for Thanksgiving Break. The halls will re-open on Sunday, November 26 at 12pm, noon. Students requesting a later departure date/time, or those who need to stay on campus during the break must submit their request to Residence Life by Tuesday, November 14. All requests must be submitted via the Microsoft form on their Residence Hall Teams Page. 

The residence halls will officially close for winter break on December 15. Students should reference their final exam schedules before coordinating travel plans. Keep an eye out for the November Newsletter to learn more!

Living on Campus

Looking for something to do after classes or on the weekends? We have programs and events happening all week, every week! Students are encouraged to look for important information and upcoming programs/events on their Residence Hall Microsoft Teams Page. 

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. 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 the Fall Semester:

Monday, October 9- Indigenous Peoples' Day No Classes

Friday, October 20- Sunday, October 22 Homecoming for Alumni and Family Weekend

Wednesday, November 22- Friday, November 24 Thanksgiving Break

Tuesday, December 12- Friday, December 15 Finals Week

Trouble Accessing the Parent Portal?

Families whose students have granted them access to the parent portal and are having difficulty logging in should contact the Technology Service Center at 508-541-1633.

Dance and Theatre Performances

Almost time to raise the curtain for another year of fantastic talent on stage! Visit the Dean College Box Office on the front of the Dean College website to purchase your tickets now. Encore!

The Play That Goes Wrong cast announced!

Now is the time to see The Play that Goes Wrong at Dean College! An Olivier Award-winning comedy that is a hilarious hybrid of Monty Python and Sherlock Holmes. A farcical murder mystery, a play within a play that was conceived by the hysterical Mischief Theatre Company from London. It's the opening night of The Murder at Haversham Manor, where things are quickly going from bad to utterly disastrous. There's an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can't play dead, actors who trip over everything (including their lines), and lots of laughs for everyone in the audience. Rehearsals are in full swing with direction by Professor Jim Beauregard, Set Design by Professor Richard Gamble, and Costume Design by Benjamin Taylor. Maranda Salvas is the Stage Manager and Abby McIsaac is the Assistant Director.

The cast includes:

Ian Page, Emily Marino, Kat Goyette, Ava Turner, Ayman Boudrari, Jake Orlen, Dylan Beaty, Luke Sylvester, Jason Warner, Helenna Clanton, Hannah Stein, Jacquelyn Voegele, Paige Langston, Jackie Enokian, Cole Brown, and Trevor McConnaughey.

In addition, The Franklin Public Library will be co-sponsoring a series of post-show discussions on campus after each of our shows this season. Titled "Continuing the Conversation", there will be discussions with the creative teams and experts in the field about the performance and the themes, context, or history it explores. The Play that Goes Wrong post-show discussion (October 28th, after the 2:00 matinee) – will explore the close tie between murder and comedy, and why they so frequently go hand in hand in literature and onstage. Faculty member, Dr. Liz Faber, will be part of the panel, as will Julie Hennrikus, Executive Director of Sisters in Crime and mystery author under the names Julia Henry and Julianne Holmes.

RENT cast announced!

The iconic musical RENT is finally coming to Dean College! RENT opened on Broadway in April 1996. The Pulitzer Prize-winning show ran for 12 years and was nominated for 10 Tony awards, winning five, including Best Musical.

Based loosely on Puccini's La Boheme, Jonathan Larson's RENT follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York's Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS.

Rehearsals have begun with Direction and Choreography by Professor Ali Angelone, Musical Direction by Susan Alves, Set Design by Professor Rachel Rose Burke, Costume Design by Professor Daniel Kozar, with Lucy Young serving as Stage Manager.

The cast includes:

Myles Luongo, Patrick McKinney, Delainey Boyd, Aiden Day, Kevin Politz, Sean Miller, Trish Dobson, Breanna Combs, Christopher-David Caraballo, Mateo Villarreal, Dylana Deignan, Mary Crowley, Isis Wilson, Julia Lavoie, Heather Pape, Bella D’Auteuil, Kayleigh Lyons, Ethan Pflomm, Ashleigh Masengill, Ari Hovis-Afflerbach, and Nya Dekrines.

In addition, the post-show discussion for RENT (November 18th, after the 2:00 matinee) – will focus on the legacy of the AIDS epidemic 40 years later, and its influence on queer identity in the 21st century. Guests will include Dr. Kristen Holster and Dr. Helen Lewis-Michaelson.

Performance Schedule:

The Play That Goes Wrong Fall Drama - Main Stage

October 26- 29

Arts Mosaic - Guidrey Center

November 3- 4

RENT - Fall Musical - Main Stage

November 15- 19

New Thespian Showcase - Main Stage November 30 and December 2

New Dancer Showcase - Main Stage

December 1-2

Faculty Dance Works - Main Stage

December 7-8

She Loves Me - Main Stage

February 28-March 3

Choreographers’ Concert - Main Stage

March 22- 23

Pocatello - Spring Drama - Main Stage

April 3- 7

Dance Senior Showcase - Main Stage

April 12- 13

Theatre Senior Showcase - Main Stage

April 19- 20

Dance Company - Main Stage

April 25- 28

Getting Around Town- Free Shuttle for Students- GATRA GO

Students can download the Gatra Go United app for a free rideshare service available to them Monday thru Friday 7am-6pm and Saturday from 9am-6pm. We will provide directions on the student portal as there is a special Dean College code for our community.

There is a three-passenger maximum for each trip. 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-emergent transportation needs.

Fall sports are underway with field hockey and women's volleyball winning conference contests this week. Men's and women's soccer are both into conference play with visions of GNAC playoffs. Men's and women's cross country have represented well at their first few invitationals. The golf team finished fourth out of ten teams in their most recent tournament, and football will take to the road for the next several weeks returning home for Homecoming Weekend to take on the Anna Maria Amcats. Keep up with all your favorite Bulldog teams, schedules, articles, and more at deanbulldogs.com.

Let's Go Bulldogs!

Show off that Bulldog Spirit

Whether you are shopping for your favorite Bulldog or outfitting the entire family, don't forget to visit our Bookstore in the Dr. Paula M. Rooney Student Center, first floor or online to check out our gear. Go Bulldogs!