FAMILY RESOURCES

If a student misses classes due to illness, injury, family emergency, or some other reason, it is the responsibility of the student to notify instructors as soon as possible. Your student should contact professors to let them know of the situation and to develop a plan for making up the work. Accommodations and make-up procedures are at the discretion of the faculty member. The Academic Advising Office can send notice of absence to instructional staff if the student is unable to do so.

If your student is not feeling well while on campus, they can make an appointment with the nurse in Counseling & Health Services (Mon-Thurs). The nurse has over-the-counter comfort measures and can also evaluate the student's medical situation.

Students work with advisors to select courses, receive assistance with registration, obtain support when they are struggling in a course or program, and more generally, make a plan to achieve their academic goals and graduate. All undergraduate students are assigned to an academic advisor upon their arrival at Alverno, and will transition to a faculty advisor in their field of study once they are further into their program. Students should strive to meet with their advisor at least once per semester to discuss topics including course enrollment, connecting majors to careers, getting involved on campus, and creating a graduation plan.

Academic support services and resources come in many forms around campus. Services range from classes in quantitative literacy, communication, and English as a Second Language provide a foundation for success in the curriculum. Students can find further support through the Communication Resource Center and the Daniel M. Soref Science and Mathematics Resource Center, as well as peer and instructor tutoring, course-based study groups and workshops. Support services and accommodations for students with disabilities are also available.

Additional information can be found on the Academic Support Services website.

Yes! Taking summer or winterim (J-term) courses allows students to get ahead in their studies and can lighten the load for fall and spring semesters. Students can add a semester’s worth of work to their academic record and still have time to savor the best of summer or winter break. The same material is covered as during a traditional semester, but everything moves faster. It’s a quick but manageable pace.  Visit the Registrar’s Office for more information.

Alverno College follows the guidelines set forth in the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 in maintaining the privacy of student records. Students have the right to inspect and review information contained in their education records and to request amendment of records a student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student's privacy rights under FERPA. In addition, students also have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

Students who would like other individuals, such as a parent, be able to talk with offices such as Academic Advising or Financial Aid, need to file a Release of Information form through Alverno Self-Service.

Students wishing to review their education records must make a written request to the Director of Academic Advising, (414) 382-6036, listing the item or items of interest. No one outside the institution shall have access to nor will the institution disclose any information from a student's education records without the written consent of the student, except to:

• Officials of other institutions in which students seek to enroll
• Agencies providing students financial aid
• Accrediting agencies carrying out their accreditation function
• Persons in compliance with judicial order
• Persons in an emergency in order to protect the health or safety of students or other persons.

All these exceptions are permitted under the Act. Within the Alverno College community, only those members, individually or collectively, acting in the students' education interest are allowed access to student education records. Alverno College will attempt to notify any student whose records have been requested through judicial order.

Yes, every student is encouraged to work with the Career and Professional Development Center (“CPDC”) to explore post-graduation options. The career exploration and planning process takes time, and students are encouraged to begin working with the CPDC as early as freshman year. First- and second-year students who are not sure what careers they would like to pursue are encouraged to visit the CPDC as well. Additionally, students can start a conversation with their academic advisors about career interests. Academic and career planning go hand in hand.

The CPDC professional staff work with students at all stages of the career-development process. Even when students have many different career interests, the staff can help them reflect on their skills and interests, so they understand how those can be applied to the work world. Students will also learn to create plans to advance their interests and find a way to a satisfying career.

Alverno graduates are highly sought after by employers. Encourage your student to visit the Career and Professional Development Center early to gain a competitive edge for the future. To learn more, visit the Alverno Career Center.

Yes! For many students, ideas about their careers, academic and personal interests, strengths, and values are interrelated. Learning about one of these areas can help clarify or refine a student’s understanding of another. Learning about the connections between majors, skills and interests, and careers can help students understand the different paths of the college experience.

Alverno College alums have access to career counseling for two years after graduation, including job search coaching, resume and cover letter review, interview preparation, grad school planning, and interpretation of vocational instruments. To schedule an appointment, please call (414) 382-6010 or visit our career education page. In addition, Alverno hosts alum networking breakfasts, job search workshops, and career fairs, all of which provide continuing opportunities for our graduates to build their professional networks and skills. To learn more, visit alverno.edu/alums.

The 2023-2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available October 1, 2022. Every eligible student is encouraged to file the FAFSA. Even if you believe that your income may be too high for federal financial aid, you will still qualify for student loans, and many scholarships and grant programs still require a FAFSA for consideration. Students who are graduating by May 2023 only need to submit a FAFSA if they plan to continue onto another degree program.

Helpful FAFSA filing hints:

• Don’t wait! Make sure your student submits the FAFSA before the priority deadline or as soon as possible thereafter. Certain types of aid run out, so the sooner you file, the better.
• File online at fafsa.gov
• Be sure to enter Alverno’s school code, 003832, to send your student’s application electronically to the Alverno Financial Aid Office.
• After the FAFSA is processed, the U.S. Department of Education will email your student the Student Aid Report (SAR) that includes your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and any important messages regarding your student’s FAFSA. Review the Student Aid Report (SAR) with your student.
• Financial Aid staff are available to answer your questions.
• Our goal is to help you find a smart, sensible path to finance your education.

For additional questions about the financial aid application process or eligibility criteria not covered here, call the Financial Aid Office at 414-382-6262, toll-free at 1-800-933-3401 or email the Financial Aid office at financial.aid@alverno.edu.

• We provide free, confidential and brief (up to 10 sessions) individual counseling and free and confidential health services. Students who need long term or specialized treatment or care beyond the scope of our services are referred to community providers.  Students who are currently receiving treatment from a primary care physician, a specialist, a psychiatrist, a psychologist, or another therapist outside of Alverno College may not be best served by the counselors or the nurse, and may be referred back to the student’s treatment provider.
• Counseling & Health Services is not a replacement for care students may already be receiving in the community. We have a full time counselor and a part-time nurse.
• All Alverno students can also access “anytime/anywhere” assistance.  For 24/7/365 support, students can call the CAREline at 833-434-1217.  Students can go to carelinealverno.com to access a robust website with articles and videos about mental health topics, a link to schedule up to 6 free counseling sessions, and free access to the Headspace app.
• The Campus Safety Officers are the first responders for any on campus emergency. They can be reached by calling 414-382-6911 or through the Rave Guardian App.
• Wellbeing Clubhouse—FO 319 This is a dedicated space for ALL students to tune out stress and tune into themselves and practice positive coping strategies. This space is open 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Advise your student to avoid potentially dangerous situations by maintaining awareness of their surroundings and planning ahead. Preplanning a response for situations allows them to be safer while on campus, at home, or at any other location.  Our Campus Safety department provides emergency procedure training to all new students, women’s self-defense programs, sexual assault awareness and prevention programs, and safety escorts between buildings or a building and a vehicle, and are offered any time of the day or night. Limited escorts to bus stops may be available based on staffing and bus stop location.

The Campus Safety department also offers the Alverno Guardian app via the Rave Mobile Systems platform. This app offers useful information including phone numbers for departments on campus and handbooks for students, residents and programs of study. The embedded Instant Messanger program allows your student to quietly notify Campus Safety of any issues, 24/7/365 with the added ability to send a picture of the issue. Also offered is the Virtual Safewalk feature, that can be used to automatically notify Campus Safety and loved ones if the student does not deactivate the app at the end of a run, walk, errand, etc. This app is available through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Visit Campus Safety for further tips and information. 

At Alverno there are many opportunities for your student to engage and be active in campus life. The Department of Student Activities & Leadership wants your student to have the full college experience by participating in a variety of activities and events outside of the classroom. Visit Student Activities & Leadership for more details.

Many students experience difficulty in making new friends.  It can be especially hard for those students who are away from home for the first time.  If your student lives on campus, encourage her to reach out to CA (Community Advisor).  CA’s are seasoned students who are trained to assist students with the adjustment to campus life.

Student Activities & Leadership is also a good place for students to connect and network with other students.  Your student can choose from over 30 student organizations to become involved with.  If she doesn’t see something she likes, she can always start a new organization!

Alverno also maintains active Facebook and Twitter accounts that highlight all of the interesting events, activities, and happenings on campus. From leadership roles, to volunteering, to social organizations, there are countless ways for students to explore their interests and get involved.