Staying Connected

Believe us. We’ve been called crazy by our Big 12 counterparts. West Virginia University is one of the few Big 12 schools that still operates and oversees Facebook groups for parents and families and one of the few with an active presence from recruitment through commencement.

We see it all; we hear it all. And through it all, the Mountaineer Parents Club is a beacon of support for incoming and current families.

Throughout the 29 years since its inception, the MPC, created by former WVU First Lady Susan Hardesty under her husband David’s administration, has evolved to meet the needs of the modern family. How a university or college communicates with a family has changed and so has the family, as students are being raised by not only mom and dad but sometimes grandparents, godparents or even siblings. While WVU still uses “parent” in the title of the club, the MPC serves the entire family.

Anyone on campus who interacts with the MPC will say that director Lisa Hanselman is the shining star of the organization. Not only is she present at all recruitment events, but she  also  oversees the Parents Club chapters, answers 90% of the questions in Facebook groups, takes calls at all hours of the day from worried parents and still makes time to drop off goodies to students who need a little love and attention.

“Every day is a rewarding day when we interact with families," Hanselman continued. "While they tell us how much of an asset the MPC is, they often don’t realize they are a true prize for us. We experience new questions and outlooks daily from our families, and we’re frequently challenged to think outside the box.”

The communication box is one area where the MPC has made significant changes. Hanselman said a generation ago, parents dropped off their student at college, got a call from them once a week to catch up and perhaps didn’t see them again until Thanksgiving. Parents might not have known the student’s major, probably didn’t know their classes or friends’ names and wouldn’t have cared.

“The Parent Club Facebook pages have been extremely helpful with transitioning from high school to college. When you think you’ve learned all there is to know there’s usually another page of next steps waiting for you,” said Melissa Brewer, mother to a freshman. “Because of the Q&A posts and newsletter information, we have felt confident that my son was prepared to begin his journey as a Mountaineer from day one. It is a big transition that can be scary, but we began the journey well-informed, confident and excited.”

Part of providing an increasing level of care over the last 29 years involves meeting parents where they are. And it starts at the very beginning of the college-going process: during recruitment. 

“The MPC is a great resource to families and meeting us early in the journey lets them know that we are always here to help in any way,” Hanselman said.

The MPC is active during New Student Orientation to help families prepare for what to expect during their student’s advising appointment. Webinars are held at different times and on different days of the week, and families who cannot attend in person can view the recordings. 

“When we aren’t working a recruitment event, we participate in panels, work with WVU’s regional recruiters to help answer questions or tend to our Facebook groups, especially our incoming class Facebook group, answering upwards of 20 questions daily,” Hanselman said.

“They have been so helpful in answering questions with kindness and never with any judgment or frustration over repeats,” said Leigh Madigan, mom to a freshman. “They were helpful every step of the way when navigating the start of this semester. I'm very thankful for all the help.”

Rickie Huffman is the director of undergraduate recruitment and parent marketing at WVU.