Students have had the opportunity to participate in more than 150 programs this semester. Some of the most popular events have been Goat Yoga, Midnight Madness, Bingo, Cheesecake Tasting, movie nights, Halloween Dance, Safe Sex Carnival, Bubble Soccer, intramural sporting events, pep rally and Holidays at Hood Dance! Events and activities are scheduled throughout the entire week/weekend, allowing students to balance classes and study time with the additional learning and leadership development that occurs through active participation in student organizations.

Students can access information about upcoming events in many different ways. They can use the Corq app on their smart phone, log into Pergola Connect on their computer, refer to email announcements that are sent out regularly, or check out the bulletin board event calendar located outside of the student life suite in Whitaker Campus Center.

Planning is already underway for spring 2022, including the annual Crab Feast, Liberation Weekend, Margaret Hood Ball and a trip to Hershey Park. If students are looking to get engaged please encourage them to reach out to the Office of Student Engagement at studentengagement@hood.edu!

It is not too early to file your FAFSA for next fall! The Free Application for Federal Student Aid for the 2022-23 academic year has been open since October 1. The form uses income tax data from your 2020 federal return. The process is much the same as the current year and can be completed now. So don’t wait until later. All the necessary links are on our web page. If you have any questions or run into any difficulties, please contact the financial aid office. Our email is finaid@hood.edu and our telephone number is 301-696-3411.

We're so proud of the resilience shown by our students in following COVID protocols all semester, even as pandemic fatigue sets in. With holiday travel and visits with friends and family, it's important to remind your student to continue to practice vigilance -- proper mask wearing, hand washing and monitoring symptoms.

Students are able to opt into our weekly surveillance testing and the time between Thanksgiving and winter break might be especially important. To opt into Tuesday testing, students can email wellness@hood.edu by 10 a.m. the Monday prior to testing. It's free and convenient, right on campus.

To check the campus' current COVID status, please see the Promise of Fall - Health and Wellness Dashboard. The information is updated weekly.

We’re certain that you are excited to have your student home for the holiday break. College is a critical time when students transition from adolescents to adults, developing a new sense of identity and responsibility. They are continually being exposed to new experiences in classrooms, residence halls, athletic fields, campus offices and by their relationships with faculty, staff and fellow students. As you spend time with your student during the upcoming Thanksgiving and winter breaks, you may notice some changes that have occurred over the past few months as your student has developed a new sense of identity and responsibility. Some of these changes such as sleeping more, wearing different clothes or having an interest in new hobbies or activities are not automatically a cause for concern. However, you may notice other changes that may indicate that your student is struggling.

With final exams and the end of the semester approaching, feelings of distress are common and can even be an expected reaction, but still - there is a point at which anxiety, sadness, and stress begin to become serious concerns. Some potential warning signs may appear as:

• Changes in communication: they reach out more often or a lot less than usual
  
• Poor performance on tests and projects, or showing a lack of motivation
  
• Talking a lot about friend, roommate, or relationship issues
  

You know your student best! Talk with them about their experiences this past semester. If you notice behavior that is dramatically different or not normal for them, encourage them to seek help. Hood's Counseling Center provides confidential, short-term counseling at no cost to the student or their insurance. Additionally, Thriving Campus is an online resource that allows Hood students to search for mental health providers in the Frederick community. Students can filter the list of providers by insurance accepted, gender, race or area of practice. Finally, you can always encourage your student to reach out to the director of Wellness at wellness@hood.edu who can assist them with any question about resources to keep them healthy and thriving while at Hood!

The Blazers revealed a new look this fall as the athletics department worked with the marketing and communications office to develop a new athletics identity. In 2019, this process began with focus groups among coaches and student-athletes and was unfortunately put on hold during the College’s response to COVID-19. The centerpiece of the new athletic branding is the fierce horse bursting through a shield. This intentional inclusion of the shield conveys athletics as an extension of the academic mission of the College. In addition to the horse getting a new look, the athletic color blue was shifted from sapphire blue to a navy blue. While the new logo was unveiled at a campus-wide pep rally in August, it will be placed on uniforms throughout the existing uniform cycle for the Blazers’ athletic teams over the next several years. Other equipment, banners and other items will be replaced on similar cycles. It is the first update to the athletic logo since Hood’s initial athletics’ mark was created in 2005, despite the use of the Blazer nickname prior to that.

The Hood College Center for Career Development and Experiential Education is here to help your student explore and launch their career in meaningful and successful ways. Our services are free and open to students of all majors and interests.

• Students can meet individually with career counselors to explore career options that naturally flow from their major areas of study and options that align with their personal interests. The Center offers free-of-charge career assessments to support undecided students in picking a major.
• The Career Center has numerous resources to support internship and job searches. Those students interested in earning academic credit for internships must visit with a career counselor before their internship experience. Counselors will guide students step-by-step through the process.
• Career counselors assist students in writing resumes, cover letters, and personal statements for graduate school applications.
• Practice interview sessions allow students to understand how to present themselves most professionally and how to respond to tough questions.
• The Career Closet is a professional clothing resource housed in the Career Center for students preparing for internship and job interviews or getting ready to attend networking and career fairs. Students can try on items and put together an outfit with the support of Career Center staff.
• The Career Center hosts a wide range of events designed to connect students with recruiters seeking interns and new hires. These include campus visits by recruiters, networking activities, and career fairs. Students can see a complete list of upcoming events in Handshake, the Career Center’s management platform.
• Internship and job search databases can be found in Handshake and CareerShift. The Center also maintains a listing of sites where previous Hood College students have completed successful internships.
  
  

Students can make an appointment with a Career Counselor through Handshake, the Career Center’s resource for events, jobs, internships, and special opportunities. Appointments can be in-person or via Zoom. The Career Center is located on the second floor of the Apple Building. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., other times by appointment. For more information, contact the Career Center at careers@hood.edu or 301-696-3583.

Of the many traditions that enrich a student’s affection and affinity for Hood, the Hood ring is the one that alumni hold very close to their hearts. Its unique design makes it instantly recognizable, and many an alum can share a story about how they met a friend, a spouse or a co-worker because they were wearing their Hood ring.

Traditionally purchased in the Junior year, and first donned at the Ring Ceremony held annually in the Spring, the Hood ring is a tangible reminder of your student’s perseverance, hard work, and well-deserved achievements.

Our ring vendor Herff Jones has extended their discounted pricing through February 27, 2022, and all rings ordered by this date are guaranteed to arrive in time for the Ring Ceremony in April. You may order through the Hood College Bookstore, or via the secure Herff Jones website.

The Hood College HJ representative is Michelle Kuhn, and she can be reached at 703-368-9550 or mkuhn@herffjones.com. Michelle has been our partner for many years, and can answer any questions you may have about purchasing a Hood ring for your student.

Hood’s newly established Parent Advisory Council had its first meeting on November 17, and there are some great projects already in the works for spring 2022. Members and campus liaisons of the six Council Committees: admission, athletics, campus life, career center, institutional advancement, and marketing, brainstormed and came up with some unique ideas to help Hood parents utilize their time, talent and treasure in meaningful ways. Look for information about tailgating at Blazer home games, opportunities to celebrate student accomplishments, participating on parent panels at admission events, and assisting with research about campus life.

We would like to thank all of our current parents who have already made their annual gift to the Hood Fund. Donors like Bruce and Angela Almquist P’24 and Daniel and Kathryn Forgas P’25, who have made their Hood Fund gifts in support of the students and athletes. Gifts to the Hood Fund are immediately put to work, providing student scholarships, faculty research, internships, coaching and athletic training enhancements, supporting campus clubs and activities, and so much more. Make your gift to the Hood Fund today.

To learn more, please visit Parent Advisory Council or contact director of alumni and constituent engagement Kellye Greenwald ’86 at greenwald@hood.edu for more information.

To learn more about supporting our student-athletes, please visit The Blue & Grey Club.

Interested in purchasing your own Adirondack chair? Contact director of annual giving, Niccole Rolls at rolls@hood.edu.

Hood Alert, the campus emergency notification system, gives college administration and security professionals the ability to reach participating students, faculty, staff, parents and others with time-sensitive information during unforeseen events or emergencies. For additional information and instructions about signing up to receive alerts, please see Hood Alert.