Student send-offs

Heading off to college thousands of miles from home can be both exciting and overwhelming—for students and parents. To help ease the transition, Johns Hopkins hosts Student Send-Offs, informal gatherings that bring together incoming students' families with current students and staff, creating a welcoming space to build connections before fall.

Ember Harnett, associate director of Regional, Student, and Young Alumni Programs at Hopkins, explains that the host cities for Student Send-Offs vary each year, based on where the largest number of incoming students is located. This summer, events were held in Houston, New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.

"At each send-off, students and their parents have the chance to meet representatives from Student Affairs, the Office of Alumni Relations, and First-Year Experience," she says. Breakout sessions also allow parents and students to hear from staff and current students.

Jennifer Fisher, senior associate director of Regional, Student, and Young Alumni Programs, says the send-offs help ease common worries by offering practical information about everything from student life and move-in logistics to campus safety and the Blue Jay Shuttle.

"Two years ago, we had a family in Southern California where the parents couldn't be at move-in, so the send-off became their only in-person connection with Hopkins," Fisher says. "The student flew out and moved in solo, but the parents told us they felt much more prepared and were incredibly grateful for all the information and support they received in advance."

Harnett says they also field a lot of questions about the campus and Baltimore in general.

"We hear everything from 'How big are the refrigerators in the dorms?' to 'What kinds of things can you do in Baltimore and nearby cities?'" she says. "People who aren't from this area are fascinated that you can get to New York and D.C. by train—and that the station is so close to campus."

Fisher adds that parents of incoming students are also encouraged to attend alumni events in their local communities.

"In most of these cities, we do an annual crab feast, where we ship Maryland crabs across the country for alumni gatherings," she says. "We made sure to tell parents at the send-offs that they are welcome to attend and get a taste of Baltimore."