Parents and Families

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Family Matters

Parents and families play an immensely important role in the Thiel College experience. We appreciate your involvement, generosity and willingness to help. We are committed to keeping parents and families informed so you are in a better position to support your Thiel students.

The entire Thiel College community are happy to work with parents and your children, and very appreciative of your trust in us.

Additional Information:

Resources:

Programs

Parent and Family Orientation

Parents and family members are invited (and encouraged) to participate in the Parent and Family Orientation program. Concurrent with the Summer Student Orientation, Parent and Family Orientation is designed to introduce you to the broad academic and social aspects of the Thiel community.

You will have the opportunity to meet faculty, participate in campus services presentations, and to see firsthand many of the College resources available to new students. Parents and family members will also interact and network with each other throughout the program.

The Orientation program is designed for adult participation and is not recommended for young children. Please note that all minors must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times while on College grounds.

Family Programs

The offices of Admission, Residence Life, and Student Engagement assists families in making connections with Thiel College and its resources. We’re here to help with a broad spectrum of issues— academic, administrative and personal. In fact, helping parents and families communicate and connect is the reason our office exists!

We host several events each year, including Family Day. We also provide timely communications on important campus news and events through our website, Facebook, newsletters and email.

For questions or information, please call (724)-589-2192.

Partnering with Families

Together, our job is to prepare students for life after college. We partner with parents and families in helping students make the best decisions for themselves. Our goals are:

  • To encourage communication between parents and families and the College
  • To use the resources available to guide students in academic and personal decision-making
  • To provide a compassionate, caring and coordinated experience

We encourage you to contact us if you need assistance or would like to provide feedback. We’re here to assist all Thiel parents and families!

Communications

College is a time for taking on greater responsibilities, and we encourage parents and family members to take an active, supportive role in their student’s educational success. There are several ways you can stay in touch with campus and contact us with any questions or issues your student may be having.

Family Matters Newsletter

The Family Matters newsletter is sent to all Thiel College parents/families who opt in to receive emails. Each issue includes upcoming events and deadlines, details about student services, student stories, and important College updates.

To ensure you receive future issues, please send your contact information to ddirienzo@thiel.edu.

Thiel Calendar

Visit our Event Calendar on the website for important College dates, on-campus happenings and holidays!

All the news that's fit to Tweet

Thiel College’s primary source of news and information. Whether it happens in the classroom, in a laboratory, or on another continent, @thielcollege on Twitter brings you timely stories about every aspect of life, learning, and discovery at Thiel.

Thiel College provides services for all students and their family members. From locating specific College offices to ensuring parents are notified when important news and events are happening on campus, we are here to help you find the services and resources you need to stay in touch with Thiel.

Resources & FAQ

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 is designed to protect the confidentiality of education records and to give students the ability to access their records and assure the accuracy of their contents. Under FERPA, institutions must allow students who are 18 years or over or attending a postsecondary institution:

  • Access to their education records
  • An opportunity to seek to have the records amended (see the Student Handbook for this procedure)
  • Variable control over the disclosure of information from the records

The Student Handbook contains essential information about life at Thiel. In addition to important policies and regulations that students are expected to know, this handbook contains information on many available College resources.

Students at Thiel College can choose from the TC Café and the Rotunda Bistro for meals, and can make use of their dining points for soft drinks and snacks at vending machines in the Academic Center. All residential students are required to participate in a dining plan, and non-residential students have the option to select a plan. Students may choose from several different meal plans that provide a mix of meals and dining points.

The TC Café in the Howard Miller Student Center is the dining destination of choice, serving the most selections for breakfast, lunch and dinner with the best value. The Rotunda Bistro, also in the Howard Miller Student Center, serves items like wraps, burgers, and a wide selection of sandwiches, sides, salads, and soft drinks. It also offers espresso coffee drinks, brewed coffee and teas. The Bistro serves lunch specials every weekday.

Students have an opportunity to have their voice heard by speaking to the Resident Director of Food Services at Thiel College. The resident director works with the executive chef, management and staff to assure that all students are provided with a convenient, welcoming and nutritious dining environment that offers value and variety. Hours of operation, specials and daily menus can be obtained from the dining website at https://www.aviserves.com/thiel/.

Dining service, including where and how it will be offered, is subject to modification at Thiel College’s sole discretion to address public health concerns or other emergencies, including COVID-19. Thiel College may limit the occupancy of dining halls or the amount of time students may reside within dining halls and may make other operational adjustments needed to address health and safety concerns. Such measures do not constitute a termination of a residential student’s room and/or board agreement(s).

Thiel College is excited to partner with Sharon Regional Medical Center for onsite medical needs. A licensed nurse practitioner is available onsite seven days a week. Visit the Health and Wellness page for more information about services offered, insurance, etc.

What counseling resources are available for students?

The Thiel College Counseling Center provides access to counseling services and aims to support students in a safe and confidential setting to facilitate student success and wellbeing. Thiel supports students who experience unexpected challenges in maintaining their academic progress.

What if my student is ill and the Health and Wellness Center is closed?

When the Health and Wellness Center is closed, students can visit a local emergency room or urgent care for immediate concerns. Visit the Health and Wellness page for information on after-hours care.

Thiel College recognizes accessibility as a valued aspect of diversity and fosters an inclusive environment for all of the Thiel College community through awareness, accessibility and empowerment. The office is committed not only to ensuring access, but also to supporting success. For more information visit the Accessibility Resource Center page.

Tomcat Alert is an email and text emergency alerting system for the College, which provides SMS text messaging service for emergency notification.

  • All Thiel email addresses have an account with Tomcat Alert – enroll your phone and activate your account online.
  • Should there be an emergency, you will receive a text message on your cell phone, and an email message at your registered email address.
  • Changes, like a new cell phone or another device? Using your Thiel email address and your newly-chosen password, you can access the Tomcat Alert system at any time to update your phone number or carrier, add another device or update your record.

The Thiel College Public Safety Office is located at:

75 College Avenue – Howard Miller Student Center, Third floor. To contact Thiel Public Safety, call 724-589-2222.

What are the rates for Thiel housing accommodations?

  • There are plenty of unique living options for students all across campus and rates vary depending on a student’s preference in size and locality. Room rates can be found on the Residence Life and Housing page.

What types of accommodations are available for students with disabilities?

  • Traditional residence halls, townhouses and apartment buildings contain living environments that accommodate students with disabilities. To request residence hall assignments that match your student’s specific needs, visit the Residence Life and Housing page.

Can my student have a pet in his or her residence hall?

  • Pets are not allowed in the residence halls unless it is a service animal. Please visit the Accessibility Resource Center for more information.

My student has questions about Mail Services, who can help?

  • The Thiel College Post Office is located in the Howard Miller Student Center. Visit the Post Office for a list of frequently asked questions.

The Information Technology Solution Center is located on the first floor of the Academic Center and provides walk-in assistance for computer-related issues for students who have a valid Thiel ID.

The Information Technology Solution Center has a comprehensive site addressing computer issues. The Solution Center provides troubleshooting services to students with computers that are connected to Thiel wifi. Contact 724-589-4000 or email support@thiel.edu for computer support.

Who can help my student with Internet access and email?

Where can my student get information on cable television service?

  • Cable television service is managed by Information Technology and provided through a partnership with Spectrum. Visit the Solution Center page to learn more.

The Thiel Learning Commons promotes collaborative learning opportunities to enable students to build on their strengths and maximize their potential for academic success. Students seeking supplemental learning opportunities, such as tutoring and instruction, are encouraged to visit TLC on the first floor of the library and take advantage of our free services. The TLC is open Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Career Development Center provides top-tier services to students, alumni and employers. We partner with students to develop a personalized career plan and provide career-related opportunities that enable their professional and career development. Visit the Career Development Center page for more information.

Textbooks are purchased online through eCampus. You can always find the link at the bottom of the thiel.edu homepage. At the end of each semester, students will be notified of the day/time that an eCampus representative will be on campus to buy back any used book. Students are free to purchase textbooks elsewhere (i.e., Amazon.com).

Students can get on-campus assistance through the Information Technology Solution Center.

Note – The Thiel College Campus Store does not buy or sell textbooks.

With more than 100 student organizations, clubs and teams, nearly every possible interest is represented to Thiel students! Student groups are open to all students, though some have a membership selection process or membership requirements. Most organizations are free of charge. Encourage your student to visit the Student Life Office for more information.

Campus ministry at Thiel is all about openness for all. It’s about faith which welcomes learning, exploration and pondering life’s deepest questions. At Thiel College, we encourage you to celebrate a lively spiritual life. For more information visit our Spiritual Life page.

Student parking is designated on the campus map which is found on the Thiel website. All vehicles on campus must be registered with the Public Safety Office (2nd Floor Howard Miller Student Center) and must display a valid Thiel parking pass.

Specific parking areas are designated for student, staff, handicap and visitor parking and are strictly enforced. For questions related to parking, contact 724-589-2222.

Visitors to Thiel are expected to park in designated areas across campus. Parking is free. Specific parking areas are designated for student, staff, handicap and visitor parking and are strictly enforced. For questions related to parking, contact 724-589-2222.

Who should my student contact for campus employment?

Who should I contact about Financial Aid scholarships or student employment?

Who should I contact about tuition deadlines, fees, payments, or refunds?

Visit Campus

Thiel College parents and family members are encouraged to visit campus throughout the year. Join your student in exploring all that northwest Pennsylvania has to offer!

For those visiting from out-of-state, Thiel is conveniently located between the Pittsburgh, PA and Cleveland, OH international airports. Thiel is also a short drive from hotels and restaurants in the Greenville area. Check out our Visiting Thiel page to see local hotels, motels and B&B options.

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Thiel College
75 College Ave
Greenville, PA 16125
1-800-248-4435