PARENT AND FAMILY PROGRAMS
Setting the Foundation for Success
Welcome to the program for parents and families! The Welcome Week for new freshmen and transfer students takes place for four days before the classes begin, August 27-30. Below is the in-person program for the parents and families on the first day of Welcome Week, Welcome Day, Thursday, August 27, 2026. Please be sure to also participate in our online webinars during the days leading up to the Welcome Day; see a list of online events on the Parent and Family Events page. The classes begin on Monday, August 31, 2026.
PARENT AND FAMILY WELCOME DAY
Please say goodbye to your Hofstra student by 3 p.m. They will start their Welcome Week program then. The program below is subject to change.
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Meet with the Student Financial Services Counselor
8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Intramural Fields, North Campus
If you have any last-minute questions, please stop by Student Financial Services (SFS), 206 Memorial Hall. The SFS team will be able to assist you with finalizing all the details on your student’s account.
Meet with the Student Financial Services Counselor
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
206 Memorial Hall, South Campus
If you have any last-minute questions, please stop by Student Financial Services (SFS), 206 Memorial Hall. The SFS team will be able to assist you with finalizing all the details on your student’s account.
How Will My Role as a Parent Change?
Noon – 2 p.m.
Greenhouse, Mack Student Center, Lower Level
Your child is now a college student and still needs you. Diane Herbert, dean of the Center for Academic Excellence, Merry McVey Noble, executive director of Student Counseling Services, and Branka Kristic, director of Parent and Family Programs and assistant dean of students, will lead this interactive on-campus workshop to discuss the developmental milestones your student is going through and examine parenting methods proven effective with young and emerging adults. Dr. McVey Noble will talk about our students’ post-traumatic growth and the building of resilience. Dr. Herbert will share the survey results that reveal how our new students view their strengths as well as the challenges they anticipate having in the first year of college.
Meet Parent and Family Council
2 p.m.- 3 p.m.
Atrium, Mack Student Center
Approach the PFC table in the Mack Student Center Atrium by Hofstra Bookstore and get to know the Parent and Family Council members and their initiatives. Sign up to volunteer. Take your “goodbye” photo with your new Hofstra student in the Hofstra Memories photo booth as your student treats you to lunch in the Student Center Café using their Dining Dollars.
Farewell Coffee for Families
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Pride Den, Mack Student Center, Lower Level
It’s been a long and eventful day! As students leave for the President’s Welcome, parents and families are invited to mingle and share a cup of coffee or tea with President Susan Poser and the staff of Student Enrollment, Engagement, and Success. Please say goodbye to your student BEFORE the coffee. Students begin their Welcome Week program, with exciting events continuing through Sunday, August 30. Classes begin on Monday, August 31, 2026.
We cannot wait to partner with you in supporting your student on their college journey! Please email parents@hofstra.edu if you have any questions.
Reach out to staff committed to helping you navigate challenges, discover opportunities, and achieve your fullest potential.