Jacqueline F. Kiernan MacKay, the first director of the newly established Providence College Parent Program, respects the role parents want to play when their daughter or son heads off to college.

Her perspective has been whetted by nearly 35 years in student services positions at PC, including the last nine as assistant vice president for student services.

"Parents are looking for new ways to engage with their college student. A big piece of this new program is to help them understand the tasks and developmental issues of these young adults," said MacKay.

In her new role, MacKay will help parents of undergraduate students enhance their understanding of the college experience and support them in fostering their student’s growth and development.

Appointed on July 1 as associate dean of undergraduate studies and director of parent programs, she will work closely with Dr. Wanda S. Ingram ’75, a longtime dean in the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies, who has been named senior associate dean of undergraduate studies for first-year and parent programs.

The goals of the PC Parent Program are to:

• inform and educate parents about the college experience;

• provide resources for parents which are designed to promote student success; and

• collaborate with offices campuswide in support of parent programs.

Objectives of the first goal include providing information on College procedures and policies, making parents aware of campus support services and resources, and defining limits and boundaries for parents in encouraging students to take responsibility for their own decision making.

In terms of the second goal, a link to the program on the College’s Web site has been established. It has an introduction, the program’s mission statement, a listing of books about the college experience, and a revised edition of the award-winning handbook MacKay and Ingram co-authored, First-Year Transitions: A Guide for Parents of Providence College Students. To access the link, click here.

In the third goal, MacKay will serve as a liaison to offices which have direct involvement with parents and act as a resource on parent issues to various College constituencies.

"I’m very excited about the program," said MacKay. "It’s important to let parents know we value them."