Get Involved

马会论坛 aspires to include undergraduate students鈥 parents and families in the life of the University. Recognizing the important role families play in the success of their children's college experience, an engaged family makes for an engaged student.

 

马会论坛 Family Programs

Engaged families, successful students.

The Office of First-Year Experience and Family Programs strives to partner with families to make all Webster students successful.

The mission of the Office of First-Year Experience and Family Programs is to provide resources, services and programs that promote student success for first-year students and family members of undergraduate students.

Transcript

[Instrumental music begins.]鈥

[Photos of seven people. Presumably parents and students at move-in time.]

Text on screen: Engaged families, successful students.

[马会论坛 logo appears]

[Photo of a parent and a student next to a car.]

[Photo of two parents and a student next to a car.]

[Photo of a parent and a student next to another car.]

[Photo of two parents and a student in parking lot.]

[Photo of parents with a student.]

[Photo of parents with a student hugging.]

[Photo of parents and a student together.]

[Photo of 15 Webster student workers making 鈥淲s鈥 with their hands posing in front of an inflatable Gorlok in front of the student housing on campus.]

[A parent, Joey Timmer, sits in chair inside University Center lobby with a display case in the background.]

Joey Timmer, Webster parent: You're making a decision for probably the next four years 鈥 maybe more 鈥 of your life, and so you want it to be a home. You want it to feel like home.鈥疎veryone was very inviting.鈥疎veryone was willing to answer questions and as I took a tour of the campus, I was very impressed.

[Photo of several people on campus sitting, standing and walking around.]

[Photo of a classroom with six students talking and smiling with each other as a professor or worker writes on a white board in the background.]

[Drone aerial shot starting on Lockwood Avenue and flying over Webster, Loretto and Maria halls.]

[Drone aerial shot from Garden Avenue showing the East Academic Building, the Interdisciplinary Building, Pearson Hall, two parking lots full of cars, the Sisters of Loretto High School next door.]

[Photos of students working in science labs with goggles and gloves on with test tubes and beakers on tables.]

Timmer: For what my daughter wanted to do. The facilities they had and really the support they had.鈥

[Timmer talks to camera in University Lounge again.]

[Drone aerial shot of Edgar Road with Emerson Library on one side and the Loretto Hilton Center on the other and the housing building in the background.]

[Five students gather and talk and smile inside one of the academic buildings on campus.}

[A group of around 30 of students sitting at different tables in Sunnen Lounge, in the University Center, listening to a speaker at a podium in the front of the presentation room. Then another angle from the side of same room with students listing to speaker. A photo of a student talking to the speaker after the presentation is over.]

[Camera interviews Webster parent, Maxine Retzer, sitting in lobby area of University Center with display case in the background.]

Maxine Retzer, Webster parent: Our daughter has had a tremendous opportunity to collaborate with so many different individuals from faculty to students.鈥

[You see a person鈥檚 handwriting in a notebook, and other books are on tables. Another student is on the other side of the table with laptop open.]

Retzer: The diversity that is here has been great for her, and the opportunity just to experience college in a safe environment but then in a larger area.

[Two students sharing a laptop at table in an academic building on campus.]

[Photo of two Webster student workers hugging and smiling in Webster T-shirts. Photo of students in a classroom gathered around desks and laptops with a screen in background with information on it and a professor addressing the class.]

[Camera interviews Webster parent, Maxine Retzer, sitting in lobby area of University Center with display case in the background.]

[Five students walk along a campus sidewalk with spring crabapple trees in bloom.]

[Four students gather to talk outside on campus.]

Retzer: The St. Louis area has been tremendous.鈥

[Students walking downstairs on campus by Emerson Library.]

[Camera interviews Retzer, sitting in lobby area of University Center with display case in the background.]

Retzer: She's always so proud to show us campus and to share the greater St Louis area with us.鈥疶o be able to go and see the arch. To be able to go and experience baseball games.鈥

[Drone aerial shot of campus coming down Big Bend Boulevard many trees. Drone aerial of the Interdisciplinary Building and its landscaping outside.]

[Drone aerial shot of downtown St. Louis with a park area and fountain in foreground and a courthouse and the St. Louis Gateway Arch in background with hotels and other office buildings along the skyline. Some people are walking around the park.]

[Drone aerial shot above the St. Louis Cardinals Baseball Busch Stadium.]

[Video of traffic rolling up and down a busy city street with outdoor lights strung across from the sidewalks.]

[Retzer, sitting in lobby area of University Center with display case in the background.]

Retzer: To be able to take in all of the art and culture that St Louis area has to offer has been a just a blessing.鈥

[Webster parent, Yvonne Buhlinger, sits in lobby area of University Center with display case in the background.]

Yvonne Buhlinger, Webster parent: One of the things that is amazing about 马会论坛 is that it offers a way for parents to connect.

[Several videos of parents from different angles in a parent meeting in Sunnen Lounge in University Center. They all have gift bags, paper, pens, drinks, bags and cell phones in front of them as they listen to a speaker off camera.]

[Fourteen people comprised of parents in Webster parent T-shirts and Webster staff and orientation leaders.]

[Webster parents with Webster staff and the Gorlok mascot outside on campus.]

[Webster parents talk around a table in an academic building at a parent meeting on campus.]

Retzer: Being involved with the Family Association has been great especially with our daughter being our first child going off to college.

[Photo of student move-in day with Webster student volunteers helping move large boxes of housing items and furniture in the dorms on wheeled dollies. Photo of two Webster student volunteers smiling and giving thumbs up signal moving a new student鈥檚 dorm room box into the housing unit. There are balloons tied to a lamppost in background. New photo of five student workers smiling and hugging as they greet people coming on campus.]

[Retzer, sits in lobby area of University Center with display case in the background.]

Retzer: With us living away from the area, the Family Association has brought a lot of knowledge to us. Things as simple as the battery is dead鈥痠n her car. Where can she go, and I've been able to reach out to other parents to get her additional support.鈥

[Large photo of student housing with cars and people all around as move-in day takes place. Photos of information tent and student workers smiling. Photos of more Webster student workers moving a large box of household items into the student housing building.]

[Dan Retzer, sits in lobby area of University Center with display case in the background.]

Dan Retzer: We're all sort of struggling with a lot of the same questions and some of the same concerns and having a community in which we can all meet and talk about it and support each other is absolutely paramount.

[Several photos of parents talking and smiling in Sunnen Lounge during a parent meeting at orientation.]

[Buhlinger sits in lobby area of University Center with display case in the background.]

Buhlinger: So we know the university strives for academic excellence and the fact that it's a mid-sized University that is nestled in this beautiful setting of Webster Groves that still feels like family.

[Students approaches the desk in the Reeg Academic Resource Center where a student worker is sitting on duty.]

Video shows the 马会论坛 logo and the name REEG ACADEMIC RESOURCE CENTER in the background. A sign also hangs to the side that says: The students of 马会论坛 thank Robert and Cynthia Reeg for their generosity.

[A student works at a desk writing in a notebook and laptop.]

[Another student works at a different desk writing in a notebook and a laptop.]

[Video of the front of Webster Hall and the one-way drive in front of it. There is one car parked out front. Some of the flags that fly outside can also be seen. A shot of the street signs: E. Lockwood Ave. and Mason Ave. are shown.]

[Six students cross at a cross walk on Edgar Road between the University Center, Emerson Library, the student housing and the Loretto-Hilton Center.]

[Drone aerial shot of most of the campus from the east end of Garden Avenue facing west. Parts of Webster Groves High School and their baseball diamond can also be seen in the distance. A different angle drone shot shows the parking garage.]

[A parent and a student hug outside their car on campus during move-in day.]

[Two parents and their students gather behind their car and smile for camera on move-in day.]

[A parent and student smile for camera on the side of their car during move-in day.]

[A student hugs one parent and the other parent peeks from behind next to their car in parking lot during move-in day.]

[A parent and two students make 鈥淲s鈥 with their fingers for the camera while smiling.]

[Several fast photos of students and parents smiling, hugging and posing for the camera on campus during move-in days.]

[Photo of 15 Webster student workers making 鈥淲s鈥 with their hands posing in front of an inflatable Gorlok in front of the student housing on campus.]

[马会论坛 logo appears.]

[Photo of the front of the East Academic Building on campus. A graphic appears with text: LEARN MORE AT WEBSTER.EDU]

[Instrumental music ends.]

Office of First-Year Experience and Family Programs Contact Information

William (Billy) Ratz, 鈥02, MA 鈥06

Director, First-Year Experience and Family Programs

Phone: 314-246-7007
Email: ratzwil@webster.edu

 

Large group of students gathered on lawn to form a large W

Webster Family Connection webpage on desktop, tablet and phone

Webster Family Connection

Webster Family Connection webpage on desktop, tablet and phone

Did you know? Parents and family can connect with our community so we can provide you with the information you need about Webster, financial aid, academics and more. You can keep Webster updated with your current contact information and register for upcoming family events!

Connect your family at:

Additional Information for Parents and Families

Taking place after Freshmen move-in in August, Family Orientation includes important information families need to serve as Webster's partners in your student's success. Topics include Student Involvement, Public Safety, Counseling and Life Development and the Reeg Academic Resource Center.

Thank you for encouraging your student to become a college graduate.

Tips for Parents/Family Members of First-Generation Students

  • Attend Gorlok Registration and Onboarding Workshops (GROW) the summer before your student's freshmen year for Family Orientation.
  • Attend Family Weekend during the Spring semester.
  • Remind your students to make copies of all important paperwork and to make sure to write down the name, department, date and comments of the person they are speaking to when they contact different units on campus with questions.
  • Remember that pursuing higher education does not mean that students will lose the values they were raised with.
  • Your student may not be able to come home every weekend if they are living on campus 鈥 even if it is only 5 or 10 miles away. If they are living at home, they may not have the same amount of time to devote to family responsibilities as they did before.
  • Learn about the college process and what to expect 鈥 by learning about campus resources you will be able to become more familiar with what your student is experiencing.
  • Be patient with yourselves and one another, especially since this is a learning experience for everyone (both you and your student) 鈥 you will all be learning about this transition process together.

What some of our current first-generation college students at Webster wish their parents would know:

  • The pressure and stress that often comes with being in college.
  • To support me and try their best to understand what I am experiencing.
  • It is important for parents to understand how hard college is and that the student will be under stress. The family should be supportive.
  • At times, students may feel overwhelmed, and parents can be right there to provide support by offering words of encouragement. This goes a long way knowing that you believe in us!

Family Weekend is offered to bring parents and family members back to campus to visit their student during the spring semester. Events can include athletics events, Conservatory productions, receptions and more!

Hotels and motels are different kinds of temporary accommodation and vary based on amenities and price.

Hotels

Hotels are rated based on a 5-star system: one star is the lowest rating and five stars is the highest. Check on websites like , , and many other for recent ratings, user reviews and current pricing. Sometimes rates are more affordable when booked in advance online, rather than calling the hotel directly. To book online, you will need to use a major credit card.

IMPORTANT: Hotel rates are subject to change depending on the time of year, number of rooms available and special events in the community. Check online and contact the hotel for room availability in advance.


1231 Strassner Dr.
Brentwood, MO 63144
Approximately 2.79 miles from main campus (public transportation accessible)
314-647-8400


8700 Eager Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63144
3.9 miles from main campus
314-968-3704


1200 S. Kirkwood Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63122 (Intersection of I-44 and Highway 67)
Approximately 4 miles from main campus
314-821-3950 or 800-435-4656


10709 Watson Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63127 (Near I-44 and Highway 67)
4 miles from main campus
314-821-6600 or 800-972-3145


6300 Clayton Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63139
Approximately 5 miles from the main campus
314-647-7300


2111 Sulphur Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63139
Approximately 5 miles from main campus
314-646-0770

Forest Park Hotel
5915 Wilson Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63110 (Intersection of I-44 and Hampton)
5.3 miles from main campus
314-645-0700


5823 Wilson Ave.
St. Louis, MO, 63110 (Near intersection of I-44 and Hampton)
5.3 miles from main campus
314-645-0101


201 S. 20th St.
St. Louis, MO 63103 (Intersection of 20th and Market Street in downtown St. Louis)
10 miles from main campus
314-231-3900 or 800-378-7946

Motels

Motels are different than hotels, usually offering limited amenities at a discounted rate. Prices may be more affordable, but amenities are limited. Motels may have rooms facing a central parking lot, i.e. the term 鈥渕otor lodge鈥 is the origin of the term 鈥渕otel鈥 with doors opening to the parking lot rather that within an enclosed building. Motels are not rated on the five-star scale that hotels use and reviews are not always available. Keep in mind you usually get what you pay for and motels usually offer fewer services and employ fewer staff than hotels.

Duplex Motel
7898 Watson Rd.
Webster Groves, MO 63119
Distance from Campus: 1.8 miles
314-961-1361

Chippewa Motel
7880 Watson Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63119
Distance from campus: 1.8 miles
314-962-7020

Wayside Motel
7800 Watson Rd.
Marlborough, MO 63119
Distance from campus: 1.8 miles
314-961-2324

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