Family Affair

Parents play a crucial role in shaping the Roanoke College experience for students.

After a serious biking accident sent Ryan Glascott '16 to a local emergency room last October, his parents Jim and Deirdre Glascott rushed from their home in Bedford, N.Y., to be with him. When they arrived several hours later, they were surprised and heartened to find his fraternity brothers at the hospital, rallying to support their friend. And they were even more encouraged when Roanoke College President Michael Maxey dropped by the hospital to check on Ryan. 

"It was just this incredibly warm and nurturing feeling we got when we arrived at the ER and found everybody to be just as concerned about Ryan as we were," Deirdre Glascott says. "Roanoke is really a super special place."

Jim Glascott adds: "We almost feel like we're part of a family. It gives me comfort knowing that not only is my son getting a great education, but he's in a place where people care about him."

That positive experience is just one of many reasons the Glascotts enthusiastically support Roanoke College. As members of the Parent Leadership Council (PLC), the Glascotts feel they are able to bolster their son's academic experience at Roanoke by offering feedback about Ryan's college experience and by assisting with recruitment events in their hometown. 

"If we didn't believe in the school so much, we wouldn't take the time to do these kinds of things," Jim Glascott says. 

Parent support and involvement is strong at Roanoke. The PLC - which engages parents through volunteer programs, communications and special events, and other leadership roles - includes the families of nearly 40 students and represents the geographic demographic of the student body and all class years. The group meets twice a year, where members are informed about the College's activities, policies, programs, concerns and plans for future development. In return, these parents are a valuable sounding board for College officials, providing observations and suggestions about the College's programs, plans and student life matters. 

But serving on the PLC isn't the only option for parent involvement at Roanoke. President Maxey shares updates about the College with all parents during presentations at Family Weekend and through other communications. Many parents have been instrumental in setting up internships for students or helping them find jobs after graduation. Others, like the Glascotts, are advocates for Roanoke, boosting admissions efforts by talking to the parents of prospective students about their own positive impressions of the College.

"Those are valuable ways every parent can contribute to Roanoke," Maxey says. "In doing so, they help shape our admissions for the future. Parents also are in a unique position to compare us to other institutions - to share ideas from other places. That's a valuable service parents can provide. They can give reactions to things we do to help us make the College better and stronger."

A Family Feel

When Frank Wisneski and Lynn Dale, of Boston, brought their daughter Sarah Elizabeth Dale '15 to Roanoke, they were impressed with the level of connection their entire family felt with Roanoke. They believed that Sarah, now a senior, would thrive in the close-knit environment. As co-chairs of the PLC, the couple have been pleasantly surprised to see how invested President Maxey is in the lives of the students and in every aspect of the College. 

"Sarah talks about chatting with President Maxey at the gym, when they're running on treadmills next to each other," Dale says. "He's very present on the campus, and he and Mrs. Maxey really want to know the students personally. That's been important for us."

The couple, who have hosted receptions for accepted students and their parents in their home, feel it's important to give back to the campus community that has so enriched their daughter's life.  

"Anytime you can do that, whether through monetary gifts or by providing other services, you are helping to shape and enhance the value of the educational experience at Roanoke," Dale says. "We also feel like we have the opportunity to set an example for our daughter of what it means to be a contributor and not a taker. It's a way to show that we care about her and that her College matters to us."

Wisneski adds: "It's also a way we can help protect the financial investment we're making into her college education. Parents can help make sure that the Roanoke College their kids leave is a better place."

PLC members also take on an active role in helping the College reach its annual fund-raising goal through leadership gifts and by encouraging other parents to give to the Roanoke Fund. Over the years, PLC members have established various challenge gifts to foster a culture of philanthropy among all parents, as well as current students. 

"This chain of giving makes the College experience better for everyone," Maxey says.. "No one has ever paid the total cost to attend Roanoke. So when parents give back, it's a nice way to express appreciation for others who gave in years past to make their child's experience positive." 

Patton and Mimi Coles, parents of Quint Coles '14 and Jimmy Coles '18, are Roanoke Valley co-chairs of the $200 million Roanoke Rising campaign. They believe parents have an important role to play in strengthening the College for the future.

"We've been very involved with our children's education from the time they were in elementary school," Mimi Coles says. 'We've enjoyed it, and have found it rewarding on lots of levels to help make our children's schools the best places they can be and a good experience for everyone. When your child is happy and content, you're happy and content as a parent." 

Hopes for Roanoke's Future

Pat Leardo, a member of the Roanoke College Board of Trustees and the father of Patrick Leardo '06, appreciates the openness and warmth of Roanoke's staff and faculty. He finds their willingness to answer questions clearly and honestly a stark contrast to the larger institutions his other children have attended, where he has experienced frustration when trying to resolve problems or address concerns.

Pat Leardo, who makes an effort to cultivate good working relationships with all of the College's top administrators, hopes to see Roanoke continue its rise in the college rankings and to achieve a national reputation among small, liberal arts colleges. He considers Roanoke one of the "best kept secrets" in the country and hopes that greater parent involvement can help Roanoke become more widely known, helping the College continue to carry out its mission. 

"If more parents became involved at Roanoke, they would have a much greater understanding of the students' and the College's needs," says Leardo, chair of the board's Finance Committee. "They'll feel more connected and will really be blessed by the emphasis on close, personal relationships that is embedded in the culture of the College."

Karen Doss Bowman