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K-State Parents and Family Program

Lafene Health Center: Transferring medical providers after graduation

If your student has been using Lafene Health Center as their healthcare provider while they’ve been attending K-State and they are graduating next month, it’s time to start looking for a primary care provider where they are relocating and planning to live.  This is especially important if they have any chronic illnesses or are on any chronic medications.  It’s possible they were using a pediatric clinic before coming to K-State and they will no longer be eligible to use a pediatric office.  Finding a new provider can be a challenge and may be something they haven’t even thought about.  Staying healthy is important and choosing the right provider is one of the most important decisions they will make about their healthcare.

More often than not, things do not move as quickly in the medical marketplace as they do at Lafene and K-State.  In some cases, it can take up to six months or longer to get established with a primary care physician.  Students don’t want to have a week of daily medications left and then be scrambling to find a provider that can see them and give them a refill.  If they are due for an annual physical, it can take two to three months before that type of appointment can be made with a new provider.

Below are four steps to take when looking for a provider:

  1. Identify providers in your network. Call your insurance company to find providers who take your health coverage.
  2. Ask around. Ask friends or family for recommendations and read online reviews for doctors in your area.
  3. Call the provider’s office. Ask them questions to help you decide.  Are they accepting new patients?  Where are they located?  Will appointment times work with your schedule?
  4. Give them a try! It may take more than one visit to figure out if a provider is the right one.

Students can request their medical records from Lafene Health Center by completing a Records Release Form.  The medical record is helpful in establishing a relationship with a new provider.

 

K-State Esports program starts strong

The Esports program at Kansas State University is a new and exciting way for students to get involved in varying degrees. The program aims to provide students with the space, resources, and support to participate together in the exponentially growing field of gaming.

With close to 90% of college-bound high school graduates stating that they regularly play video games, developing this new program allows our department to reach more students through a single activity than any other sport or competitive offering. We plan on creating a state-of-the-art space in the student union that would allow students of all competition levels to build transferable skills and build relationships through gaming and esports. This program and space would cater to recreational gaming, the already established and successful esports student club, and a possible competitive team.

Family of the Year Application now open

2022 Kansas State University Family of the Year Application
Sponsored by Chimes Junior Honorary
The annual Family of the Year competition recognizes a family that has shown great dedication to the K-State community and Wildcat family. Selected by Chimes Junior Honorary, the Family of the Year is hosted for special activities during K-State Family Day. The recognition is sponsored by Chimes Junior Honorary, the link to their website is as follows: https://www.k-state.edu/chimes/

The selected family will come to Manhattan, KS to celebrate with Chimes Junior Honorary members before being recognized on the field as the “K-State Fan of the Game” during the 2022 Family Day football game on Saturday September 17th. Members of the winning family wishing to attend the football game must purchase their own tickets. Please prepare to be available on this day to take part in this special celebration of your family.

Please submit your applications by Monday, April 18, 2022, at 11:59 pm. All applicants will be notified by the end of May 2022 on the status of their application.

If you have any questions regarding the application or the K-State Family of the Year recognition, please contact our Co-Directors of Events, Brianna Streeter and Kristen Hammes

2nd Annual #FratsForCats Fundraiser Today!

In our inaugural year, seven fraternities challenged each other to raise the most support for the Parents and Family Program (PFP) to become the PFP Fraternity of the Year. In just 24 hours, nearly four thousand dollars were raised for Student Life programs with Acacia taking home the 2021 title.

Coming off from last year’s success, I’m thrilled to announce that TODAY kicks off the 2022 Frats for Cats Challenge. Fifteen fraternities are competing to win this year’s title and raise support for PFP.

Your gift to the Parents and Family Program will support programs at K-State that enhance student life in all aspects—academic, social, and professional development. Your gift is an investment in the future of K-State, and we are so appreciative of your joining us in our Love a Wildcat Challenge!

Use this link to make your gift and enter the name of the fraternity you are rooting for in the “In Honor Of” field: Contributions towards this initiative can be made here! 

K-State First-generation Graduation Celebration

SavetheDate

The Office of First-generation Students, along with several campus partners, will host the 5th Annual First-generation Student Celebration on Friday, May 13, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. Forum Hall. We recognize the importance of celebrating our students’ accomplishments and the significance of this milestone for our students, their families, and support systems. Students and families not able to attend the event will have the opportunity to join the celebration via zoom. Students who attend the reception will receive a green cord symbolizing their resilience to wear to commencement as well as other small tokens of congratulatory sentiment. Those students who attend the event virtually will be able to pick up their cords from the Office of First-generation Students the week of May 9-13, 2022.

Please share this information with your graduating seniors and encourage them to participate and RSVP through this survey by April 29. All graduating seniors have received an email invite.

We hope you can join us in congratulating our May and Summer first-generation graduates online on Friday, May 13, 2022, 7:00 to 8:30 pm. Forum Hall.

Community Spotlight: Meritrust

Meritrust is proud to support Powercat Financial and help to grow the financial well-being of K-State students. We know being away from your student as they embark on life’s colligate journey can be tough. That’s why Meritrust is dedicated to helping students grow their money skills along their financial well-being journey. To help us best support your student on their journey, we’re proud to support Kansas State University’s peer-to-peer financial planning program, Powercat Financial.

Meritrust

Together, we’re introducing students to peer counselors known as Meritrust Credit Union Scholars, in order to offer your student counseling on budgeting, saving, credit, student loan repayment and transitioning to work. The Meritrust Financial Well-being team will contribute training for the program’s peer counselors, who are students in financial services-related fields of study.

The partnership aligns with Meritrust’s focus on helping our members and communities move toward financial health and well-being.
“Financial well-being is a vital component in our journey of achieving personal goals and our overall health and success,” says Meritrust President and CEO James Nastars. “The scholars and the students they work with will gain knowledge and confidence about financial literacy, helping to improve their lives, even beyond college.”

The partnership with Powercat Financial will serve both K-State students on the Manhattan campus and Global Campus online students, acting as the bridge for Meritrust to be an available resource in providing tailored learning experiences.

“Our partnership ensures the financial education and well-being needs of Kansas State students can continue to be addressed now and into the future,” said Jodi Kaus, director of Powercat Financial. “We have found a financial institution partner in Meritrust who shares our mission of increasing individuals’ financial well-being.”

With our Powercat Financial sponsorship and beyond, we remain committed to serving you, your family and the Manhattan community. Learn more about Meritrust and the services we offer.

We’re local! Visit us today.
104 McCall Rd.
meritrustcu.org

Learn about the LGBT Resource Center

The LGBT Resource Center at Kansas State University is dedicated to supporting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) students, staff, and faculty at our campus and surrounding communities. The Center was established in August of 2010 and is currently located in 207 Holton Hall. It is the goal of the Resource Center to promote equity, respect, and social justice through programs, outreach, and education.  The Center is open to all and provides information regarding resources available to those of differing sexualities and gender identities and helps to build and nurture a diverse and inclusive campus community that supports all aspects of the curricular and co-curricular lives of our students, faculty, staff, and community members.

LGBTQ students and their families at K-State are an important part of the K-State community. The Center and the departmental student organizations; Sexuality and Gender Alliance, Gender Collective, and Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; host many events throughout the academic year. Events include social and educational and advocacy programming such as the Kansas LGBTQ Leadership Conference, Ally Cats, Red Ribbon Ball, Annual K-State Drag Show, and Lavender Graduation. Events are open to all and welcome your student, your family, and all allies to the LGBTQ community.

The LGBT Resource Center also administers several scholarships and other financial aid opportunities. One of the most outstanding programs provides financial assistance for your student to acquire mental health care. In addition, the Center helps to connect students and families to many additional resources both on and off campus. Additional opportunities for mentorship, career development, and community engagement are also available.

The Resource Center and Coordinator, Dr. Brandon Haddock have been awarded many accolades and awards. These include a Five Star Premiere Campus rating based upon the Campus Pride Campus Climate Index and Dr. Haddock as the 2013 Campus Pride Voice and Action National Advisor Award. The Center has also been recognized as a Top 25 LGBT Friendly College by College Consensus in 2019 and as a Top 10 Trans-Supportive College by the Advocate Magazine in 2017. On October 13th, 2020, K-State was named one of Campus Pride’s “2020 BEST OF THE BEST LGBTQ-Friendly Colleges & Universities!”

The LGBT Resource Center is included within Intercultural Learning & Academic Success within the Office of Diversity & Multicultural Student Affairs (DMSA) reporting structure.

#HomeAwayFromHomecoming fundraising challenge

HAFHC

Participate in the first annual Home Away from Homecoming Challenge! Each residence hall or living community is raising funds for the K-State Parents and Family Program. The team to raise the highest average dollar amount will be named the K-State Parents and Family Program Home of the Year! To support your student’s living facility access their giving link below!

http://ksufoundation.org/pfp/

Seeking words of encouragement from families

Each November, colleges across the nation celebrate the success of first-gen students through the National First-Generation College Student Celebration. A first generation student is someone whose neither parent or guardian completed a four-year degree.  This year the Office of First-generation have an exciting lineup of events to celebrate first-generation students!

In 2018, the First-generation Student Organization created a “Big Green 1” that traveled around campus for first-gen students, staff, and faculty to sign. This year we are seeking your help! Please send in a 5 second video to

parentsandfamily@ksu.edu

This video may include 3 parts.

1. Your first name

2. Where you’re from

3. Words of encouragement to a first-generation student!

An example might be “You can do it!” or “We’re so glad you’re here!” Or “I believe in you!”

You may also participate by sending in a note or a few words of encouragement to parentsandfamily@ksu.edu. We will display these videos and letters during our First-Generation celebration this year! Thank you for your support of our first-gen cats. 

Follow the Office of First-generation on facebook, twitter, and instagram

@K-StateOFGS. Post your own first-gen cats stories.