PARENT & FAMILY INSIDER

Your Husky has been through finals before — but they never get easy.

Winter quarter finals start next week. By now, your student probably has their own routine. But even experienced Huskies feel the weight of this week — especially juniors and seniors balancing exams with internship searches, capstone projects and the question of what comes next.

A simple message like:

can be the reset they need.

If extra support is needed, Husky HelpLine is available 24/7 at 206-616-7777.

• March 12: Fuel for Finals
  
• March 13: Last day of instruction
  
• March 16–20: Winter quarter finals
• March 21–29: Spring break
  
• March 30: Spring quarter begins
• April 23: Husky Giving Day

Spring quarter is when the job and internship search kicks into high gear. The UW Career & Internship Center at Mary Gates Hall has resources your student is already paying for through tuition — and most students don’t know they exist. Everything below is free:

• Spring Career Fairs — On-campus and virtual fairs connecting students directly with employers who are hiring now. Registration is open through Handshake.
• 1:1 Career Coaching — 30- or 60-minute appointments with a professional career coach for resume help, interview prep, job search strategy or grad school planning. Available in person or virtually, year-round.
• Free Professional Headshots — The Iris Air Booth at Mary Gates Hall (MGH) 134 takes professional-quality photos for LinkedIn and Handshake profiles. Walk in, no appointment needed.
• Husky Career Closet — Free professional attire for career fairs and interviews. Same location, MGH 134.
• Private Interview Rooms — Need a quiet space for a virtual interview? Students can reserve a room at the Career Center, Monday–Friday, 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
  

A great text to send your student right now:

Spring quarter begins March 30 — and for some families, it’s the final stretch. Here’s what’s on the horizon:

• Students must apply to graduate. This is easy to miss — degrees are not automatically awarded when requirements are complete. Your student needs to submit a graduation application through their departmental adviser by the third Friday of the quarter they plan to graduate. They can apply up to three quarters in advance, and applying also makes them eligible for Graduating Senior Priority registration.
• UW Commencement is Saturday, June 13. If your student is graduating this year, now is the time to start making plans. Hotel availability in Seattle will be tighter than usual this June, so booking early matters.
• Please reach out to our Office of Ceremonies or check their website for graduation resources for your senior. And our graduating students page has family-specific information to help you plan.
• One more thing for graduating Huskies: Every UW graduate is eligible for a free one-year digital membership to the UW Alumni Association. It’s a great way to stay connected after graduation — your student gets access to the Husky Career Network, UW Libraries, discounts at 60+ businesses and UW Magazine. No cost, just a quick sign-up.

Whether your student is moving out of campus housing or an off-campus apartment, June goes by fast. A few things to get on your radar now:

• Residence hall checkout — There’s a process: room inspection, key return, packing, cleaning. Reviewing the checkout guide now means fewer surprises during finals week.
• Storage and shipping — If your student needs to store belongings over the summer or ship items home, start researching options early. Availability in Seattle will be limited this June, so don’t wait until the last week.
• Save your UW data — After graduation, students will eventually lose access to their UW email and accounts. UW-IT has a guide for saving files, forwarding email and preserving anything stored in UW systems. This is worth doing before graduation, not after.
• Our move-in & move-out resources page has additional information for families navigating the transition.

A great text to send your student: 

Husky Giving Day is April 23.

A fellow Husky family from Bellevue has committed $25,000 to Parent & Family Programs. When 25 families give early, the first $5,000 unlocks for students.

Part of how we keep that safety net strong — for every student, at every stage — is through families supporting families. No pressure. Just transparency. When families step up together, it strengthens the support around every Husky.

Grateful you’re here,

Jannah Maresh
Director, Parent & Family Programs
Academic & Student Affairs | Student Life
University of Washington
uw.edu/parents