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Parents and Families

Engage, Discover Resources, Stay Connected

Whether your student’s first home is in Florida, another state, or another country, Florida Southern College is committed to keeping you informed and connected while your student transitions to collegiate life. Your student’s experience at FSC will be transformational, and your partnership plays a key role as we prepare your student to make a positive and consequential impact on society.

We are dedicated to providing resources to help you and your family stay abreast of what’s happening on campus, sharing important dates and deadlines, and ultimately providing a gateway to the services that will support your student’s success at Florida Southern and beyond.

Get Involved. Stay Informed.

The Link, Parent Newsletter

The Link, Parent Newsletter

Parents and families are automatically added to our monthly newsletter which shares updates about the latest happenings at Florida Southern.

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Parent Newsletter Archive
Parent Facebook

Parent Facebook

Connect with FSC staff and other members of our parent community via our Parent Facebook page.
Parent Facebook Group
Campus Safety Messaging

Campus Safety Messaging

Students are automatically enrolled in the emergency text message system but parents and families are welcome to join as well.
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Family Weekend

Family Weekend

Join us each fall to connect with your student and get a taste of their FSC college experience.
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Reading List

Reading List

Suggested reads for parents and families to learn about supporting students' transition to college life.
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FAQ

FAQ

Questions? Check out our FAQ for parents and families.
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Gifts for Students

Gifts for Students

Send a care package, birthday cake, or other gear to let your student know they are on your mind.

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Send FSC Apparel and Gear

Calendar

Fall 2023 Academic Calendar

August 19 to 21
Orientation and Registration: New and Transfer Students – Day Undergraduate Program
August 22
Classes Begin at 8:00 AM
August 28
Last Day to Register and Adjust Class Schedule
September 20
Final Day to Withdraw from “A” Courses
October 10
A Term Ends
October 16 to 20
Fall Break (No Classes)
October 23
B Term Begins
October 25
Last Day to Add "B" Courses
November 3
Final Day to Withdraw from Courses Without an Academic Penalty
November 21
Final Day to Withdraw from "B" Courses
November 22 to 24
Thanksgiving Break (No Classes)
December 8
Classes End
December 11 to 13
Final Exams
December 16
Mid-Year Commencement
Christmas Holidays Begin

Spring 2024 Academic Calendar

January 8
Orientation and Registration: New and Transfer Students – Day Undergraduate Program
January 9
Classes Begin at 8:00 AM
January 15
Martin Luther King Day (No Classes)
January 16
Last Day to Register and Adjust Class Schedule
February 7
Final Day to Withdraw from “A” Courses
February 27
A Term Ends
March 4 to 8
Spring Break (No Classes)
March 11
B Term Begins
March 13
Last Day to Add "B" Courses
March 22
Final Day to Withdraw from Courses Without an Academic Penalty
March 29
Good Friday Holiday (No Classes)
April 9
Final Day to Withdraw from "B" Courses
April 11
Frank Lloyd Wright Day (No Classes)
April 19
Fiat Lux
April 26
Classes End
April 29 to May 1
Final Exams
May 4
Spring Graduation

Featured Events

In-Person

Summer Dance

Summer Dance

Jun 14

In-Person

Summer Band Camp

Summer Band Camp

Jun 18

In-Person

Spring Awakening

Theatre Arts

Spring Awakening

Based on the Play by Frank Wedekind, Directed by Natasha Lee Martin

Nov 15 - Nov 24

The winner of eight Tony Awards, Spring Awakening explores the journey from adolescence to adulthood with a poignancy and passion that is illuminating and unforgettable. Set in 1891 Germany, this musical is an electrifying fusion of morality and rock and roll that explores the trials and tribulations of growing up. For mature audiences.

Spring Awakening is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

Location: Buckner Theatre

Cost: Free for FSC Faculty, Staff, and Students. General Admission tickets: $10 child/$20 adult.

In-Person

Duo Performance Featuring Lewis Porter and Jeffrey Benatar

Music

Duo Performance Featuring Lewis Porter and Jeffrey Benatar

Musical Performance

Nov 21 7:30 PM

Director of Jazz Studies Jeffrey Benatar collaborates with Jazz Guest Artist-in-Residence Lewis Porter for a two-piano concert. Lewis Porter, P.h.D., is a Grammy-nominated pianist and composer on 38 albums with Dave Liebman, John Patitucci, Terri Lyne Carrington, and many others, as well as a celebrated author, researcher, and educator. 

Location: Anne MacGregor Jenkins Recital Hall

Cost: Free Admission, no ticket required.

In-Person

Disney Springs

Discover Florida

Disney Springs

Nov 25

Find the perfect Christmas present for your loved ones at Disney Springs! Make reservations for unique dining options, enjoy bowling, or take a ride in a hot air balloon!

Registration Opens: 11/4/24

Registration Closes: 11/18/24

Tickets: 50

Location: Disney Springs, Disney World

Cost: Free

In-Person

Lessons & Carols: Christmas Candlelight Service

Special Event

Lessons & Carols: Christmas Candlelight Service

Holiday Special Event

Dec 4 6:30 PM

Lessons and Carols is a cherished FSC tradition featuring a blend of scripture readings and music telling the story of Christ's birth. This candlelight service invites the audience to reflect on the season’s significance through uplifting melodies and timeless readings.

Location: Ordway 162

In-Person

The Christmas Gala: Home For The Holidays

Special Event

The Christmas Gala: Home For The Holidays

Holiday Special Event

Dec 7 2:30 PM

The FSC Music Department combines all its musical resources to perform holiday classics in both traditional and innovative arrangements. Inspired by the holiday spirit, all ensembles from the FSC Orchestra, Symphony and Jazz Bands, and Choirs perform music for you, the audience, to help put you in the holiday mood. Select FSC students in smaller ensembles will greet you with their music as you enter Honeyman Pavilion, entertain you throughout the concert between larger numbers, and encourage you to join them in song for the sing-along at the end of the concert. Join us for this special annual Holiday Celebration! 

Location: Branscomb Memorial Auditorium

Cost: Free for FSC Faculty, Staff, and Students. General Admission tickets: $5 child/$10 adult.

In-Person

The Christmas Gala: Home For The Holidays

Special Event

The Christmas Gala: Home For The Holidays

Holiday Special Event

Dec 7 7:30 PM

The FSC Music Department combines all its musical resources to perform holiday classics in both traditional and innovative arrangements. Inspired by the holiday spirit, all ensembles from the FSC Orchestra, Symphony and Jazz Bands, and Choirs perform music for you, the audience, to help put you in the holiday mood. Select FSC students in smaller ensembles will greet you with their music as you enter Honeyman Pavilion, entertain you throughout the concert between larger numbers, and encourage you to join them in song for the sing-along at the end of the concert. Join us for this special annual Holiday Celebration! 

Location: Branscomb Memorial Auditorium

Cost: Free for FSC Faculty, Staff, and Students. General Admission tickets: $5 child/$10 adult.

In-Person

Toast To The Holidays

Music

Toast To The Holidays

Anne Jenkins Memorial Symphony Series

Dec 14 7:00 PM - Dec 15

Get into the holiday spirit with Toast to the Holidays, a festive concert featuring cherished classics and joyful tunes. Enjoy favorites like 'White Christmas' and 'Sleigh Ride,' along with lively overtures and a sing-along. Featuring vocalists Elizabeth Lyons, Holly Parrish, John Partain, and Tyler Campbell. This concert promises a merry celebration for all!

Location: Branscomb Memorial Auditorium

Cost: $29-$49 per person

In-Person

Music and Mind

Music and Mind

Renee Fleming, Special Guest

Jan 7

Renée Fleming joins local researchers and medical professionals to examine and discuss the effects of music and the arts on the brain and human health. World-renowned soprano Fleming is a leading advocate for the study of the powerful connections between the arts and health. Her anthology, Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness, is now available from Viking/Penguin.

How can someone with Alzheimer’s be unable to recognize their own spouse, but perfectly recall songs from decades before? Why can some patients with Parkinson’s disease, unable to rise from a chair or walk through a doorway, accomplish these tasks or even dance, to the sound of a musical beat? In addition to using music to better understand the complex functioning of the brain, researchers have found arts therapies to be effective tools in addressing the effects of an ever-widening array of conditions, not only Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s, but also cardiac failure, stroke, PTSD, chronic pain, and traumatic brain injuries.

Especially compelling is the fact that music, dance, and art therapies are cost-effective, non-pharmaceutical, and non-invasive. Many can be administered in group settings, offering benefits for emotional well-being, and through tele-health, increasing accessibility. With an aging population, the potential implications of this work are immense. And the impact of arts on the developing brains of children shows effects reaching beyond scholastic aptitude to creativity and success throughout life.
New initiatives are launching rapidly, backed by the National Institutes of Health (the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world) as well as major hospitals, universities, and interdisciplinary institutions.

Location: Anne MacGregor Jenkins Recital Hall

Cost: $50.00

In-Person

Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene

Music

Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene

Renee Fleming in Recital

Jan 8

Renée Fleming is one of the most highly acclaimed singers of our time. Honored with five Grammy® awards and the US National Medal of Arts, she has sung for momentous occasions from the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony to the Super Bowl. A 2023 Kennedy Center Honoree, she is also a Goodwill Ambassador for Arts and Health for the World Health Organization. Her anthology, Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness, was published in by Viking/Penguin in April. A prominent advocate for research at the intersection of arts, health, and neuroscience, as Artistic Advisor to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Renée launched the first ongoing collaboration between America’s national cultural center and the National Institutes of Health. Other awards include the 2023 Crystal Award from the World Economic Forum, the Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal, the Order of Merit from Germany, and honorary doctorates from 10 major universities.

Cost: $75.00 - $150.00

In-Person

Night at the Opera: Man of La Mancha

Music

Night at the Opera: Man of La Mancha

Anne Jenkins Memorial Symphony Series

Jan 18 7:00 PM

Experience the timeless tale of courage and imagination in 'Man of La Mancha,' the beloved opera adaptation of Cervantes' classic novel, 'Don Quixote.' Follow the noble Don Quixote on his quest to defend chivalry and love against the backdrop of the Spanish Inquisition. With stirring music and unforgettable characters, this enduring masterpiece transports audiences to a world where dreams defy reality.

Location: Branscomb Memorial Auditorium

Cost: $40-75 per person

Featured Services

Campus Directory

Dining Services

Dining Services

Our food service program is focused on the student and their needs and desires. We are here not only to offer good food and friendly service, but to meet special requirements for such things as vegetarian meals or special diets. Check out the many food venues, campus dining hours, daily menus, and much more!
Learn More
Campus Safety

Campus Safety

Our dedicated, responsive staff helps to ensure the well-being of the entire college community. In addition to an emergency text message system, our Campus Safety staff are available 24/7 to meet the needs of our students.

Campus Safety Office

Text Message System

Airport Shuttle Services

Airport Shuttle Services

Florida Southern College provides shuttle transportation for current students to and from the Tampa (TPA) and Orlando (MCO) airports for breaks throughout the school year.

FAQs

Registration

Get to Know Lakeland

There are so many places to explore in Lakeland! Hop on a bike and tour the city on a 26-mile lake-to-lake byway, catch a show at the historic Polk Theatre, or grab a coffee or a bite to eat at one of Lakeland's many craft coffee houses.

Where to Stay

Need help figuring out where to stay? Lakeland boasts a diverse range of accommodations, allowing you to experience our town at its best. Remember to mention Florida Southern College when making your reservations.

Questions? Contact

Ryan Walsh Ryan Walsh

Associate Dean of Student Engagement

Office of Financial Aid Office of Financial Aid

 863.680.4140

 863.680.4567

Office of Student Life Office of Student Life

 863.680.4209

 863.680.4112