Parents and Friends,
Happy 2026! I hope you enjoyed the extra time with your students over the break. Offices across campus are excited to have students back for the spring semester.
With the new year, some students may be looking for a new job. On-campus employment is a great opportunity for students to gain experience and build valuable skills in an environment that supports the needs of students. Now is a great time to encourage your students to consider on-campus employment and explore the variety of positions available on the Student Employment page on my.tlu.edu. This spring, the Student Affairs Division will host a Student Leadership Fair (Jan. 26 & 27) to recruit students to serve in leadership roles for the 2026-2027 academic year. Students can meet with representatives to learn about the roles of a Resident Assistant, a Campus Activities Board member, a Collaborative Learning Assistant, a CSL Coordinator, a First Year Experience Coordinator, or a Peer Mentor.
Best wishes as you begin the start of your new year. Please reach out to us at parents@tlu.edu with any questions.
Sierra Smith, Director of First Year Experience & Student Transitions
TLU + TimelyCare
All Texas Lutheran Students have access to TimelyCare. This virtual health and well-being platform offers 24/7 virtual care at no cost to students anywhere in the US. They can diagnose and even call in prescriptions to your local pharmacy. Students can download the app in their app store or visit TimelyCare’s website.
Welcome Back Events with TLU Counseling & Accommodations
Students are invited to kick off the new semester with two events. Thursday, January 22, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., all are invited to join us in ASC Conference Rooms A & B for a Planner Party. Enjoy free food and tips on building an effective planner and managing time wisely. Planners will be provided for students without one.
Wednesday, February 4, from 6-8 p.m. in ASC Conference Rooms A & B, students are invited to the Introvert Social: Lego Edition. The Introvert Social is great for students who are new, shy, anxious around people, connect differently, or enjoy a no-pressure environment with free food and door prizes!
Feb. 2 | Fall 2026 Housing Applications Open
Our Fall 2026 housing application will open on February 2 at 8 a.m. There will be changes to the housing selection process, so please make sure you share this information with your student!
Students with 0-60 credit hours can live in Centennial, Baldus, Trinity, Clifton, and Seguin Hall.
Students with 60+ credit hours can live in the Apartments and Hahn Hall. A lottery system will be in place for returning students to potentially live in the same room next academic year.
We will have two more housing meetings on January 28 and 29 with more information. Times and locations of the housing meetings will be shared with students after move-in.
Welcome Back from the Student Engagement Office!
As students return to campus, we’re excited to share a few upcoming events to help kick off the semester. Welcome Back Bags with first-day essentials will be available on Thursday, January 15.
For our commuter students, we’ll be giving out breakfast tacos on Tuesday, January 20. Then, on Thursday, January 22, students are invited to join us for a fun Karaoke Night.
We are so excited to welcome your students back to campus and can’t wait to host them at our events.
Please also keep in mind that the TLU Food Pantry will reopen 24/7 beginning the first day of classes. If your student has not yet applied to the program, please encourage them to fill out an application.
Career Development Resources and Events
Greetings from Career Development! We hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday season! Please remind your students to make sure they are registered through Handshake for job and internship opportunities and through Big Interview for mock interview practice. We are here to help your students in any way possible.
On February 28, we will be having the JCPenney Suit-UP event, where students can get up to 45% off on select career wear. More information will be coming soon.
On March 5, we will be hosting the Spring 2025 Career Fair at the TLU Chapel. Please remind your students about these events and encourage them to attend.
Student Employment
Welcome to 2026. If you thought the fall semester went by fast, fasten your seat belts because the spring semester is beginning, and it is truly a fast-paced time. From events to spring break, from housing sign-up to job hirings, there is something for everyone.
Student Affairs will be hiring nearly 100 students for various positions over the coming months, and many of these positions will be filled by spring break, so students will know if they have been hired. All Student Affairs student job applications went live on the first day of class, January 14. Each department has its own timeline, which is stated in the application.
Jan. 21 | Fresh Start Breakfast
Peer Mentors and the Office of First Year Experience & Student Transitions are excited to welcome back our first-year students!
After being on break, it’s time to get back into the game and get ready for a great semester! First-year students can reconnect with their Peer Mentors while learning about upcoming programs and enjoying a morning breakfast bar on Wednesday, January 21, at 9:30 a.m. in the Alumni Student Center (ASC) to start their day off right!
Peer Mentor Hiring
We’re looking for students with a passion for TLU and a heart to support first-year students to join the 26-27 Peer Mentor team!
We’re hosting brief info sessions on Jan. 28 & 29 to share more about the position. Students can apply through Connect@TLU!
Blumberg Memorial Library Services
A new semester brings new research projects! Your students can find resources for each of TLU’s academic disciplines using the library’s Research Guides.
If they have further questions, they can always reach out to librarian@tlu.edu and schedule a one-on-one consultation.
Advising Support - Add/Drop Classes
Returning students who have checked in can make schedule changes online during the add/drop period. Add/drop opens Tuesday, January 13 at 8 a.m., and remains open until Tuesday, January 20 at midnight. Navigate to the Student tab of myTLU and click on Add/Drop Courses.
March 5 | Dogs on the Green at Vaaler Creek Golf Club
Registration is now open for the 34th Annual Dogs on the Green Golf Tournament, taking place March 5, 2026. Join fellow Bulldogs and friends of TLU for a full day of golf in support of our men’s and women’s golf programs.
Register your team today!
