By Julia Perkins and Adelia Couser
This weekend, more than 6,500 people will visit the university for Parents and Family Weekend, estimates Kimberly Evans, director of alumni and parent relations.
For the past several years, families were able to attend a men’s ice hockey game during Parents Weekend, but this year there is no home game scheduled.
Evans said this has not altered the number of families coming to Parents Weekend. She said while families enjoy watching the Bobcats play, parents come to campus to see their student, not to go to a hockey game.
“A lot of people are like ‘wow there’s no hockey game,’” Evans said. “But at the same time I really do think that the more important factor is just getting parents and families to this campus and giving them a great opportunity to come and meet with their student.”
This year, 1,677 families registered online for Parents Weekend, and Evans said more families will likely attend as walk-ins. Compared to last year, an estimated 1,650 families came to campus for Parents Weekend.
Freshman Jack Brown agreed with Evans. His family is coming to visit him this weekend.
“If there was a hockey game this year, we’d probably go,” he said. “But I don’t think it’ll affect the number of parents that come to visit this weekend. I think that they’re more interested in seeing their kids, not watching a sports game. There are other things to do in the area.”
Sophomore Danielle Moore said her family would have gone to the hockey game this year if the team were playing.
“I’m sure people will be disappointed that there’s no hockey game this year because they like to go,” she said. “It’s a fun thing to do with their parents, but there’s always next year.”
Sophomore Emily Hartnett said she is excited to see her parents on Saturday.
“I haven’t seen them in a while,” sophomore Emily Hartnett said. “They’re coming up Saturday morning and we’re planning on going hiking, then to the women’s soccer game and to Eli’s for dinner.”
The picnic lunch on Saturday in the Recreation Center is the most popular event, Evans said.
“A lot of the students use this opportunity to introduce their families to their roommates and their roommates’ families,” she said. “It’s nice to walk in the rec center and see all these families meeting and getting to spend some time together.”
The weekend will begin on Friday with a Parents Council meeting in the morning and an invitation-only Parents Leadership Gift Society Reception with President John Lahey in the evening. Bobcats Madness will take place at 7 p.m. in the TD Bank Sports Center and will feature performances from the university’s spirit and dance groups.
On Saturday, starting at 9:30 a.m, parents will be able to attend 45-minute sessions with the dean of each school to hear overviews of what students are learning. These are followed by specialty sessions for the Office of Multicultural and Global Education, Greek life and the learning center.
“A lot of students are thinking about going abroad, trying to figure out a cultural group to be a part of, or being a part of a fraternity or sorority,” Evans said. “So we’ve really seen those be the biggest sessions in the past.”
Departments on campus have partnered together in order to showcase events such as the Residence Hall Council’s fall activities event in Complex courtyard, which will include pumpkin painting and foods such as cider donuts and caramel apples.
Quinnipiac’s Sustainability Committee has organized Hike to Yoga at 1:30 p.m., an event which will begin with a meditation at the base of Sleeping Giant and conclude with light yoga stretches at the tower.
“For the families that are a little more active and they want to see something a little different, [the hike] is a great chance for them to do that,” Evans said. “What’s really cool about that is Hike to Yoga is a program that is offered for students at other times of the year, so it’s a cool way for parents to see what their students can do when they’re not here.”
The weekend will conclude on Sunday with a brunch at Rocky Top, an opportunity for students and their families to see the York Hill campus while enjoying donuts and coffee and say goodbye for the weekend Evans said.
“We do see that some parents love to come back and take part in a lot of activities; they like to go to the sessions, they like to go through the schedule and check it off,” Evans said. “Other parents just kind of use this as a great excuse to come see their kid…that’s okay too. We’re just excited to get parents and families back on campus to see their students.”
