By Megan McGuinness, Staff Writer
Family and Friends Weekend is a beloved yearly tradition at Western New England University, in which Golden Bears and their families and friends are invited to participate in a wide range of family-friendly activities on campus. This weekend tends to fall a week or two after midterms, which provides a nice opportunity for students to destress, relax, and enjoy a calming weekend with their loved ones. This year’s fun-filled weekend is set for October 22-24, 2021.
Since outside visitors were not allowed on campus last year due to the pandemic, campus organizations organized a Virtual Family and Friends Weekend. Families were invited to participate in virtual family bingo, watch a virtual comedy show, and were able to sign up for a virtual pancakes with the President event, where families could have t-shirts and pancake mix sent to their home. In addition, some on-campus events were offered for students, including World Fest, a novelty fair with various giveaways, and food trucks.
Having been two years since an in-person Family and Friends Weekend has been held, many students are excited to have their families and friends physically back on campus for this year’s event. Renee Lussier, a Western New England University student in the class of 2023, told the Westerner, “I’m especially excited to have my family come to campus this year since they were unable to come for my freshmen year.”
This weekend is sponsored by the Campus Activities Board, the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership, and the Parents Association, who have spent months planning in preparation of a great weekend. Samantha Sterner, the Golden Bear Pride Chair of the Campus Activities Board, has been actively involved in this process and the planning of many highly anticipated events including: the Movie on the Lawn, the student art showcase, Pancakes with the President, and family bingo. Sterner told the Westerner, “I really enjoyed playing bingo at Family and Friends weekend in the past and my family enjoyed it too, so I’m happy that we are able to run the event again this year.”
Claire Wright, the Campus Activities Board advisor and the Assistant Director for Clubs and Organizations, has also played a crucial role in the shaping of this weekend. She served as a guide and support for Sterner and her committee as they proposed ideas during the planning process. In addition, she helped work through the logistics regarding putting the clubs’ finalized plans into motion.
When asked what she is most looking forward to regarding the upcoming event, Wright mentioned, “I am really looking forward to seeing the programs the students have planned come to fruition. I think the whole weekend is just going to be a lot of fun.”
The anticipated events span over a 3-day period, from Friday, October 22 to Sunday, October 24. Registration is free to all families with the exception of admission into the football game and to the “Pancakes with the President” event, which both have a small fee. All of the events are optional and range from academic to artistic to athletic so as to allow students and their families the freedom to spend their time how they please. In addition, the Blue and Gold Bookstore and University Commons are open throughout the weekend for convenience.
For Friday evening, there are two events planned. At 4:00 p.m., there is an induction ceremony for new members of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society on campus. This is an invitation only event in which the families of the new inductees are invited to gather and celebrate their student’s successes. Later in the evening, at 9:00 p.m., the Campus Activities Board is hosting an event on Commonwealth Lawn, where the movie “Grown Ups” will be shown. Popcorn and beverages will be provided, too.
On Saturday, there are a multitude of events happening. Beginning at 10:00 a.m., the Campus Activities Board is putting on the Student Art Showcase, where there will be performances by members of many of the artistic organizations on campus, information booths about campus resources, and a coffee bar. Then, the Campus Activities Boards’ “Rolling Through the Decades” event will be held from 12:00-4:00 p.m., where there will be roller skating, spin art, music, and more.
During the late afternoon, the Residence Hall Association’s annual bed races will be held. Members of the Parents Association and each of the Residence Hall Councils across campus spend weeks creating and decorating a rolling “bed” by hand to represent their organization/residence hall. Then, they race them at this event! All are invited to come watch.
At 5:00 p.m., the Parents Association Reception is being held, which is a reserved event for members of the Parents Association. Later that night at 8:00 p.m., a Golden Hours Program is being put on by the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership, which is sure to be a hit.
Throughout the day on Saturday, there are also many home athletic events scheduled at various times, including the Women’s Soccer game at noon, the Football game at 1:00 p.m., the Men’s Soccer game at 3:00 p.m., and the Field Hockey game at 6:00 p.m.
Wrapping up family weekend, on Sunday, from 9:30-11:30 a.m., the “Pancakes with the President’” event will be held in the University Commons, and there will be “waffles on a stick” on the first floor of the University Commons for everyone to enjoy. Following this event, students, families, and friends are invited to participate in six rounds of bingo at noon, in hopes of winning one of the six prizes up for grabs.
As mentioned, the Campus Activities Board, the Parents Association, and the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership have planned a packed, fun-filled weekend of events for students and their families and friends to enjoy. Registration is now live and can be completed at wneu.universitytickets.com.
