The Observer, September 23, 2005
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 4
Family Weekend offers glimpse of life at Case
Case's annual Family Weekend will take place today through Sunday. Over 200 families are registered for the event and the University Programming Board (UPB) is estimating that over 800 people will attend. According to Kristen Deaton, UPB Executive Board member and Coordinator of Student Programs and Leadership, most of the people registered are families of first-year students.
According to Deaton, the weekend is important for parents who "haven't had time to see the campus yet. Family Weekend offers them a nice way to get around to Cleveland, especially if they live far away." Deaton also added, "Parents are excited to meet other parents, which is an opportunity they may not have otherwise."
Activities for the weekend began this morning with open classes for families. Community service projects sponsored by alumni relations involving organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House and the AIDS Task Force are scheduled for the afternoon.
Parents and families will also have an opportunity to attend a question-and-answer meeting with Vice President of Student Affairs Glenn Nicholls on Friday afternoon. Later in the day, President Edward Hundert will address families and students in a reception at 5 p.m. in Thwing Atrium. This will be followed by Dinner in Thwing Ballroom and a speech by physics professor Mano Singham.
Tomorrow, Case's fraternities and sororities will hold open houses throughout the day. In the morning, a walking tour of Lakeview Cemetery will also be offered, along with "Mini-College Sessions" including classes on computer modeling, introductory physics, and a seminar on free speech in America.
At 1 p.m., the Case football team will play its second home game of the season. "Scheduling Family Weekend when there would be a home football game was important since the University wanted to showcase the new Village and stadium," Deaton said.
Families can also attend different events in Cleveland beginning at 4 p.m. Activities include a Cleveland Green Building tour and a wine tasting. Later in the evening, comedian-hypnotist Dale K will be performing in Thwing Ballroom.
On Sunday morning, a tour of the new apartments in The Village at 115 will be offered.
Parents attending family weekend will be able to catch a glimpse of what life is like for busy Case students. "I think they will see a view of life at Case from some very involved students' perspectives," Deaton said.
Some of these perspectives will be provided by a student panel that will take questions from parents on Friday afternoon. The student panel includes UPB chair Jen Agnew, Senior Class officer Ryan Novince, and Junior UPB member Katie Riedel among others. The panel discussion should be a "very honest" representation of these students' perspectives, Deaton said.
