Students and their dads enjoyed university-sponsored events from the Alden Open 2015 to Pops and Pucks while also finding their own way to spend the weekend.
For Aiyana Wilkinson, a sophomore studying early childhood education, her dad could not attend Dads Weekend last year because he was running for a New Jersey seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
He didn't win the seat but this past weekend, Anthony Wilkinson and his daughter Aiyana had decided to come to the Alden Open 2015, a miniature golf course set up throughout three floors of Alden Library.
“This was the best event so far,” Anthony said. “A lot of quality time while we were going to different holes and talking, so that was good.”
Aiyana agreed that the Alden Open 2015 was her favorite event so far, despite having gone to CVS, the bookstore and the Dads Weekend Night Hike, Stargazing and Campfire.
Anthony added that he bought a "dad T-shirt."
“Oh yeah, he bought a Dads Weekend shirt,” Aiyana said. “Yeah, that’s really what we did yesterday.”
Another special event planned for dads this past weekend was Pops and Pucks.
Pops and Pucks was a tailgate event for dads and their students that took place before the hockey game where the Ohio took on the Drexel University with an 8-1 Bobcat victory.
“The expectations for the event were just to have a whole bunch of dads and their students come and enjoy and have a great time before the hockey game or before they headed out to do whatever they were going to do for the rest of the night,” Jenna Sopko, university events executive for University Program Council, said.
The event had a great turnout, Sopko said. Everyone who signed up came, and there were even more people that just came and bought tickets at the door.
Hannah Hershfield, public relations executive for University Program Council, said the expectations were “exactly this.”
“It turned out great and our programmer Jenna did a great job,” Hershfield said. “So we are very happy with the turnout.”
Pops and Pucks included a burger bar, a cash bar, raffle baskets with Bobcat dad gear and even a DJ, Hershfield said.
Beyond the numerous events that were planned on campus, some dads and their students had fun planning their own bonding time.
Ryan Faber, a senior studying plant biology, said he had fun just drinking and playing golf with his dad this past weekend.
“(Ryan) ... is on the archery team, so we got a chance to go watch him shoot, and it was a lot of fun,” Bob Faber said.
As for Bob’s weekend in Athens, overall he said it was “fantastic — it’s always a great time down here.”
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For alumnus Bernie Stadelman, his favorite part about visiting his daughter was walking the campus.
“My ultimate favorite is to walk the campus because I go see all the parts of campus that I used to spend time in and see my old dorms,” Stadelman said. “So I like that the best and to be able to do that with Maria is just awesome.”
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