OU Family Weekend took place from Friday to Sunday. Families from all over visited campus to see their students. Multiple events hosted throughout Athens and OU’s campus drew families to the small town, leading to an inviting atmosphere for everyone who entered the campus.
Each year, faculty members work hard to put together Family Weekend. The Office of the Dean of Students began preparing for Family Weekend in the Spring 2023 by discussing plans for the event. Mak Olaker, the assistant dean of students, described the office’s process with the quick turnaround.
“There's some challenges with students coming back over the summer,” Olaker said. “We see less student org involvement in our first family weekend, and more as it goes on, like dad's weekend.”
Though the weekend comes quickly, Olaker finds importance in family weekends being so early in the school year.
“We know that those first six weeks can be really hard,” Olaker said. “We try to build in time where families can come down and visit and really get into their space and connect with their new community. We really look forward to that aspect but then also for those returning parents to come down and feel a little connected.”
The weekend began Friday with the Bobcat Family Welcome, put on by the Dean of Students. The welcome event gave a way for families to get together and meet while also making connections with OU staff. The party had refreshments and sweet treats for families to enjoy, and students, family and faculty were able to come together and communicate.
At the welcome, members of the Bobcat Family Council also made an appearance to talk to visiting families. Bobcat Family Council is a program that assists parents in their adjustment while making connections.
Bill Herriott, a member of Bobcat Family Council, describes the council’s role in more detail.
“There are a total of 12 families representing four years of students here at OU,” Herriott said. “We basically are being asked to help the university better connect with students and parents, craft programs and come up with our own set of goals and objectives to really help connect students and parents to the university and help educate them as well.”
Immediately following the Bobcat Family Welcome, Performing Arts and Concert Series hosted “Forbidden Broadway,” a performance parodying many popular Broadway shows. The event took place from 8-9:30 p.m., and families gathered to attend the show.
Saturday brought an overwhelming amount of events for families to attend including the OU football game, the local Pawpaw Festival, a family photo booth and a comedy show featuring “Saturday Night Live” cast members James Austin Johnson and Heidi Gardener.
Sunday brought a few more university sanctioned events such as “Bagels and Bingo,” a breakfast event for families to attend. The event began at 10:30 a.m. Sunday and was put on by the University Program Council.
Other sporting events also took place Sunday including soccer and field hockey. The events were a large draw for families and many attended the games.
Students also showed their families around campus during family weekend. Darby Moran, a freshman studying environmental science and sustainability, took the opportunity to give her parents a tour.
“We walked along the College Green,” Moran said. “I showed them where a bunch of my classes were, and I let them see my dorm now that it's lived in.”
The atmosphere on campus is usually unmatched during family weekends, and 2024 Family Weekend was no different. Students appreciated the excitement occurring on campus during the weekend.
“It was overall a really great experience to see people and their parents getting lunch and dinner and getting to meet the parents of other friends I have made,” Moran said.
The overall experience of Family Weekend is reassuring to parents, as well. It gives parents time to see how their student is adjusting to college. As a member of Bobcat Family Council, Herriott appreciates the opportunity the weekend gives both students and families.
“Encourage your Bobcat to get involved in whatever they do and chase their passions,” Herriott said. “As a parent, you know, become more involved with the university and understand how you can learn your talents and and your skill set to improve the community and improve the experience that your students have here, as well.”
