Western Washington University is gearing up to host families of students on campus for its annual Fall Family Weekend, which will run from Oct. 18 through Oct. 20. With over 50 events available for families to partake in, attendees can anticipate its kickoff on Oct. 19 at the Performing Arts Center.
Although it sold out, The Kickoff is a new addition to this year's family weekend and is one of the many free event options for families. Parents can hear from university leadership and learn more about the experiences available to their students at Western.
“One of the things we really wanted to emphasize was this idea of not just faculty research for example, but student-faculty research and how these are experiences that some students aren't getting at every college campus,” said Victoria Martinsen, senior director of engagements at Western.
A fall-inspired banner hangs as a backdrop for students and families to take photos and capture their time at Fall Family Weekend. In this case, a multi-generation family decked out in Western gear smiles big for their photo on Oct. 21, 2023, in Bellingham, Wash. // Photo courtesy of the Foundation for WWU & Alumni
Although much of Family Weekend will be about highlighting the uniqueness of Western, the university isn’t alone in its drive to connect students with their families.
Lyss Gorman, the director of new student and family programs at Gonzaga University, shared on similar usage of family weekends.
“GU, like a lot of institutions, hosts their family weekend about six weeks in,” Gorman said.“We know that is a really key time for student retention — it's a time when a lot of students are missing home, missing family, missing that sense of support so the timing of [the event] is really important for us.”
Back at Western’s campus, New Student Services Family Outreach will be hosting a Family Resource Fair which will allow families to learn how to best support their students and how to utilize the resources on campus.
“Our office mission and strategic plan to assist parents and families [in understanding and navigating] campus resources,” said Lisa Moeschler, the family outreach manager. “While they are here, we hope that they are able to swing by and learn more about the services that are here to help support their student.”
Paetra Cooke, a third-year environmental science major, attended family weekend with her mom during her first year at Western.
“The main purpose for me was that it was an opportunity and a scheduled date to have my mom out here, and she was able to meet some of the parents of people I had become friends with,” Cooke said. “It really gave me and my mom an opportunity to connect with other people and their families and feel like we are a part of a community.”
Based on current registration for Family Weekend, Martinsen anticipates there will be over 1,600 people attending throughout the upcoming weekend.
“What we hope for families to takeaway is just a sense that they too are a big part of the community,” Gorman said. “They matter to the whole and they are also partners in helping their students succeed.”
Registration for Fall Family Weekend is open and available on The Foundation for WWU & Alumni website, along with a full schedule for each day. The Fall Family Weekend homepage provides details on parking, accommodations, dining and other opportunities for students and families to connect off campus.
Madrona Raney (she/her), is a reporter for campus life. She is a junior at WWU studying News/Editorial Journalism. She did her first year at Point Loma Nazarene University and was a reporter for them on The Point. During her free time, she enjoys traveling, being outside, making coffee, snowboarding, boating and spending time with friends and family. You can reach her at madronaraney.thefront@gmail.com.
