UA Hosts Family Weekend, More Than 3,500 Expected to Attend

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- The University of Alabama is hosting Family Weekend, Friday-Sunday, Sept. 21-23, with more than 3,500 family members of UA students expected to visit campus.

UA’s Office of First Year Experience and Parent Programs, in the Division of Student Affairs, will host the 2012 Family Weekend with the goal of connecting families with their students, other families, and faculty, staff and administrators at UA. Families from across the country will visit the campus.

“After much planning and preparation, we look forward to providing UA parents and families with a weekend full of Tide pride and tradition,” said Mary Alice Porter, coordinator of First Year Experience and Parent Programs. “This is the ideal time for family members to come to campus for a glimpse of life at the Capstone while establishing personal connections with the UA community.”

A variety of events are planned, including a Beach Bash at the University Recreation Outdoor Pool on Friday night, a Family Tailgate before the Alabama vs. Florida Atlantic football game on Saturday, and a brunch and expo with Student Affairs at Fresh Food Company in the Ferguson Center on Sunday morning. Families are also taking advantage of the Women’s Resource Center’s 2^nd Annual Chocolate Festival where they can sample a variety of chocolate and learn more about women’s health.

Many colleges and departments on campus will host an open house or reception on Friday to mix and mingle with families while sharing information about their services. Some of the locations that will be open include the President’s Mansion, the Career Center, Veteran and Military Affairs, Judicial Affairs, the College of Communication & Information Sciences, the College of Arts & Sciences and the Culverhouse College of Commerce.

Families also have the opportunity to participate in a UA Community Service Center project,

Families Helping Families, on Friday from 1:30-4:00 p.m. Registration is still open for families interested in serving in the UA community.

Registration for a Family Weekend package that included eligibility to purchase football tickets to the football game and a chance to win giveaways throughout the weekend was offered earlier this year. However, families still have the opportunity to purchase á la carte tickets to the Beach Bash and Student Affairs Expo & Jazz Brunch at Family Weekend check-in on Friday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and on Saturday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Ferguson Center Ballroom. Chocolate Festival tickets will also be available at the door of the Chocolate Festival event.

On Friday, free parking will be available for visiting families all day in the lots near the soccer fields on University Boulevard. Shuttles will be available to transport families to drop-off areas near the Ferguson Center and the President’s Mansion as well as other locations. Normal game day parking regulations will be in effect on Saturday, and parking will be open near the Ferguson Center Student Union on Sunday.

For more information about Family Weekend, or to view the full schedule of events, go to http://parents.ua.edu, email parents@ua.edu or call 205/348-8404. To register for the Families Helping Families service event, visit http://bit.ly/RpzuYX

The Office of First Year Experience & Parent Programs supports the successful academic and social transition of new students into The University of Alabama community, as well as educates, provides resources and promotes continuous relationships among students, parents, families and the University.The Division of Student Affairs maximizes each UA student’s learning experience.