TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Children and their families can explore the academic world at The University of Alabama during the third annual Hands-On Family Night at Smith Hall.
A collaborative effort between UA’s Graduate Student Association, the Graduate School, Graduate Parent Support and the Alabama Museum of Natural History, the event will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8. In its third year, the event features exhibits by graduate students in different departments, as well as food and door prizes donated by various local businesses. It is open to students, faculty, staff and community members, and it is free.
The Hands-On Family Night began as a fun event for UA students who were also parents to get together, meet other UA families and have fun, said Cori Perdue, director of graduate school programs. There are more than 2,000 UA students who have children, she added. But the event has grown; last year, they had more than 400 participants from both the campus and community.
In the past, the event featured a scavenger hunt, but this year event organizers wanted to try something new. Tying in with the theme a “Trip Around the World at Smith Hall,” the first 300 children to arrive will receive a 16-page, full-colored passport book. They will then proceed to visit stations that are run by graduate students in various departments. At each station, children will be asked a question that is tailored to that specific department and, if answered correctly, they will receive a stamp in their passport. If the children complete their passport, their names will be entered into the drawing and they will be eligible to win prizes.
Graduate students from biology, theater and dance, chemistry, anthropology, engineering, creative writing, finance, music, modern languages, social work, kinesiology, English, and human development and family studies, will provide activities ranging from interacting with live animals to helping with scientific experiments, to creating book crafts to participating in theatrical skits and drumming circles.
“We want the community to know more about what our graduate students are doing on campus and we want our graduate students to give back,” said Cori Perdue, director of graduate school programs. “Rather than just staying in the lab doing experiments, we want them to think about how they can share their knowledge with children. It’s good for the families and the students.”