By Matthew Muir | Staff Writer
Baylor’s 2019 Family Weekend will take place today and Saturday. The long-standing tradition gives the families of students a chance to experience Baylor through on-campus activities and events.
Family weekend began in 1960 and is organized by the Baylor Chamber of Commerce. Family Weekend gives the families of Baylor students a taste of what the university has to offer condensed into two days of activities.
Events include Welcome Hour, the After Dark talent show, a Lady Bears volleyball game, tours, Taste of Waco and Family Faculty Coffee, which is an opportunity for families to mingle with faculty.
Memphis, Tenn., junior Lilly Russell, general assistant on the family weekend committee, said that anyone should be able to find something they will enjoy.
“There’s really something for everyone to do— if some parents are really excited about meeting their student’s professors then they may be ecstatic to go to Family Faculty Coffee,” Russell said. “If they’re a big Waco foodie then Taste of Waco may be really exciting.”
Taste of Waco, Friday night’s showcase of local food trucks, is a favorite of Johns Creek, Ga., sophomore Abbey Darwin, who also serves on the Family Weekend committee.
“I like Taste of Waco because it has a ton of things from all around Waco and I love to eat,” Darwin said. “That’s really fun.”
Russell said that many parents may not have visited Baylor before, and that Family Weekend provides the perfect opportunity to show off the school’s best qualities.
“We’re having a part in letting parents know how wonderful Baylor is,” Russell said. “A lot [of parents] haven’t been to campus before or haven’t been since their student toured.”
Russell said part of showing off Baylor’s positive qualities is emphasizing its Christian atmosphere. This year, a family worship service with Vertical Ministries helps fulfill that role.
“One thing that we’re really excited about that we’re adding to the schedule this year is a Vertical that’s aimed at families,” Russell said. “We felt like the Christian aspect at Baylor is really important, and prior to this year, there hasn’t really been a way that has been demonstrated through the events at Family Weekend.”
Russell also explained the importance of giving families a chance to experience Baylor.
“Family Weekend is really important to Baylor because parents want to know that their student is in a safe, happy environment,” Russell said. “I think Family Weekend is the perfect opportunity for Baylor to show what a great school we have and really get to let parents know that their student is in an incredible environment.”
Darwin said that Family Weekend’s various events make it a great time for parents to visit Waco.
“I think that it’s a good excuse for families to come visit their students—they could just come on a random weekend but there wouldn’t be much for them to do,” Darwin said. “With there being Family Weekend, there’s stuff for the students and parents to do together.”
To learn more about Family Weekend and its events, visit the Family Weekend web page.
