By Savannah Cooper | Staff Writer
It is four weeks into the school year and all the first-day jitters are over. Now it’s time for students to confidently show their families their new home.
Family Weekend is a Baylor tradition that dates back to 1960. Decades later it stills stands with an emphasis of opening campus to families.
The Baylor Chamber of Commerce hosts Family Weekend and makes sure each year is better than the previous.
Keller senior and Family Weekend chairman Grant Weaber said he is excited to oversee a weekend that doesn’t fit previous year’s molds.
“This year at Family Weekend we’re expanding out of our typical mold that we do,” Weaber said. “In the past we kind of just had an event where parents can just enjoy Baylor a lot like homecoming, just on a smaller scale. This year we’re focusing more on getting parents and students to reconnect through the environment of the campus.”
The two-day event has a packed schedule that kicks off at 2 p.m. today with a weekend welcome on the first floor Cub den of the Student Union Building, where a rundown of the weekend will be given. Including Weaber, there are 11 chamber members who are in charge of various aspects throughout the weekend to ensure their smoothness such as Last Lectures, Parent-Faculty Coffee and Explore Waco, which allows families to tour downtown Waco.
Spring sophomore and chair of Explore Waco Mckenna Langley said she is looking forward to helping guide families throughout the weekend with their student.
“I think it’s going to be really cool to be able to show the families of students who go to Baylor where their kids go and enjoy their time,” Langley said.
Weaber recognized the need for a change in schedule and as a leader followed through to make this a memorable weekend for all.
“We realized that parents don’t really like to be herded to different locations and they just want to enjoy more time with their student,” Weaber said. “They really just want to see where the students go on a day-to-day basis, like what building they go to and who their professors are.”
There’s plenty of activities for families to do, but it might be hard to make all of them.
Outside of a Magnolia trip, Langley offered a few suggestions for families to get a nice taste of Waco.
“I think that they should go to the Dr Pepper museum, Cameron Park Zoo and maybe dinner at Baris or George’s,” Langley said.
As chairman, Weaber also realizes each family can’t get to all events but he recommends coming to a crucial three that will extend a full Baylor welcome.
“Definitely come for the overall welcoming session that gives you an overview of the entire weekend, the family-faculty coffee we’re having it in the Baylor Club this year followed by a watch party then the Hippodrome dinner followed by After Dark,” Weaber said.
