Family Weekend, the time of year where multiple campus groups come together to make the best experience for students and parents as possible. Overall, however, the Parent and Family Association ensures Family Weekend runs efficiently and effectively. 

From planning on campus events to community outreach, the Parent and Family Association helps in interconnecting families of fellow Wildcats to the campus. 

“We have several goals during family weekend,” said Kathy Adams Riester, director of UA Parent and Family Programs. She also mentioned how there is a multitude to balance with time management, planning, and organization that goes into the weekend made for students and their families to become interconnected with on campus activities. 

Included in Family weekend, Riester mentions wanting families to be able to see the daily lives of their students on campus. Parents can get to know the area of the University as well as the city of Tucson. 

There are several aspirations for the Parent and Family Associations and they work to ensure that the campus is connected to families of students. 

“The main goal overall is to give families a better understanding of campus resources and connect them to academic resources,” said Adams Riester, associate dean of students. 

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Here is what the Parent and Family Associations and the Parent and Family Programs accomplish before Family Weekend, during Family Weekend, and after Family Weekend. 

What they accomplish during Family Weekend

There is a lot that goes into the planning and organizing of family weekend that the Parent and Family Association and Parent and Family Programs do. Both groups work together to establish the events of the two days.

It is a collaborative experience where the Parent and Family Association and the Parent and Family Programs discuss activities with other clubs and organizations on campus, and they make it an ideal goal to reach out to as many as possible to ensure representation of the other clubs and organizations. 

“We have a range of events, directly, and by other groups,” said Adams Riester. “We provide registration weekend… we encourage other departments to sponsor activities [such as] open houses and meet and greets.”

The groups try to take a holistic approach towards planning for family weekend. Encouraging people and organizations on campus is essential to making Family Weekend fun for students, parents, and families. Another goal of theirs is to have as many tables at Bear Down Friday as possible.

What they accomplish the rest of the year

Aside from Family Weekend, the Parent and Family Associations works with Parent and Family Programs to assist students, parents, and families in collaborating with the UA. In this way, they can be recognized for their accomplishments in Family Weekend while they also involve parents families in the mix of their student’s lives. 

They coordinate events such as the Family Golf Challenge at Top Golf for raising funds at THINK TANK. 

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They provide community outreach to parents, families, and students and create a fall and spring newsletter to discuss events coming up at the UA. 

How the Parent And Family Association stands out

The Parent and Family Association is a distinguished group that can be utilized as another resource or support system for students.

Overall, their goals are clear and they want students to succeed with a beneficial support system from their families. 

For Family Weekend, there is also more that can be done. Volunteers may be needed for the Parent and Family Programs and Parent and Family Associations. 

“I would encourage people if they have questions about family weekend to visit our website for our schedule, parking information, etc.,” said Adams Riester.

Like mentioned before, the Parent and Family Programs and Parent Family Associations are only one resource that will be evident this weekend. It will be a time for students and their families to find new activities and resources on campus they may not have recognized before. 

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