Last weekend, the University of Cincinnati was abuzz with energy as over 5,000 family members descended upon the Uptown campus to join in the UC Family Weekend festivities. Offering an extensive palette of more than 50 events and activities, the event aimed to showcase the vibrancy of college life to parents and siblings of Bearcats far and wide. Whitney White, director of parent and family programs at UC, emphasized the importance of engaging students' families in their academic journey. "Engaging our students' families and their supporters is essential to student success and persistence," White told UC News. "These individuals are their champions — the ones who keep them going and support them on the good and bad days."
Family Weekend at UC was crafted to not only to entertain, but also to educate. Visitors got a chance to meet-and-greet university administrators, get hands-on with craft making and canvas paintings, and collectively enjoy a variety of games, jugglers, music, and movies. A pep rally held on Friday on UC Mainstreet—replete with the Bearcat Mascot, the UC Band, cheerleaders, and students filled with spirit—served to properly launch the weekend's affairs.
Local media outlets were on hand to capture the different slices of life that composed the weekend. Among those providing coverage were WLWT, WCPO, and Spectrum News. The collective media presence helped to highlight the intersection of family unity with university pride, painting a picture of the broader community that supports students beyond the classroom walls.
Family Weekend is indicative of the efforts universities are steadily making to involve not just students but their families in the higher education experience. By allowing families to navigate the campus and find ways to better support their students, UC anchors its belief in the family unit as a critical support system. “Throughout Family Weekend, we aim to help families learn more about UC, navigate our campus and find ways to support their students. We also want them to have a little fun with their Bearcat,” White further explained to UC News.
As the weekend wrapped up, it was clear that the University of Cincinnati had more than succeeded in its mission to foster a sense of belonging and engagement among the families of its students. This event no doubt left a lasting impression on the visitors, who now have a deeper understanding of the college experience their Bearcats live every day.
