College Celebrates Family Weekend 2015 (has video)

The demographics of the College of Charleston campus will change significantly this weekend (October 2-4, 2015) as students’ families visit for one of the College’s most cherished traditions – Family Weekend.

Clyde the Cougar always joins in the fun at Family Weekend.

For three days and two nights, a full schedule of activities and events will keep families engaged as they reconnect with their students and learn about life at the College. On tap will be a variety of educational, informational and social events, including a jazz concert, an improvisational comedy show, and an opportunity to get to know Alicia Caudill, the College’s new executive vice president for Student Affairs.

According to Susan Payment, the College’s director of student life, “Family Weekend is an opportunity for parents to see their students in a new environment and learn more about their classes, their friends and the activities they’re enjoying on campus and in the surrounding community. But it’s not only for the families of freshmen and transfer students. The schedule of events changes every year, so there is always something new and exciting to enjoy!”

Exposure the to Lowcountry’s Gullah Geechee culture will be part of Family Weekend.

It all starts on Friday, October 2, when nearly 500 families are expected to arrive in Charleston and begin enjoying a broad menu of options. They’ll be able to tour the Mace Brown Museum of Natural History, or take in the innovative work of sculptor Lonnie Holley, which is on exhibit at the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art. They can also take a campus tour, converse with faculty, enjoy a Gullah-Geechee storytelling session or explore Charleston’s myriad dining options. And that’s just day one.

Family Weekend has been an annual event at the College for over a dozen years. A few of the weekend’s highlights include the opportunity to cheer on the College’s highly successful women’s volleyball team in a match against the University of Delaware on Saturday, Oct. 3, and “Bluegrass and Brunch” on the Cistern Yard on Sunday morning, Oct. 4.

“Family Weekend is one of our greatest traditions,” says College of Charleston Glenn McConnell ’69. “I invite you to take full advantage of the many activities that we’ve planned. We also hope you will spend plenty of quality time with your student in their home-away-from-home and get a feel for their unique university experience.”

Watch a welcome video below from President Glenn McConnell: