Students Commence Spring Semester with Parents, Family Weekend
Carly Kwiecien
Spartan parents and families were welcomed to campus for a weekend of activities Feb. 1 and 2. Numerous fun-filled events, organized by the Office of Alumni Relations, with assistance from Manchester Activities Council (MAC), included programs ranging from free swim at the Strauss-Peabody Aquatic Center to iceless ice-skating in the Haist Commons.
Starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, 70 members of Manchester’s extended community registered for an abundance of activities to participate in. Upon registering, each visitor received a Manchester University T-shirt to as a symbolic welcome to campus.
Junior MAC member, Nuhamin Henok Tesfay, believes that Family Weekend is a great time for students to see their parents and show them around campus. “It helps students show their daily lives to their parents,” Henok Tesfay said. “This is important because students have lived their whole lives with their parents and now, they are starting a new phase in their lives. [During move-in day,] parents only saw them move in, but this weekend helps students show their parents how they have settled in and go about their daily lives as a college student.”
On Friday evening, students and their families gathered in the Toyota Round of the Intercultural Center for a movie night. At 9 a.m. on Saturday, parents were able to learn about ways to get involved as a parent on campus at an Open Family Meeting, watch the men’s alumni basketball game in the PERC or skate on MAC’s iceless ice-skating rink set up in the Haist Commons.
The synthetic ice, which was constructed of 40 interlocking panels of durable, polymer panels to make a smooth surface, attracted senior Zoe Vorndran and her visiting younger brother, Danil.
“My favorite part about ice-skating was the fact that it was such a new experience,” Vorndran said. “While it wasn’t my first time ice-skating, it was my first time on synthetic ice, so the surface definitely felt way different than real ice. I was timid at first, but once we got going, it was a blast to try it out. It was a good bonding experience to have with Danil as well because we talked a lot.”
That afternoon, students, parents and extended families congregated in the PERC to celebrate Senior Say for both men’s and women’s basketball. Although both teams fell to Transylvania, fans cheered and shouted for black and gold throughout the games.
In the evening, international magician and illusionist Kid Ace, who has performed at numerous colleges, wowed the audience by making money disappear into an uncut orange, making doves appear out of nowhere and inviting audience members on stage to assist in other tricks.
Vorndran said: “The magic show was entertaining, engaging and funny. Danil and I really enjoyed Kid Ace and the tricks he showed us. My favorite part was watching him interact with the audience because there was so much energy between him and all of the participants. The trick I was most impressed by was when he made an ‘X’ on his wrist appear on the palm one of the participants.”
After the event, the night wound down and families said their goodbyes. The next MAC event, titled “Say it Aloud,” will take place on Feb. 23 at 8:08 p.m. in the Upper JYSC. Students are welcome to express their feelings artistically through singing, dancing, painting and reciting poetry.
To find out more information about upcoming events, students can always check out MU’s social media accounts that can be found under @manchesteractco.