As the Director of Alumni and Parent Relations at Loyola, one of the best parts of my job is meeting alumni and parents and sharing with them the spirit of, genuine passion for, and love of this great institution. The goal of our office is to capture the spirit of our campus and to engage both alumni and your family in meaningful ways.

With this as our aim, Family Weekend was “reborn” at Loyola in February of 2000. During the past five years, we have had a tremendous response from parents.

Last year, more than 580 people from 33 states near and far traveled to campus to participate in Family Weekend.

This year, Family Weekend will be held March 12-14. Members of our parents committee created the theme of “The Spirit of Family is the Spirit of Loyola” for the weekend festivities and I can’t think of a better way to describe our Loyola community.

I was recently sent a copy of a parent’s program survey that I participated in last year. The National Survey of College and University Parent Programs was conducted by Marjorie Savage, director of parent programs at the University of Minnesota.

Her research outlined how both students and parents are very different than they were even seven years ago. Not only has campus life changed over the past few years, but, as we all know, so has technology.

Unlike the days where parents would only hear from their son or daughter two to three times a month via a long-distance calling card, recent studies have shown that students communicate with parents as instantaneously as with their friends on campus.

By sending e-mails, instant messaging or calling home on your cell phone, many of you contact members of your family first about campus news, questions, or problems before turning to a campus staff or faculty member.

We’ve also learned from working closely with Loyola parents that they too want answers to your questions and are eager to find out their own information when it comes to campus life.

Parents want to be engaged in your college experience and in your family’s investment in your Loyola education.

With all of this in mind, our objective is to offer interesting programs that invite your family’s participation, offer them the chance to reconnect with the Loyola experience, and keep them updated on campus life.

Family Weekend is packed full of programs that were created by the suggestions of our parents committee members and evaluations from previous weekend attendees to best encapsulate Loyola student life.

When you think about it, what better way for your family to learn about your academic experience than to be able to sit in on a class and learn firsthand how interesting and challenging classroom discussions can be?

Parents will have the chance to meet with department directors and ask questions they’ve had about Financial Aid, the Writing Across the Curriculum labs, Loyola Dining, Residential Life or Office of Service Learning programs.

Parents will also have the opportunity to learn firsthand about Loyola’s study abroad programs from the faculty who direct them.

They can also join in a conversation with Si Hendry, S.J., Director of the Jesuit Center, and learn what is so unique about our Jesuit tradition and attend individual programs created for parents by each of the deans of the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business and Music.

There are also opportunities to kick back at a TGIF, go to College of Music performances, attend Mass and even watch an idiosyncratic New Orleans “only-in-this-town-do they-throw-cabbages” during a St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Last but not least – and not to forget younger members of your family-the Student Government Association is also sponsoring entertaining activities for siblings.

Family Weekend has something for everyone. And the best feedback we always hear about is the fun your family has in having the opportunity to spend time with you, meet your friends, and simply reconnect with the spirit of Loyola.

~ Trish Moser, A’94, is Director of Alumi and Parent Relations