By: Rachel Ali
Family Weekend, also known as Fall Weekend, is held at The University of Tampa and takes place every fall semester. Fall Weekend took place on Friday, Oct. 7, and Saturday, Oct. 8. This year, attendees got to go to many events such as Casino Night where prizes and games awaited.
On Friday, a parent lunch was held at Southard Family Building and parents got a chance to meet some of the faculty that work at UT as well as other families that have students that go to UT.
Friday night, a Casino Night was held where the prizes ranged from Squishmallows to the latest Xbox. Students and parents exchanged fake money in Plant Hall to play blackjack, poker, or roulette. Every player received $5,000 to start. Casino Night was not exclusive to just families. UT students also got a chance to attend Fall Weekend events even if their family wasn’t visiting.
On Saturday, the events ranged from a Parents vs Students kickball event to Fall Festival. Fall Festival consisted of many games and entertainment such as a silent disco, pumpkin painting, a photo booth, and more. Fall Festival also held bingo and trivia in order to receive more prizes such as a gift basket from the UT bookstore with $250 worth of goodies and a UT sherpa blanket.
Nia Henry, a sophomore studying history and business administration, worked both days of Fall Weekend. Henry’s parents attended all the events.
“I think Fall Weekend gives an insight to the parents about what their kids are actually doing here,” said Henry. “It offers more than just a Facetime call or a text. Instead, they get to see the campus from their perspective and see what their students are doing from their point of view.”
Micheal Cena from New York came to Fall Weekend to visit his son, Mike Cena, a freshman at UT. Cena was excited to see his son but was also excited to see the closing event about the Ars Sonora bell tower.
“It’s a beautiful campus and I love coming down here,” said Cena. “I did see the YouTube video about the bell tower and it was fascinating that it was constructed in France. They had to ship it over and it took 10 years in planning. I am very impressed by the bell tower so I am very excited for tonight.”
The closing event for Fall Weekend was a dedication to the Ars Sonora bell tower constructed on campus. The event was filmed and had many guest attendees other than families who were attending Fall Weekend. President Vaughn, and his wife Renee, attended the event as well as the engineers and other people who helped construct and design the bell tower. This dedication also featured singers and live music which was backed by the Ars Sonora bell tower.
Fall Weekend seemed to be a success with many attendees and positive reviews from parents like Cena.
“I look forward to coming down here for the next four years,” said Cena.