Aside from a drizzly Sunday morning, most of the weekend stayed gorgeous and sunny, providing a perfect backdrop for the 2010 Pacific Union College Parents Weekend, October 15-17. More than 100 families from all over the United States arrived on campus, eager to see how their students were faring after four weeks of school and also to get a glimpse of college life.
“Parents Weekend is a great opportunity for parents to come and see what life is like on campus and see what we do, how we live, and see our friends,” says student Rayna Duran, a business major.
Her mother, Jan Duran, agrees. “You get to bond with your children in their environment. So they are actually hosting you as opposed to you doing all the hosting for them at your home. They love being able to give to us in a way that we always give to them.”
The event started on Friday night with the Presidential Dinner in the newly renovated Dining Commons on Friday night. Families were treated to a special dinner with the administration and the president; later in the evening, President Heather Knight gave a speech on “The Adventist Advantage,” her philosophy on what makes a distinctly Seventh-day Adventist education so beneficial to students.
“I like the God-centered focus for our children that the president brought out,” says Michol Magpayo, at her third Parents Weekend.
The weekend schedule also included a music concert, an art gallery exhibit, a parent-student game show, and a brunch on Sunday morning. For many, the highlight was the Sabbath afternoon Faculty and Parent Reception, held out on the newly decorated Campus Mall.
“Although we enjoyed the entire weekend, our favorite event was the Sabbath afternoon Faculty and Parent Reception where our son Joshua had the opportunity to introduce us to his professors. We were blessed to see how well our son is settling in and thriving in his freshman year at PUC,” wrote Scott and Sherrie Wendt in an email to PUC.
For some parents, the weekend provided opportunities to also network with fellow parents. “I met some parents last year, and we connected on Facebook and we’ve been keeping in touch all year long,” says Jan Duran. “I got to reconnect with them this year, and it’s been great to get to know my kids’ friends’ parents.”
Beyond the activities, parents treasured time with their students. Rayna said she loved spending Sabbath with her mother, chatting in her dorm room and sharing meals. Parent Chester Banaag, who has a freshman at PUC this year, enjoyed a game of volleyball with his son and his friends.
“My favorite part was being with my son after his first month in college. He’s fitting in, so his mom’s not crying so much now,” jokes Chester. “We had a great time… It was a good weekend.”