Baylor Welcomes Families to Campus for Parents' Weekend
by Angie Best, student newswriter, (254) 710-1961
The term "Baylor family" is often used to describe the feeling of closeness and community among students and alumni. This weekend, the Baylor Chamber of Commerce will host actual Baylor families for the annual Parents' Weekend festivities.
A tradition at Baylor since 1960, the annual event helps families of Baylor students become better acquainted with the university through various activities held throughout the weekend.
Friday's activities begin with registration from 2 to 7 p.m. on the second floor of the Bill Daniel Student Center. A Parents' Weekend guide that includes information about the weekend's activities will be available, and Parents' Weekends shirts and polos can be purchased at this time.
Baylor's live bear mascots, Judge Joy Reynolds and Judge Sue "Lady" Sloan, will be available for photographs at the Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat, and families can experience a taste of "Dr Pepper Hour" in the Barfield Drawing Room of the Bill Daniel Student Center. Both events are from 3 to 5 p.m.
Members of the Baylor Chamber of Commerce will lead small-group tours of campus from 5 to 6 p.m. The tours will begin in front of the Bill Daniel Student Center on Fifth Street.
After Dark, an annual variety show showcasing many talented Baylor students, will take place at 7 and 10 p.m. in Waco Hall. The Baylor Parents of the Year, Bill and Eva Williams of Scottsdale, Ariz., will be honored during the 7 p.m. performance and during halftime of Saturday night's football game.
Parents also have the opportunity to watch the Lady Bears soccer team take on Texas A&M at 7 p.m. at the Betty Lou Mays Soccer Complex. The game will feature a live mariachi band and food from On the Border.
Friday night's festivities will conclude with a dessert party for students and their families from 9 to 10:30 p.m. in the fountain area outside of the Baylor Sciences Building. Refreshments are free and entertainment will be provided by the Ed Burleson Band.
Saturday morning kicks off with the Parent-Faculty Coffee from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. on the Burleson Quadrangle. Baylor faculty will be available to meet parents and answer questions.
A picnic-style dinner on the grounds will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Founder's Mall. A local band will provide entertainment, President John M. Lilley will address the crowd at 12:15 p.m., and one of Baylor's live mascots also will make an appearance. Tickets are required for both students and parents, and a limited number of tickets will be available for $15 at the event.
The weekend comes to a close at 6 p.m. as the Baylor football team battles the Black Knights of Army at Floyd Casey Stadium. Tickets are available through the Baylor Athletic Ticket Office at (254) 710-1000 or at www.baylorbears.com.
For more information about the weekend's activities, visit www.baylor.edu/parentsweekend, or contact the Baylor Chamber of Commerce at (254) 710-3322.