Nicole Ocran, Best of Mason Director
We may not run around with the likes of Thing or Cousin Itt, but we are quite a family. “The Mason Family” (modeled after The Addams Family) is this year’s Family Weekend theme.
Families arrive every year during the weekend of Mason Madness to spend time with their students. Family Weekend runs from Friday, Oct. 16 until Sunday, Oct. 18 this year.
“Our goal is to make this weekend a sort of snapshot of what Mason is about, [to] give families a bit of a flavor of Mason and the opportunity to see what students see every day,” said Doug Little, director of the Office of Orientation and Family Programs and Services.
What is there to look forward to this year? “The big event around Family Weekend is of course Mason Madness; that’s the event students get the most excited about and come out for,” said Little.
Friday’s opening events feature the Mason Family Welcome and Dinner, a pre-Mason Madness celebration, and then finishing off the night with Mason Madness.
This year, there is a new opportunity to give back. “Saturday morning, we are offering three different community service activities to highlight our commitment to the community and to make the world a better place,” said Little.
“One with [New Century College], Habitat for Humanity and Wolf Trap. We really think this community service defines what we believe in as an office, as well as what Mason believes in,” said Little.
On Saturday, students and families will also be able to hear a book presentation from The New York Times best-selling author Jason F. Wright, who wrote The Wednesday Letters.
“The book is about family [and] what it is to be family, that kind of thing,” said Little. Every year, Family Weekend has a book presentation to showcase the diverse stories and voices that make up the Mason community.
Students without visiting family members and who are looking for something to do this weekend are welcome to join in on the activities.
“Anyone can participate in Family Weekend, even if your family’s not in from out of town, all of those events are still open and we are looking forward to folks coming out,” said Little.
Approximately 500 to 750 family members are expected this weekend. Registration, only available online, will close on Friday, Oct. 16.
To register, or for information on Family Weekend and a complete list of events, visit: http://orientation.gmu.edu/families/family_weekend.php.
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