Family Day 2011
Family Day hosted on February 5th in conjunction with Homecoming brought hundreds of family members to UNC Charlotte’s campus. The day began with the Chancellor’s breakfast, and ended with the basketball game against George Washington in which the Men’s Basketball team was defeated! It was a great day for parents and family members alike to visit UNC Charlotte and experience campus life first hand.
Check-in for the Chancellors breakfast began at 8:30am in the Student Union, where the parents picked up their registration packet which included their basketball game tickets, name tags, a raffle ticket for a chance to win prizes, among other things. While they waited for the breakfast to begin family members had the opportunity to walk around the Student Union and visit Starbucks and the University Bookstore, as well as to take pictures.
The Chancellor’s breakfast began at 9:00am with parents being greeted as they entered by Chancellor Phillip Dubois and his wife Lisa. The event was hosted by the Student Body President Megan Smith. Chancellor Dubois gave a detailed speech about the current and future plans of UNC Charlotte and a summary of the day’s events was given by Kesha Williams, the Assistant Director for Parent and Family Services. A hearty breakfast was served including pancakes, muffins, burritos, omelets, and fresh fruit. There were a number of great prizes given away such as a free semester of tuition won by Caroline Ledford, a free semester of parking won by Jacqueline Baggatta as well as other great give a ways like T-Shirts and gift cards.
Following the breakfast parents and family members exited the Student Union to view the annual Homecoming parade. Some parent volunteers also served as judges for the parade. The parade included various student groups, Greek organizations, the Homecoming court, the Air Force ROTC, and Cheerleaders to name a few. Immediately after the parade the Tailgate began. While the weather was cold and misty, students and family members showed their Niner Nation pride and remained outdoors the entire time! There were various tents to visit including the “Sweet and Salty” tent for Family Day. Registrants were given free treats, hot beverages, sunglasses, kuzi’s, T-shirts, pens, and magnets. In addition to the tent provided by Parent and Family Services, there were a number of Greek and student organization tents, a DJ, Chartwells Tables with free food, inflatable’s, and plenty of music and fun for everyone to enjoy.
Around 1:30 the Tailgate came to an end the crowd began making their way over to the Student Activity Center to watch the Charlotte 49’er Men’s Basketball team take on George Washington. The game was very exciting as the two teams battled it out and kept fans on the edge of their seats. At half time the Homecoming court was introduced and the Homecoming King and Queen Fabian Elliot and Shircola Powell were announced to the audience. During the second half, the game remained close, but in the end they were defeated.
Family Day was a huge success and once again proved how important parents and family members are to the UNC Charlotte campus. Parents and students alike showed their Niner Nation spirit as they celebrated Homecoming 2011. It gave them the opportunity to visit with their students and bond while experiencing the place they temporarily call home. If you missed Family Day 2011, be sure to make it next year!