The Daily Mining Gazette - Published: Monday, October 15, 2007 Print Article | Close Window Parents, more flock to Family Weekend By GARRETT NEESE, DMG Writer HOUGHTON — Michigan Technological University marked their seventh annual Family Weekend Friday through Sunday. Activities included a nature walk through campus, glow bowling in the Memorial Union Building, and tours of the Quincy Mine Hoist. Michelle Nightingale, assistant director of Tech’s Center for Orientation, Mentoring, Parents and Academic Student Success, said the yearly event has two goals. First, it’s a way to introduce parents to the Keweenaw. Second, it’s a way to reunite students with their family. “Developmentally, we often see, that new students in college right around this time start to get a little homesick, so we want to find a way to combat that as well,” she said. About 200 families registered for the event, Nightingale said, though since registration is optional, the actual number there could be closer to 400. The activities change year to year depending on the athletic schedule, as well as what events are at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts. Among the most popular are the Tech hockey game, as well as Band-O-Rama (this year held during Open House weekend). Saturday afternoon, Anita Dunn of Paw Paw, Mich., was looking at petrified logs at the Seaman Mineral Museum with her son Paul, a freshman at Tech. “It gives us an opportunity to come up and visit,” she said. “It’s the first time we’ve gotten to see him since school started.” Nearby, Mary Smith of Midland, Mich, was riffling through a box of agates at the gift shop. She liked the multitude of activities available. “We’re very impressed with the campus, and all the people,” she said. They also took in the hockey game, as well as the tree walk. Smith’s son, Jonathan Fournier, enjoyed the weekend. “I think it’s pretty good,” he said. “It gives you something new to do.” In another activity, families could tour some of the historic fraternity houses in Houghton, Hancock and Chassell. Chris Calder, an alumni of Phi Kappa Tau in Hancock, showed families some of the century-old house’s distinctive qualities. Most of the first members were militarily based, leading to the barracks-style sleeping quarters in an upstairs loft. Calder said the weekend benefits the university. “It’s good to give the campus exposure, and good to make the parents feel welcome at the university where most of them are paying to get their children an education,” he said. “I think it’s positive.” Garrett Neese can be reached at gneese@mininggazette.com