Every October, many a Wahoo parent flocks to Grounds to see what exactly their children have been doing with their lives for the past two months. Fully aware of the torrent of parental force barreling toward it, the University made a concerted effort to put on its best show for its guests.
In essence, Family Weekend is a grand gesture by the University to open its doors and extend its hand. It is the prospectus come to life. In the literal sense, it features open houses for every segment of the University population, from various schools within the University to minority groups within the student body. Once students and their parents are stuffed to the brim with free bagels, they are able to take in a sports game or maybe an a cappella concert and a coffee in the library. If they're feeling particularly ambitious, they may attend a lecture. That being said, the professors often lecture on unconventional topics and the parents don't get tested on the material, nor do they ever have to return to class, so the legitimacy of said lectures is questionable. Nevertheless, these professors almost undoubtedly get the parents interested and excited about the fact that their children are studying. What organizers don't bank on, however, is the effect these events can have on the student.
This three-day display on behalf of judging eyes (and suspicious wallets) makes clear what exactly this university prides itself on above all: its commitment to academic excellence. To any student who got to experience Family Weekend, it served as a reminder of this mission, which can often get obscured in the day-to-day bustlings of the University.
A sense of the gravity of the current economic situation pervaded President John T. Casteen, III's State of the University Address, which is regularly the highlight of the weekend. In a display of Wahoo class, he was effectively able to acknowledge this and spin it into a praise of the student body's intellectual and moral fiber. For instance, he emphasized the intellectual capacity of University students and their desire to put it to good use once they are released into the real world, citing the University's high number of Peace Corps participants. Moreover, he suggested that every graduate take the foreign and federal service exams, in case they want to pursue jobs in public service. That's a pretty impressive fallback plan if you ask me. The State of the University factbook handed out to attendees also included a list of accomplishments of current and former students in different academic fields, ranging from Goldwater scholarships to Supreme Court clerkships.
But perhaps most striking about the President's address was not the impressive statistics or accomplishments of a few notable students that he casually dropped, but the administration's commitment to fostering an environment in which every student could have the opportunity to achieve what a few consistently did. First and foremost, the president pledged a continuation of the construction projects currently underway, from the Emily Couric Cancer Center to a new engineering lab. His justification was that the students are in dire need of such facilities. By investing in the expansion of the Academical Village, he is investing in the minds of the University's student body. Considering the state of the University in terms of the state of the economy, this is a call that every student should heed. To students sitting in the audience, this was extremely flattering, but with the force of a slap in the face. The tradition of intellectual exploration rests squarely on our shoulders.
You thought it would be a weekend of getting the perfectly angled Christmas card shot in front of the Rotunda, but it turned out to be a wake up call. The number of open houses for cultural and social minority groups within the University belied a sincere desire to bring these segments of the student body more closely into the circle, albeit with the promise of free bagels. We even brought out of a few of our non-losing varsity sports to show that the school's athletic prowess. Above all, however, it was a reminder of what this school built its modern reputation on: a commitment to education. While this weekend might have represented a pleasant spectacle for parents, it was a grave call to action for any student who got to experience it.
Emily Kuhbach is a Viewpoint writer for The Cavalier Daily.
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