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University to host nearly 2,400 family members for Family Weekend 2024

Families will have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of events, including the Saturday football game against North Carolina

<p>Tours of the new Contemplative Commons, School of Data Science and Edgar Shannon Library will also be offered at various times Friday.&nbsp;</p>

Tours of the new Contemplative Commons, School of Data Science and Edgar Shannon Library will also be offered at various times Friday. 

The University will host students’ families for Family Weekend Friday to Sunday, with a variety of events offered for parents. These events include tours of new buildings on Grounds, open houses for the University’s different schools, academic program information sessions and a football game Saturday against North Carolina. According to University spokesperson Bethanie Glover, around 2,400 parents are registered to attend, with visitors able to register through the University’s Orientation & Transition Programs website.

In a written statement, Glover explained that the University hosts Family Weekend to give families a chance to visit their students and spend time together and said the University was looking forward to hosting students’ parents. 

“We're looking forward to celebrating Family Weekend with our students and their loved ones,” Glover said. “The purpose of Family Weekend is to give families a chance to be engaged with their students and visit Grounds to celebrate together with planned activities and events.” 

As part of the weekend’s programming, the University will host Dome Room Dinners — a 19-year-long tradition in which families have a meal in the Rotunda Dome Room — Friday and Saturday, which will also feature guest speakers. Families will hear from guest speaker Eileen Chou, associate dean for academic affairs and professor of public policy and psychology, Friday, while Jeffrey Lovelace, associate Commerce professor and director of the leadership minor, will speak Saturday. 

Another activity offered during Family Weekend is a cooking class that Student Health and Wellness will offer Friday in its U.Va. Teaching Kitchen — home to Hoo’s Cooking nutrition education and culinary skills classes. 

For parents looking to explore new locations on Grounds, tours of the new Contemplative Commons, School of Data Science and Edgar Shannon Library buildings will also be offered at various times Friday. The School of Data Science building opened April of this year, while the Edgar Shannon Library reopened in January following a multi-year renovation that began in 2020. The Contemplative Commons is scheduled to open in the spring, and will serve as a multipurpose building focused on experiential learning and innovation. 

Additionally, multiple University schools will host information sessions over the course of Family Weekend. The Schools of Architecture, Engineering and Applied Science, Data Science and Commerce will also be hosting open houses and information sessions, in which parents will have the opportunity to meet faculty members and learn about academic programs and admissions processes. 

Third-year College student Sophia Hanover said she plans to attend the football game and her sorority’s parents’ formal with her mother, who is visiting for the weekend. She said she is excited for the weekend because her family lives out-of-state and is not able to visit often. 

“[Family Weekend] means so much to me because I'm from New York, so it's really hard to get my mom out here.” Hanover said. “This is a great way for my mom to come here and to get her motivated to come here. And there's a bunch of events that the school has, so she’s able to keep busy while I’m busy too.” 

A complete list of University events can be found here

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