Family Day continues at UW-River Falls

UW-River Falls is putting on its newly revived Family Day event designed to encourage family fun and involvement with students on campus.

The event is coordinated, organized and funded through both the Student Senate and the First Year Experience office (FYE).

Student Senate is no longer rooted in the planning of the day itself and serves mainly as the primary financial contributor of the event,  Senate President Derek Brandt said. 

Senate, which was struggling to make the event successful on their own, turned over the reins to FYE two years ago to help in the organization and planning of the event and decided to stay on as volunteers for the event as well as provide some of the necessary funding for it.

“The Student Senate funds roughly one-third of the overall costs of the weekend activities,” Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Gregg Heinselman said.

The event had taken a hiatus in the past due to the poor turn out rate, but has seen an increase in participation since the event revival by the Student Senate. 

“It is a great event for University families in part due to Senate’s gracious support,” Heinselman said.

Sarah Egerstrom, director of FYE, said she expects this year’s event to be well attended based on the turnout of the previous Family Day.

“The event was very well attended last year,” Egerstrom said. “A lot of families participated, especially younger siblings, grandparents and parents.”

Last year the event boasted a record turn out of 800 participants, Egerstrom said.  This year the expectations are even higher, with FYE expecting at least 1,000 participants to attend the event.

“This type of participation is a positive sign that the event is meeting the needs and reconnecting families at UWRF,” Heinselman said.

The Family Day event will take place over two days starting Nov. 2 and concluding events Nov. 3. 

Some of the events include a football and hockey game as well as breakfast with the Chancellor.

There will also be a play and an open skate in Hunt Arena. Families can also participate in campus tours and learn about student life at UWRF.

“Families especially enjoy meeting the faculty and seeing firsthand what life is like at UWRF,” Egerstrom said.

The events are free to UWRF students and children ages five and under. Family members and children six and older are required to pay a $10 registration fee that gets them two meals, admission to the athletic events, tickets to a movie, evening entertainment, admission to Kids Fest and pictures with Freddy the Falcon. 

The goal of the event-filled weekend is to encourage student, as well as family, participation in the campus and its activities and organizations.

“Family Day provides students and their families with an excellent opportunity to reconnect while spending time on campus,” Egerstrom said.

To register for Family Day or for more information about the event activities and schedule, visit www.uwrf.edu/fye/familyday.htm.