Schedule of Events
This schedule is subject to change. You will receive a final schedule when you arrive on campus for the weekend.
Friday, September 25
Saturday, September 26
Sunday, September 27
Friday, September 25
Women’s Soccer vs. Saint Joseph’s
4 p.m.
Rudd Field
Get to campus early and cheer on the Minutewomen as they take on the St. Joseph University Hawks.
Admission is free.
Family Weekend Check In
5:30-8 p.m.
Campus Center Concourse
Make sure to check in when you arrive and pick up your packet for the weekend. On-site registrations will also be taken at this time. You will receive the final schedule of events and everything else you’ll need to enjoy your weekend on campus.
Welcome to UMass Amherst
6 – 8 p.m.
Enjoy a relaxing evening with various university administrators with coffee and desserts. You can meet up with other parents or your student to kick off a great Family Weekend.
UMass Hillel Family Shabbat Service
6 p.m. - Reform, Conservative and Orthodox
Dinner at 7:15 p.m. - Dietary laws observed
Followed by a performance by Kolot at 8:30 pm with tea and dessert.
Free for UMass Amherst students and $15 per person for all others. To make reservations and pay for meals go to www.umasshillel.org/familyshabbat. Please register by Thursday, September 17.
Late Night Movie - Star Trek
8 p.m.
Each week the University Programming Council (UPC) presents a just-out-of-the-theater movie free for the campus community. UPC will provide the popcorn and sodas! Admission is free.
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Saturday, September 26
Family Weekend Check In
8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Campus Center Concourse
Please check in when you arrive and pick up your packet for the weekend. On-site registrations will also be taken at this time. You will receive the final schedule of events and everything else you’ll need to enjoy your weekend on campus.
Continental Breakfast
Hosted by the Parent and Family Council
8:30 - 11 a.m.
Join other UMass Amherst families for a light breakfast hosted by the Parent and Family Council. Learn about the Parent and Family Council and also how to enter the Family Weekend scavenger hunt. The UMass Amherst Parent and Family Council provides family members of current students and graduates with enjoyable and meaningful volunteer opportunities that benefit the campus community.
Saturday Masses
9 a.m. & 4:30 p.m.
Newman Catholic Center Chapel
Masses will be held at 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. with confessions being heard at 3:30 p.m.
Your Choice: a Campus Tour or a Faculty and Staff Lecture
9 a.m. & 10 a.m.
Campus Tour: These aren’t your usual campus tours. These tours will show you aspects of campus you have not seen before and add to the rich life on campus. Some of these tours are self-guided, with guide information provided.
Faculty and Staff Lecture: Our faculty produces world-renowned research, often with undergraduates by their side. Today, they share their knowledge with you.
Admission is free.
UMass Hillel Family Shabbat Services
9:30 a.m. - An Orthodox Service
11 a.m. - A Women’s Torah Reading
Lunch is at 1 p.m. with dietary laws observed.
Free for UMass Amherst students and $10 per person for all others. To make reservations and pay for meals go to www.umasshillel.org/familyshabbat. Please register by Thursday, September 17.
Chancellor’s Welcome
11 a.m.
Chancellor Robert C. Holub welcomes you to Family Weekend and campus. Hear an update of campus happenings and news. Admission is free.
Taste of Home Lunch
12 noon – 2 p.m.
UMass Amherst Dining asked for Family Favorites and you responded! During today’s lunch, some of the Taste of Home recipes submitted last spring will be featured. Your interest and support are very important to us.
Any Family Weekend attendees can enjoy lunch compliments of Dining Services, when accompanied by a UMass Amherst student who is on the meal plan. For those of you without a student on the meal plan, lunch is $7/adult and $10.25/student. The fee for siblings will be listed at the cashier station.
Stonewall Center Open House
1 – 3 p.m.
Students and their families are invited to visit the Stonewall Center, the bisexual, gay, lesbian, queer, transgender, and ally resource center on campus, for an informal reception. Admission is free.
Student-Run Television and Radio Outlets
1 – 4 p.m.
WMUA 91.1FM has been on the air for almost 60 years, while UVC-TV-19 began broadcasting in 1978. Undergraduates expand their classroom learning by filming, editing, hosting interviews, and participating in all aspects of radio and television programming. Admission is free.
Craft Center Open House
1 – 6 p.m.
Where everyone is an artisan – open to all students, the Craft Center is a place to relax through the process of creativity. Admission is free.
Learning Commons Open House
1 - 3 p.m.
The Learning Commons, located on the lower level of the W.E.B. Du Bois Library, brings together library, technology, advising, writing, and learning support services in a vibrant and open atmosphere that has become one of the most popular spots on campus for study and socializing. Come tour the facility, check out our displays and exhibits, and learn more about this innovative and internationally
recognized initiative at the heart of the UMass Amherst campus.
Commonwealth College Reception
1:30 p.m.
Dean Priscilla Clarkson welcomes you to a reception for families of current Commonwealth College students. Refreshments served.
Admission is free but limited to current Commonwealth College students and their guests.
Career Services Keys to Success:
Internships and Co-ops
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Campus Center, Room 803
Jeff Silver, director, speaks on the services of Career Services and how important it is for students to get involved with them early on in their academic career. He will discuss how actively participating and planning for after graduation and the job market can pay off.
Dean’s Reception
2 - 4 p.m.
Meet the Dean of your student’s school/college while enjoying some light refreshments.
Admission is included in your registration fee.
Afternoon Cool Down: Ice Skating
2 – 4 p.m.
Mullins Center Practice Rink
Enjoy a break in the day at Mullins Center Ice Rink. This open skating session includes free skate rentals. Admission is free.
Warhol Photos and Much More at the University Gallery
2 - 5 p.m.
See sidebar for details.
Got Game? Try out Union Billiards
2 - 6 p.m.
Challenge your student to a game of pool or ping pong in the Student Union Game Room. All games are free for Family Weekend attendees during this time.
Cultural Diversity Open House
3 - 5 p.m.
Come meet our multi-cultural resource staff and learn about the places that become a home away from home for many ALANA (African, Latina/o, Asian, Native American) students. Hosted by the Office of Programs and Services for ALANA Students (OPSAS). Admission is free.
For more information on all our resources and programs, please visit www.umass.edu/multiculturalaffairs.
MinuteFan Park
4 p.m.
Arrive at the game early and visit MinuteFan Park, presented by the UMass Amherst Alumni Association. Enjoy all the festivities with bounce houses, football toss, autographs and more starting two hour prior to game time.
Beat the traffic and get a free ride down to MinuteFan Park or the game. Shuttle buses will be available to take to you the stadium and back. Check at the Registration Desk for the Shuttle Schedule.
Admission to MinuteFan Park is free.
UMass Amherst Minutemen Football Game
6 p.m.
Cheer on your Minutemen as they take on the Stony Brook Seawolves. Be sure to check out the Band Day performance of our own Power and Class Marching Band accompanied by high school bands from around the Northeast.
See sidebar for information on purchasing tickets.
Student Showcase
7 p.m.
Let our students entertain you! Be sure to see these various outstanding student groups perform and enjoy some light refreshments. Admission is free.
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Sunday, September 27
Sunday Masses
8 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
Newman Catholic Center Chapel
Worship Services
9:30 a.m. & 11 a.m.
First Baptist Church, 434 N. Pleasant St.
(corner of N. Pleasant St. and Massachusetts Ave.)
A Traditional Worship service will be held at 9:30 a.m.
A Contemporary Worship service will be held at 11 a.m.
Parent and Family Council Fall Meeting
9:30 a.m.
Join us for the fall 2009 Parent and Family Council meeting. The Parent and Family Council is open to all parents and families of current students and graduates. Learn about the volunteer opportunities and resources available to parents and families.
For more details on the meeting or the Parent and Family Council in general, please contact Katie Crowe Wood, director of the Parent and Family Council at 413.545.1064 or kcwood@admin.umass.edu.
Jazz Brunch
10 a.m. – 12 noon
It’s a sumptuous combination: UMass Amherst Dining Services and our Department of Music and Dance are both nationally recognized for excellence. Today, they bring it all together and invite you to enjoy an exceptional Jazz Brunch at any of the four dining commons.
Any Family Weekend attendees can enjoy brunch compliments of Dining Services, when accompanied by a UMass Amherst student who is on the meal plan. For those of you without a student on the meal plan, brunch is $7/adult and $10.25/student. The fee for siblings will be listed at the cashier station.
The Town of Amherst’s 250th Celebration Parade
1 p.m.
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of Amherst, Massachusetts and one of the highlight celebrations is the parade. It will wind its way throughout town and onto campus. Be sure to be a part of the fun!
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