Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Save the Date! Fall Festival:Family Weekend 2013!


Hofstra‘s annual Fall Festival: Family Weekend will be held Friday to Sunday, September 27, 28, and 29th this year. It is sure to be an exciting time for families and students alike. While the details of the events have not yet been finalized, here are a few things you can expect:

In the week leading up to Fall Festival, students work hard on floats, which are then judged in a parade that runs through campus and kicks off the weekend's festivities. This year’s theme will be Award Winning Movies, so there are sure to be a few classics!


One of the many student creations in last year's Parade of Floats.



Throughout the weekend, you will also be able to watch a couple of games featuring our Division I sports teams and cheer on the Pride with your student. Last year featured two thrilling volleyball matches at the Hofstra Fitness Center.


Furthermore, each year Hofstra brings some really great acts to campus for a huge concert on the intramural fields. Last fall, the show starred KC and the Sunshine Band, Cobra Starship, Big Sean and Snoop Dogg. Though this year’s performers will be released closer to the date of the event, they are sure to be just as great! There will also be a Carnival with rides and games running concurrent with the concert, perfect for any younger children you might bring along.

Students gather for the Vibe Live concert during last year's Fall Festival.


Fall Festival is also a great time to visit your student and have them show you all of their favorite places to hang out on campus. You can take a few minutes to experience a day in the life of a Hofstra student as you chow down in the Student Center, visit the bookstore or simply stroll through the arboretum. 

So be sure to mark September 27-29 on your calendars: it’s an event you surely don’t want to miss!


-Megan Kennedy (Class of 2014)

Parent Orientation

Sending your child off to college for the first time can be scary, but Hofstra offers a comprehensive Parent Orientation program to help get you accustomed to the University and know what to expect during your student's first year. When students come for New Student Orientation, there is a daylong program on the first day for parents and guardians where you can meet with the various departments on campus and attend presentations on all of the resources available to students.

When?
Parent Orientation is a daylong program on the first day (Tuesday) of each three-day New Student Orientation session. Students must register their parents when they register for New Student Orientation. The eight Parent Orientation sessions available are:

June 11, 18, 25
July 9, 16, 23, 30
August 6

How to Register?
Parents must be registered by the student when he or she registers online for New Student Orientation.  Instructions on how to register are in your student’s Welcome Folder. In order to do so, the student will need his or her student ID number and password first. Student Computing Services, at (516) 463-7777, can help if your student does not know how to obtain his or her Hofstra ID number.

What can you expect?
The schedule of events features presentations by the major departments on campus that your student will be utilizing throughout their four years here. There will be discussions about transitioning to college, financial aid, student counseling services, public safety, and many more. It should be reassuring to meet with these advisers in person to have any and all questions of yours answered. There will be separate programs for parents of Residents and Commuters, to get more tailored information. The day concludes with a tour of campus, enabling you to see where your student will be attending class and hanging out next semester. There will also be lunch with different University representatives and student skits. More specific details will be announced closer to Orientation.

Reminders
  • When making plans for the return trip home, please keep in mind that student registration appointments may run until 5 p.m. on Thursday.
  • Immunization forms may be submitted to the Health and Wellness center during Parent Orientation. 

See you soon!

For more information, please visit: http://www.hofstra.edu/po, or contact the Office of Parent and Family Programs at (516) 463-4698.


-Megan Kennedy (Class of 2014)