Junior Parents Pay Campus Visit

Relatives of the Class of 2010 descended on campus this weekend for a schedule packed with open houses, campus tours, and faculty presentations.

The annual Junior Parents’ Weekend was organized by the Harvard College Parents Association and the Crimson Key Society.

After kicking off the weekend with half a day of open houses in classes and at campus museums, parents were welcomed by University President Drew G. Faust and a panel of senior college administrators late Friday afternoon. House receptions followed for parents to meet House Masters and other parents.

“We had the same traditional events like presentations by faculty members and panels,” said Gary L. Pelissier ’11, a Crimson Key member and co-coordinator of Junior Parents Weekend.

Along with regular campus tours led by the Crimson Key Society, parents were offered an exclusive “Behind the Scenes” tour of Memorial Hall on Saturday morning.

Parents attended faculty presentations by recently-named Pforzheimer House Master and Sociology Professor Nicholas A. Christakis, Dunster House Master and Government Professor Roger Porter, Physics Professor Melissa Franklin, and Music Professor Sean Gallagher.

According to Lee Ann Custer, Crimson Key’s president who is also a Crimson arts writer, “Junior Parents’ weekend is certainly one of the CKS’s favorite weekends because it gives us a chance to welcome parents when their students are in a different stage of life at Harvard.”

In addition to attending the array of events planned, parents used the weekend to listen in on meetings of organizations that their children regularly attend during the school year.

“During sophomore year, I didn’t pay a visit... [so] I’m glad that I am here now to be supportive of my son,” said Ilryong Moon ’81—father of Joonyoung E.M. Moon ’10—while attending a meeting for the Asian American Christian Fellowship.

Some students said that the loosely-planned schedule was not the best for their visiting parents, explaining that they would have preferred a more structured weekend, perhaps with more socializing opportunities for parents.

“There should be a clearer structure so that parents know what is going on and where they should be,” said David E. Tebaldi ’10.

“We should also have a barbecue or something that is outside so that it is a little more open for parents to socialize,” he said.

Regardless of the lack of a barbecue, parents and students of all class years were able to enjoy improved food offerings in dining halls.

“The food is better than usual,” said Aleksandra Kuczmarska '10. “The [dining hall] put out things they typically don’t have out...There is even a nicer spread for the salad bar.”