Family Weekend offers a window into undergraduate life

This year’s Family Weekend will offer a special window into undergraduate life at Stanford through two days of virtual programming and one day of self-guided activities on the Farm.

The annual Stanford Family Weekend opens Thursday, Feb. 24, and will continue with online programs on Friday and an in-person Campus Day on Saturday. (Image credit: Andrew Brodhead)

The annual event will open today with a livestreamed town hall-style conversation with President Marc Tessier-Lavigne and Provost Persis Drell, followed by live virtual visits to the First-Generation and/or Low-Income Office, the Bechtel International Center and the Black Community Services Center.

Family Weekend will continue Friday with a live virtual open house at El Centro Chicano y Latino. Four other community centers have prepared pre-recorded welcomes that are available on-demand: the Asian American Activities Center; The Markaz: Resource Center; the Native American Cultural Center and the Women’s Community Center.

On Friday, the university will host live virtual panel discussions on topics of special interest to families: career path development and campus career resources; academic advising; careers for humanities and arts majors; and student mental health and well-being. Families are also invited to attend live virtual lectures by three faculty members on Friday.

In a welcome letter, Tessier-Lavigne said the university understands that some families will be unable to visit campus due to COVID protocols, travel restrictions or health considerations for family members.

“Our aim is to support you in engaging to the extent that works best for you and your student,” he wrote. “Your participation in Family Weekend will provide us the opportunity to thank you for the support you have provided your student – throughout their lives and especially during the pandemic – and to give you an even wider window into what makes them special.”

Live virtual lectures by faculty

Three faculty members will present live virtual lectures on Friday:

• In Artful Design: Technology in Search of the Sublime, Ge Wang, an associate professor of music at the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics, will present a meditation on the design of everyday tools, musical instruments, games and social experiences. Wang, director of the Stanford Laptop Orchestra, will explore questions such as how might the shaping of technology make our lives richer and more meaningful?

• In Surfing the Waves of Uncertainty: Cultivating Embodied Spiritual Practices for Wellness, the Rev. Dr. Tiffany Steinwert, dean for religious and spiritual life, will explore the ways in which spirituality enhances lives, fosters wellness and nurtures resilience. The workshop will include opportunities to engage in brief practices for resilience that can be incorporated into everyday life.

• In The Global Crisis of Democracy and How to Reverse It, Larry Diamond, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, will discuss the scope of the crisis as freedom and democracy have receded around the world and authoritarian regimes have taken the offensive ideologically, geopolitically and militarily.

Visiting the campus in person

Stanford has invited families to spend Saturday on campus with their students and visit iconic venues, including the historic Main Quad and Memorial Church, as well as museums, gardens and outdoor sculptures, including the new Hello sculpture by Xu Zhen and an installation of playful spheres in the Science and Engineering Quad by Alicja Kwade.

Some neighborhoods and residence halls will be hosting welcome tables for families visiting campus. Families are invited to enjoy complimentary brunch with their students in their neighborhood dining hall.

Using the Family Weekend Campus Map, visitors will be able to learn about memorable places on campus and plan their walking routes to see them.

To protect the health and safety of the Stanford community, all guests, including domestic and international travelers, were required to register for this event in advance and be in compliance with the Stanford Visitor Policy. Registration closed Feb. 11.

For more information and for a full schedule of events and resources, visit the Family Weekend 2022 website here.