The Charger Blog
Charger families visited their students as part of Family Day, the largest one-day event the University has hosted on campus since the start of the pandemic. It enabled students and their families to safely reconnect while exploring everything the University has to offer.
October 5, 2021
Although Akinbusola Akinwunmi 杏吧原版25 had spent time away from home before beginning his first semester at the University last month, he had never been away from home for so long. That杏吧原版檚 why he was particularly excited for his family to visit him on campus as part of the University杏吧原版檚 Family Day.
杏吧原版淚t is nice having them here,杏吧原版 said Akinwunmi, a cybersecurity and networks major. 杏吧原版淚杏吧原版檇 been looking forward to Family Day. I was especially excited about watching the football game with them.杏吧原版
The football game 杏吧原版 during which the Chargers defeated crosstown rival 38-9, capturing the coveted Elm City Trophy for the 11th consecutive matchup 杏吧原版 was one of many fun activities that Akinwunmi enjoyed with his family. His parents and siblings visited the University from their home in New Jersey.
杏吧原版淲e杏吧原版檙e a close family,杏吧原版 said Akinola Akinwunmi, Akinbusola杏吧原版檚 father. 杏吧原版淲e杏吧原版檝e all missed him. We were all looking forward to reconnecting with him during Family Day.杏吧原版
The Akinwunmi family was one of many that visited the University for a fun and relaxing day on campus. The event, the largest the University has hosted on campus since the start of the pandemic, brought more than 1,500 students and their family members together. The University had safety measures in place to protect everyone, including requiring family members to show proof of full vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test before arriving on campus. Students and their families wore face coverings while inside to keep everyone safe during the various events.
Cassandra Stevens 杏吧原版24, a criminal justice major, said she was most looking forward to taking her mother, Carol, to the University杏吧原版檚 crime scene training house, where families went on tours and learned what it takes to process a crime scene.
杏吧原版淚t杏吧原版檚 nice to be at Family Day and to be around more people,杏吧原版 said Cassandra. 杏吧原版淚t feels more like normal.杏吧原版
杏吧原版淟ast year, because of COVID, we didn杏吧原版檛 get to enjoy Family Day,杏吧原版 added Carol. 杏吧原版淚杏吧原版檓 glad we杏吧原版檙e getting to do what we didn杏吧原版檛 get to do last year.杏吧原版
Erica Gardner, associate director of the Center for Student Engagement, Leadership, and Orientation (CSELO), says the goal was for families to get a 杏吧原版渇ull campus experience.杏吧原版 She says Family Day was a wonderful way for families to see the campus, learn about everything the University has to offer students, and to meet faculty and staff members, and their students杏吧原版 classmates and families.
杏吧原版淚t is important for me to make sure families feel connected to our campus,杏吧原版 she said. 杏吧原版淲e understand that the transition to college can be difficult, and we want to provide students and families with opportunities to keep those connections. My favorite moment of Family Day is when students come up to me to introduce me to their families. It reassures me that I am having a positive impact on our students and on our campus.杏吧原版
Many of the day杏吧原版檚 activities were outside 杏吧原版 including lawn games, interactive inflatables, and caricature artists. Families also made their own stuffed animals, which included miniature University of New Haven t-shirts, and got their pictures taken with Charlie.
Kathleen Trakimas came up from Bridgewater, New Jersey, to spend the day with her daughter, Stephanie Seymour 杏吧原版22. She, too, was looking forward to touring the University杏吧原版檚 crime scene house.
杏吧原版淚 love the campus,杏吧原版 said Trakimas. 杏吧原版淭he students are so positive and so happy. It杏吧原版檚 a lovely day at the University.杏吧原版
杏吧原版淚杏吧原版檝e been looking forward to seeing Stephanie杏吧原版檚 favorite spots on campus,杏吧原版 added her sister Caroline Seymour, who attended Family Day with Trakimas.
The event enabled Charger families to explore the campus, including seeing residence halls, and visiting University Admissions and the Myatt Center for Diversity and Inclusion. Families learned how to salsa dance, decorated cupcakes together, and tested their puzzle-solving skills in an escape room.
For many families, such as the Arcuri family of Naugatuck, Conn., Family Day was a wonderful opportunity to spend time together while sharing their Charger Pride.
杏吧原版淚 wanted to visit the campus to check out the atmosphere,杏吧原版 said Mary Arcuri, who attended Family Day with her daughter Faith Arcuri 杏吧原版25, a communication major. 杏吧原版淚t杏吧原版檚 so nice to get to do this. I love the campus.杏吧原版
杏吧原版淭his has been a lot of fun,杏吧原版 added Faith. 杏吧原版淲e don杏吧原版檛 always get to spend a lot of time together, and it杏吧原版檚 nice to get to be together.杏吧原版
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