Reunions and new beginnings are expected as the West Virginia University Alumni Association hosts Legacy Weekend Feb. 15-16. Now in its 13th year, the event brings WVU alumni and their children, who have been admitted to the University, back to campus for a special weekend. The program not only helps to recruit students, but it also gets alumni back in touch with their alma mater.
“Its a great feeling when you see someone who graduated from WVU 20 years ago come back to campus and witness the remarkable changes here,”said Stephen Douglas, chief executive officer of the WVU Alumni Association.”Sometimes alums that knew each other as students return for Legacy Weekend and spend a couple of days learning about changes at WVU while reminiscing and reconnecting with each other,”he continued.
As part of the weekend-long activities, students will get the opportunity to talk one-on-one with representatives from their academic fields of interests, and will have access to comprehensive financial aid counseling. They will also receive an extensive campus tour, including a welcome from WVU President David C. Hardesty Jr. and lunch with Vice President for Student Affairs Ken Gray.
The legacies and their parents can also participate in a reception at WVUp All Night, a weekend program that offers a”hip”atmosphere at the student union that doesnt rely on alcohol as the main draw. Free foodincluding a midnight breakfast buffetand entertainment like dances, concerts, movies, comedy clubs, bowling, billiards, computing labs and study lounges attracts thousands each night.
The group can also attend the WVU vs. University of Pittsburgh basketball game Saturday night at the Coliseum.
The students who will visit campus have been admitted to WVU and possibly other institutions, but may not have made a final decision about where they will attend college, Douglas noted.”Legacy Weekend is an important way for the University to illustrate what it has to offer,”he said.
Members of Mountaineer Council, the student auxiliary group to the WVU Alumni Association, work closely with the prospective students and their families during the two-day event.
“What Mountaineer Council provides is insight,”explains Kevin Berry, assistant director of the WVU Alumni Association.”They give first-hand information on what it is like to be a student at WVU and what parents need to know also. We find that these Council volunteers are a very valuable resource,”he explained. The 40 members of Mountaineer Council help plan the weekend and volunteer countless hours.
Legacy Weekend begins at 10:30 a.m. Friday with registration at the WVU Erickson Alumni Center, and concludes with the basketball game Saturday evening. For more information, contact Kevin Berry at 304-293-4731 or visit the WVU Alumni Association website athttp://www.wvu.edu/~alumni/.