Union University celebrates Family Weekend

JACKSON, Tenn. — A weekend making parents feel at home kicked off Friday at Union University. The school’s Family Weekend is a chance for parents to spend quality time with their sons and daughters who are now college students.

“We’ve been doing this for about five years now because of our oldest daughter being here, and it’s just a great opportunity to come and feel a part of this campus as a parent,” Teresa Hewett said.

“You get to spend some time with other parents that you don’t normally get to do and you get to hear from school leaders, and it reinforces your decision to let your kids come here,” dad Todd Hewett said.

Those in attendance include veteran Family Weekend-goers and first timers.

“We’re just looking forward to spending time with our son and seeing what campus life is like,” said Laura Sprouse, whose son is a freshman.

“It gives us the opportunity to meet other parents, to meet his friends and people on campus, but it’s just not as awkward as if it’s just only his parents are here,” Scott Sprouse said.

And it’s a fun time for students also.

“Family Weekend is probably one of my favorite weekends in the fall for Union because it gives a chance for the families to come and see why their child chose Union and what’s so special about Union, and for me that’s the community of Union,” student Bailey Howell said.

Howell is a member of Chi Omega Sorority that hosted a BBQ to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“We’re granting a little boy’s wish, and he’s going to go to Disney World,” Howell said.

And although it’s a lot of work, she says the end result is worth it. “Knowing that in the end what we’re doing this for is to grant a child’s wish, so it’s cool to grant a wish and see our hard work pay off in the end and see the little kid’s face.”