Every fall, Friends, Family, and Alumni Weekend (FFAW) brings the community together to celebrate their connections to Lasell.
This year’s three-day event was held Oct. 14-16 and featured a variety of events, including Halloween Bingo, the comedy magician Trent James, and the traditional boat races. In addition, there were also tours off campus, including a boat cruise, tours of Fenway Park, apple picking, and a Ghost and Gravestones tour.
Audrey Rubin, the mother of first-year Jonah Rubin-Salzberger, was excited to be on campus. “I’ll take any opportunity to see my son, but I also wanted to see the college, the way he lives, and the way the college celebrates itself,” Rubin said.
Rubin also mentioned getting to know other parents, something the Parent’s Council took advantage of. The Parent’s Council held Mix & Mingle on Saturday, an opportunity for parents and family members to connect.
Alexa Donegan, Director of Parent and Community Relations said parents were grateful for the opportunity to meet each other, grow their connection to Lasell, and share experiences; “I hope [parents] take away that they are an integral part of the Lasell community and that they realize how important it is to meet other Lasell parents.”
Students, including junior fashion media and marketing major Jacqueline Martone, were also grateful to share a day on campus with their families.
“It meant a lot for my dad to come visit. Even though my hometown is 30 minutes away, I don’t get to see him often because of our schedules,” Martone said. “I was able to show him around campus and even my classrooms…He loved seeing parts [of campus] that he’s never seen.”
Alumni also had the opportunity to reconnect through the Alumni and Family Beer Garden and a Young Alumni Pub Night.
Geralson Withrow (‘21) who ran cross country, was excited to reconnect with teammates and friends. “I just wanted to see some old friends…it’s been a while since I’ve seen [them] so I just wanted to stop by and say hello,” Withrow said.
Former student-athletes had the opportunity to reengage in their sport. In addition to the Alumni Athlete Brunch, former members of the baseball, volleyball, lacrosse, field hockey, and cross-country teams were able to compete in alumni games.
Kevin Wallin (‘20), competed in the cross-country Fun Run. According to Wallin, his performance was “alright…but it’s not about the time, [it’s about] having fun being back on campus.”
Thomas Morgan, Director of Student Activities and Orientation, oversaw the planning of the weekend and was pleased with how it went. Morgan said there was something for everyone and hopes parents, students, and alumni all took something away.
“I think especially after the height of the pandemic, being able to do these things in person is really powerful, it’s nice to rebuild these connections and continue them on,” Morgan said.
Friends, Family, and Alumni weekend concluded on Sunday with the 100-year-old tradition of River Day. Students, families, and alumni gathered at Stoller Boat House to race down the Charles River in antique canoes.
Morgan encourages anyone who was unable to make the weekend of events this year to attend next year and take advantage of time with family, friends, and alumni.