FAYETTEVILLE – More than 3,000 parents and family members of University of Arkansas students attended Family Weekend 2014 this past weekend, making it the largest and most successful weekend in the 16-year history of the event.

“This has been our best Family Weekend yet. It was a huge success,” said Quincy Spencer, director of New Student and Family Programs, the Student Affairs office that plans the event. “Parents get excited when they come to campus. We had so many events this year that they could attend, which made the weekend even more exciting.”

This year parents and family members who attended Family Weekend enjoyed campus tours, a parent panel, the Bill Nye distinguished lecture, Friday Night Live, a Tailgate Party with a live band, a Sunday brunch, the Parent Partnership Association Reception, and of course the Arkansas vs. Northern Illinois University football game.

Other events that coincided with the weekend included the Pi Beta Phi 5k Run for Literacy, a Razorback Soccer game, a Walton Arts Center show, and the Fayetteville Farmers Market.

Participating parents said they really enjoyed their visit to campus during Family Weekend.

“We had a wonderful time, and we would certainly come to Family Weekend again,” said Laura Osiecki a parent from Coppell, Texas. “It was the right mix of things to do with just enough organized activities and free time to visit with our student. There was no pressure to attend every function and there was a lot of variety to choose from.”

The Osiecki’s son Zachary is a freshman this year and is the first of their children to attend the U of A. “We love what the University of Arkansas is doing for our student, and we are talking to our oldest son, who attends another university, about coming to Arkansas to work on his master’s degree,” Osiecki said.

“This is the typical time of year when students begin to get homesick,” said Alison Leach, assistant director of Parent and Family Programs, “so the timing was perfect for parents to come to campus and visit.”

A silent auction, with items ranging from books for a semester to a football signed by Coach Bret Bielema, raised more than $1,200 for Parent Partnership Association Book Scholarships. These scholarship funds are available to undergraduate students in need through an application process during the Spring semester.

Family Weekend is one of many initiatives by Parent and Family Programs. The Parent Partnership Association, Regional Parents Clubs, and Spring Family Reunion are also major initiatives of the department. Pictures of Family Weekend activities were taken throughout the event and can be found at parents.uark.edu/familyweekend. For more information about Family Weekend and Parent & Family Programs visit parents.uark.edu.