Briefly speaking: Weekends welcome parents

Two new fall events at UC Davis will give parents a chance to dive into campus life.

Back to School Weekend — part of Homecoming Weekend Oct. 16-17 — will include faculty speakers, a wine tasting and behind-the-scenes campus tours.

Parent and Family Weekend — Nov. 7-8 — includes a pre-game festival and football game, college receptions and tours.

Back to School Weekend Oct. 16-17

Back to School Weekend — known as Alumni College when it was last held three years ago — "showcases some of the tremendous programs we have on campus," said Jane Eadie, director of programs for the Cal Aggie Alumni Association. She said the name was changed to welcome more people, particularly Aggie parents.

The event features faculty lectures on new energy technologies, the power of poetry, autism, power foods and environmental conservation. Other special events are a wine tasting provided by Aggie Vintners, lunch at a campus dining commons and festivities before the Homecoming football game against Winston-Salem State.

Eadie added: "This is going to be an incredible weekend of programming, including dynamic speakers who are renowned in their field; access to restricted campus venues such as the sensory lab at the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science; exclusive behind-the-scenes tours at the Nelson Gallery, the vet med facilities, and much more."

The event is sponsored by the Cal Aggie Alumni Association and UC Davis Extension, the professional and continuing education arm of the university. The cost for the program, including meals and wine reception, is $150.

The registration deadline is Oct. 14. For more information or to register, visit the Back to School Weekend Web site.

Parent and Family Weekend Nov. 7-8

Parent and Family Weekend is the first such event on campus in about two decades.

The activities, spanning Saturday through Sunday morning, will feature a rally to teach parents about Aggie traditions and a football game against Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Fred Wood, vice chancellor for student affairs, will be the keynote speaker at a breakfast.

Maria Zalesky, director of parent programs at UC Davis, said the event is designed to help families connect while exploring the campus.

"As a parent of a college student myself, I think the parents who attend will not only enjoy the time that they are able to spend with their student, but also the camaraderie of networking with other UC Davis parents at the game and the pregame festival," she said.

After the Aggie traditions rally, pre-game festivities will start at 11:30 a.m. outside the stadium, with vendors selling food and drinks. The game kicks off at 1 p.m.

On Sunday, there's the breakfast, followed by tours highlighting art, music, athletics and wildlife interests.

The cost for the weekend of activities is $30 for members of the Aggie Parents Association, $35 for nonmembers and $15 for UC Davis students.

The registration deadline is Oct. 30. For information or to register, visit the Parent and Family Weekend Web site.