Luther College’s 2022 Family Weekend was held from September 23 through 25. Families of Luther students traveled to visit campus for a weekend of activities. There were  traditional Family Weekend events like the football game, the volleyball tournament, and the family weekend choral and Symphonic Band concert. Some new activities were also added to this year’s roster, including a 5K race sponsored by the Luther College Bookstore.

Director of Parent and Family Engagement Mariah Smith (‘95) helped to organize this year’s events for Family Weekend. For her, the importance of Family Weekend cannot be overstated.

“We have been doing family weekends for decades, and it usually is scheduled a couple of weeks after classes start,” Smith said. “Families come to campus and get to see what [students] are experiencing here on campus. What we hope to do with families is to help them get to know Luther College and the Decorah area better.”

For the event organizers, a lot of planning has gone into hosting these events. Smith stated that there are certain events that occur traditionally, but there are also newly added events to make the experience more unique for the students and families.

“We have some events that happen every year like Habitat for Humanity,” Smith said. “[We] always do a pancake breakfast as a fundraiser, and this year, [for example] they’re raising money for Ukraine. We almost always have the schedule [for] a home football game, and there are usually other home athletic events happening as well. We [also] always have an evening concert on Saturday and then an afternoon concert with the concert band and jazz orchestra.”

A lot of engaging events occurred throughout the weekend. The events included a movie night, and a 5K Fun Run, with many athletic and music activities for every family to enjoy. A recording of the Jazz Orchestra and Concert Band’s performance is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZgRRtlywH8 

With a huge number of activities, many families were incredibly excited to visit campus. This weekend promised fun times and family reunions, something that Andre Hagen Espino’s (‘26) family was very excited about. Karna Moskalik is Espino’s aunt, and had nothing but good things to say about this Family Weekend.

“This is a dream come true for our family,” Moskalik said. “His father was a student here at Luther College, so Andre is a second generation [student]. It brings back so many great memories to be here on campus to celebrate football games and enjoy walking around campus. We’re very proud of our nephew. We are looking forward to hearing the concert tonight, and we’re gonna hear the Nordic choir tomorrow during Chapel, so that’s going to be very exciting.”

For many Luther students, Family Weekend is always a fun and exciting weekend. It is also exciting for families to see campus and enjoy school activities. For international students whose families could not travel to the United States, it is also an opportunity to get to know the college better and learn more about American culture with their friends. Preparations have already begun for next year’s Family Weekend.