Preparing for Family Fun During USD Grandparents Weekend
A tour of Founders Chapel, bingo, a do-it-yourself painting project, a lecture with a treasured university professor, a cooking demonstration, Mass, a reception with the university's president, and the third annual Be True to Your School and Silent Auction where one lucky person can win $5,000 or a San Diego vacation package!
And that's just what's in store for the first day of the University of San Diego's 13th annual Grandparents Weekend, taking place Feb. 24-25.
This weekend, run by USD's Office of Parent Relations, offers a whirlwind of fun activities for grandparents and their grandchildren who are current USD students. Grandparents are often joined by USD parents and siblings, too, thus creating quality family time memories on a beautiful campus and in America's Finest City.
Saturday's festivities consists of a brunch, campus tram and San Diego city tours, an off-campus afternoon performance of actor-comedian Steve Martin's play, "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" at The Old Globe Theatre in famed Balboa Park, then back to USD for a pre-game party at O'Toole's Lounge and rooting on the USD men's basketball team in a West Coast Conference game against the University of Portland inside the Jenny Craig Pavilion.
Advance online registration for this weekend concludes Tuesday, Feb. 21 — sign up at giving.sandiego.edu/gpw17. Walk-up registrations will be accepted. Check-ins on Friday are from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Degheri Alumni Center and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hahn University Center. Registration is $40 per person and free for USD students. There are additional fees for certain events, such as Be True to Your School ($50 for persons 21 and older, $25 for USD students/guests under 21), Paint-It-Yourself event ($30 per person), San Diego city tour ($20 per person) and tickets for the basketball game are $8 each (USD student section tickets are free). Tickets for the theatre performance are already sold out.
Grandparents Weekend is certainly a cherished event that Pat Whalen, grandparent of Holly and Erica, who are USD alumnae from 2008 and 2013, respectively, envisioned when she made the suggestion for a Grandparents Weekend concept at USD.
"Thirteen years ago, when Grandparents' Weekend was established, it was for us, the extension of a long, loving relationship with our granddaughters, Holly and Erica," said Whalen. "Holly was our first granddaughter to attend USD in 2004 and it was then that we became aware that USD offers more than just an education. We were thrilled when her sister, Erica, followed her in 2009. ... We can see the difference USD makes in the character of our young people. USD is truly an extension of not only education, but a moral and ethical lifestyle. I am so proud to have helped start our grandparents program with the help of a caring staff. We hope you will join us in this ongoing venture."
— Ryan T. Blystone
For additional information or questions, please email parents@sandiego.edu or call (619) 260-4808.