Northwest to host annual Family Weekend activities

Parents and families of Northwest Missouri State University students will gather for a weekend of entertainment, athletic events and family fun as the University celebrates its annual Family Weekend September 27 to 29.

“Family Weekend is an opportunity to showcase Northwest and the awesome engagement opportunities our students have on campus,” Drake Summers, Northwest’s student involvement coordinator, said. “We encourage everyone – students, their families, faculty and staff, and community members – to connect with the Northwest family by attending Family Weekend events.”

The weekend’s highlights include free entertainment, the annual Alumni Awards Banquet and a Saturday afternoon football game against the University of Central Oklahoma. Festivities surrounding the football game include the Bearcat Zone tailgate and the halftime introduction of Northwest’s Family of the Year.

All Family Weekend events are open to the public, although reservations are required for some activities. Times are subject to change.

Entertainment

Northwest’s Student Activities Council (SAC) and the Office of Student Involvement are sponsoring free entertainment Friday and Saturday on campus.

Comedian Kevin Bozeman will perform at 6:30 pm, Friday, at the Ron Houston Performing Arts Center. Bozeman has performed on Comedy Central’s “Premium Blend,” NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” CBS and Fox. Since 2017, his “Dry Bar Comedy” special has received more than 7 million views.

Arts Fishing Club will perform live music, beginning at 7 pm, Saturday, at the Raymond J. Courter College Park Pavilion. Producing music since 2016, Arts Fishing Club is a developing group of musicians fronted by Wisconsin native Christopher Kessenich’s folk-rock songwriting.

Other activities for families on Saturday include the annual 5K Run/Walk, sponsored by Northwest Athletic Trainers, beginning at 7 am at the Lamkin Activity Center Circle and a Bearcat Breakfast featuring Chris Cakes from 8 to 10:30 am at the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse. Registration is required for the 5K Run/Walk and the Bearcat Breakfast.

Athletics

Kickoff for the Bearcat football game against the University of Central Oklahoma is 1:30 pm, Saturday at Bearcat Stadium. For ticket information and other details about the game, visit bearcatsports.com/sports/.

The Bearcat Zone, Northwest’s tailgate area prior to all home football games, gets underway at 11:30 am at the Raymond J. Courter College Park Pavilion. The Bearcat Zone features performances by Bobby Bearcat, the Bearcat Marching Band, Bearcat Steppers and the Bearcat cheerleaders and other family-friendly activities. Fans may bring their own food or a tailgate meal is available for $12 for adults and $5 for children 7 and under.

Alumni Awards Banquet

Seven distinguished members of the Northwest Missouri State University family will be honored during the Alumni Awards Banquet, sponsored by the Northwest Alumni Association. The event begins with a social at 6 pm, Friday, September 27, in the JW Jones Student Union Ballroom. The dinner begins at 6:45 pm, followed by the awards presentation at 8 pm.

This year’s honorees are Randell Moore, Dr. Michael Rogers, Dr. Richard Fulton, Rodney Edge, Allison Strong Hoffmann, Dr. Ashley Leger and Brad Jackson.

For more information about the Alumni Awards Banquet, contact the Office of University Advancement at 660.562.1248 or alumni@nwmissouri.edu.

A complete schedule is available at www.nwmissouri.edu/getinvolved/familyweekend/. For more information, contact the Office of Student Involvement at 660.562.1226 or osi@nwmissouri.edu.