Samantha Wisniewski, a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences, is looking forward to welcoming about 10 relatives and friends to Marquette's campus this weekend.

"I just really want them to see how much I like Marquette — that it was a good choice," Wisniewski said.

Wisniewski's visitors are among 1,300 relatives and friends of Marquette students arriving for the annual Family Weekend.

"It's a way for parents to reconnect with their students, to see that their children are adjusting well," said Michelle Speiser, event planner for University Special Events.

Preparation for each year's Family Weekend begins a year in advance with a wrap-up meeting in which planners critique the past Family Weekends and discuss which activities should be repeated in future years, she said.

"To get all of it coordinated in one weekend takes some time," said Maureen Krueger, special programs officer with University Advancement.

Several departments within the university aid in the arrangement of the weekend's events, including University Advancement, Public Affairs and the Parents Association.

"There is some really good collaboration across the university," Speiser said.

Krueger said most of the families that come this weekend are those of the freshman class, but "families do come back year after year."

For some, Family Weekend assists both students and their families in adjusting to college.

Wisniewski said her two younger sisters are having an especially difficult time without her at home.

"They really miss me. They want to just stay with me, so I'll do the activities where they can come with," Wisniewski said.

The planned activities for Family Weekend start with an optional parent retreat Friday at 9 a.m.

The Department of Public Safety will sponsor Rollin' with the Changes: LIMO's 20th Anniversary Celebration at 1 p.m. Friday in Lot A.

Part of the proceeds from a Milwaukee-style fish fry, planned for Friday night in the Alumni Memorial Union's Marquette Place, will go to the Marquette University Parents Fund. Speiser said the fish fry is traditional and usually one of the most popular events of the weekend.

The Department of Performing Arts will present "Everyman," a 15th-century adaptation of a morality play, each day this weekend, Speiser said.

On Saturday, tour guides will give tours of campus landmarks as well as lectures about topics that affect students.

Students can take their siblings to the Union Sports Annex for bowling on Saturday afternoon, and the University Chorus will also hold a concert in the Weasler Auditorium.

The Liturgical Choir will sing for a special Family Weekend Mass at Gesu Church at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

At 8:30 p.m., there will be dessert and coffee in the Alumni Memorial Union ballrooms as improvisation comedy troupe Comedy Sportz performs, and live bands Truth in Fiction and Something to Do will perform free for guests and students at the Annex.

Sunday, the Marquette Band will play on Westowne Square during an ice cream social, an event that Krueger and Speiser said is new for this year.

Also during the weekend, the women's soccer and volleyball teams will both play DePaul and Notre Dame at home.

This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on September 29, 2005.