TN TECH – Tennessee Tech University will welcome Golden Eagle parents and families to campus Sept. 12-14 with special discounts, tailgating, family photos and even a free movie night on the main quad.

The annual event is sponsored by Tech’s Office of New Student & Family Programs and offers families an opportunity to see what life at Tech is all about.

“Family Weekend is one of our favorite traditions at Tennessee Tech,” said Courtney Brehm, director of New Student & Family Programs. “It’s a chance for parents and all family members to experience campus life alongside their Golden Eagle student. With activities for every age and interest, it’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate being part of the Tech community together.”

The festivities begin on Friday, Sept. 12, with free family member access to the university’s Marc L. Burnett Student Recreation & Fitness Center, a “mini-lecture series” in which parents can enjoy 20-minute samplings of faculty presentations and discounted Family Weekend pricing at the Golden Eagle Golf Club, The Table Board Game Lounge, Thrive Family Fun Center and the University Bookstore.

Beginning at 6 p.m., students, parents, alumni and guests can bring blankets and lawn chairs to the main quad for music, games and snacks leading up to a free screening of the comedy film “The Princess Bride” at 7:15 p.m. The event is hosted by the university’s Crawford Alumni Center. Advanced registration is encouraged. Learn more at https://www.tntech.edu/univadv/cac/movies-on-the-quad.php.

Also that evening, the Tennessee Tech University Parent Association will host its annual Scholarship Dinner at 6 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of the Roaden University Center. Seating is limited to scholarship recipients and their guests.

On Saturday, Sept. 13, at 9 a.m., parents and families can enjoy behind-the-scenes tours of the Whitson-Hester School of Nursing’s state-of-the-art medical simulation labs in Bell Hall, watch a demonstration from the Appalachian Center for Craft’s mobile glass blowing unit on Centennial Plaza or commemorate the weekend with a keepsake family photo on the plaza.

From 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., the Biology Department will sponsor a live reptile exhibit in room 318 of Pennebaker Hall and from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., the Chemistry Department will host a “Magic & Ice Cream Show” in room 126 of Stonecipher Lecture Hall.

At 9:45 a.m., students and families can head to Tailgate Park in the west-side stadium parking lot for “Golden Eagle Walk,” a university tradition in which fans line the path and cheer on the Golden Eagle football team as they make their way to the stadium.

Tailgating takes place from 10 a.m. to noon, including a special “First Flight Tailgate” for first-generation college students and their families, hosted by the Office of First-Generation Student Success. Tailgaters can enjoy a performance from the Golden Eagle Marching Band at 10:50 a.m., all leading up to the Golden Eagles’ home game against Davidson College at noon.

Discounts at the Golden Eagle Golf Club, The Table Board Game Lounge and Thrive Family Fun Center will continue through Sunday. Families are also invited to spend time discovering all that Cookeville has to offer on their own and can visit www.visitcookevilletn.com for suggested hotspots and activities.

“Our Golden Eagle families mean so much to this campus and to Cookeville,” concluded Brehm. “Family Weekend is really about letting them know they belong here, too. It’s a chance to make new memories and enjoy time together in Tennessee’s College Town.”

Throughout the weekend, an online auction will also be open for bidding, offering tickets to local attractions, restaurant gift cards, handmade items, Tech swag and more. All proceeds from this event support the Tennessee Tech Parent Association scholarship fund. The auction will close at 8 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 14. View auction items at https://www.tntech.edu/parents/ttupa/silentauction.php.

Additional information on Family Weekend, including a full listing of events, can be found at https://www.tntech.edu/parents/familyweekend.php.