A Point Loma Nazarene University tradition, dating back to 2001, strives to bring families and loved ones together for a time to reconnect. Amid high tensions following the community’s criticism of PLNU’s delayed recognition of the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk, the event’s leaders said they aren’t concerned about this affecting Family Weekend’s success, but are open to those conversations.
The annual Family Weekend event on campus will take place from Oct. 10-11 and features various activities and events for families. Sarah Binsfield, the assistant director of parent and family relations, has had a hand in the planning process for the past 11 years. She said that while the tradition dates back to 2001, according to their records, she believes it existed before then.
In the early years, there were two events: Parent Weekend and Grandparent Weekend, until the university decided to unite all families for a singular event, creating Family Weekend in 2010. While the name changed, the president’s breakfast and prayer walk remained consistent.
Binsfield, a PLNU alumna, has seen the event evolve since she began working at PLNU. She said she has gone from managing 350-400 guests per year to now about 1,500. She said planning for Family Weekend typically begins in March.
“It takes the entire university to bring this to fruition,” Binsfield said.
She said that PLNU facilities, Sodexo, the president’s office, event services, Nicholson Commons’ managers and student clubs and organizations work together in the planning and execution of what makes Family Weekend happen.
PLNU’s Associated Student Body partners with Binsfield to host a different event each year. This year, ASB’s Director of Activities, Josh Hamman, and Binsfield decided on a bingo night, which will happen on Saturday.
“I remember my freshman year having my parents come [to Family Weekend], and it was just a breath of fresh air seeing them again, and it was also so cool and empowering showing them my campus,” Hamman said.
In recognition of the negative reactions PLNU has received following their response to Kirk’s assassination, Binsfield and Hamman said that while they aren’t concerned for how it may affect Family Weekend, they recognize that those conversations may come up.
“It’s something we’re aware of and sensitive to,” Binsfield said. “Our intent for this entire event is to be able to love on our students, to bring our families back to campus and present these opportunities for them to reconnect, so really that’s our primary focus. As questions come, as concerns come up, we’re entering into those conversations graciously.”
Hamman said that ASB has been in conversation about the possibility of Kirk being brought up during the weekend. If those topics do arise, he said that people will be referred to Connor Mathisen, director of community life, to talk about them.
“I really don’t think this would be any sort of concern or issue with this weekend,” Hamman said. “We know that tensions are high and people are coming with their own ideas and perspectives and backgrounds. … There’s just so much love and care and tenderness here that we’re hoping to provide and really open up a space for people to … feel seen and loved by this community.”
Binsfield said that Family Weekend is planned from a “bird’s eye view” of what students may be going through at this point in the semester, especially for first-year students who may still be adjusting to college life.
“Family Weekend is really an opportunity for not only our families but our students to really reconnect — to take time away from the busyness of the semester … to have intentional time to get grounded again.”
Binsfield said that when she was a student, her family wasn’t able to join her for a Family Weekend. So, she recognizes the students who may not be able to have their families join them and wants to have a space for them, too.
“[I] dealt and struggled with the fact that mom and dad weren’t necessarily able to come as often as I would’ve liked them to,” she said. “So for me, I see the family that wants to come [to Family Weekend] … I also see the student who is a little homesick. That kind of is always driving the direction I’m leading my team to — ‘How can we make it accessible for everyone?’”
Binsfield said this is one of the main reasons why they partnered with the campus club, Loma After Dark, to host a tie-dye event on Friday night.
She said the goal is to create that space for students who may be missing their families but can still get involved and find a sense of belonging and community. She collaborated with Betsy Sonneland, Loma After Dark’s social media and graphic design marketer and fourth-year visual arts and graphic design major, to make it happen.
“The main reason why I’m doing it is to get students involved on campus who might not have a place to go on Friday nights and they can form community there,” Sonneland said, “and I think it’s really awesome that … for people of all ages, of all walks of life … can have a space to go that is positive and inviting.”
Binsfield said her main point is to ensure students know they are invited to participate in the weekend’s activities.
“Regardless of if their families are coming or not, we want them to know that they are part of the PLNU family,” she said. “This event is a huge labor of love. … This event is crafted and cared for with love, and we hope our students enjoy it.”
Carson Dillon