Family Weekend for Orientation Professionals: From Event to Engagement Strategy

🎓 How Early Planning, Seamless Integration, and Intentional Design Can Transform Family Weekend Participation

🖊️ Author: David Morales, CEO & Founding Developer, Visualzen

📍 Featuring Insights From:

• Betsy Staff – Binghamton University
• Nichole Florence – North Carolina A&T State University
  

🔑 Introduction: Why Family Weekend Isn’t Just an Event

For many campuses, Family Weekend is seen as a standalone event—a brief, feel-good moment disconnected from the larger onboarding and retention strategy. But what if Family Weekend could be more?

What if it could become a cornerstone of your student and supporter engagement strategy—a bridge connecting orientation, academic success, and long-term campus partnerships?

In collaboration with Betsy Staff (Binghamton University) and Nichole Florence (North Carolina A&T State University), we explored how campuses are transforming Family Weekend from an isolated event into an intentional, integrated experience that supports both students and their families throughout their campus journey.

💡 Insight: Early Engagement Builds Lasting Participation

One of the standout insights from our conversation came from Betsy Staff:

“When you start engaging families early in the onboarding process and create seamless pathways to Family Weekend participation, you reduce confusion, increase attendance, and foster deeper trust between families and institutions.”

At both Binghamton University and NC A&T, Family Weekend was intentionally introduced early in the onboarding journey.

✅ Familiar Systems, Easier Access: Families already accustomed to using onboarding platforms (like VZO) found registering for Family Weekend intuitive and stress-free.

✅ Clear Communication: Early marketing and targeted messaging removed confusion about event logistics.

✅ High Participation Rates: At NC A&T, nearly 90% of Family Weekend attendees were families of incoming students .

The takeaway is clear: Early and intentional engagement creates clarity, reduces friction, and sets the stage for long-term trust.

🛠️ Actionable Strategies for Orientation Professionals

If you’re an Orientation Professional looking to maximize the impact of Family Weekend, here are three actionable strategies you can implement right away:

1️⃣ Integrate Family Weekend into Your Onboarding Communication Plan:

• Mention Family Weekend early and often during orientation emails, texts, and welcome sessions.
• Use familiar platforms and processes to simplify registration.

As Betsy Staff explained:

“Our families and students had just come off using the same platform for orientation. So when we started pushing Family Weekend registration, it was a system they were already familiar with—it was intuitive and stress-free.”

2️⃣ Create Clear Value Propositions for Families:

• Highlight key benefits: exclusive events, networking opportunities, and campus experiences tailored for supporters.

• Offer registration bundles that combine tickets, access to key events, and keepsakes.

3️⃣ Design Thoughtful Family Weekend Experiences:

• Consider every detail—from event timing to communication clarity.

• Reduce logistical frustrations for families by simplifying registration and offering clear guidance.

In Betsy’s words:

“We really thought very closely about what we were offering, how we were packaging that, and how we were delivering it. We wanted to reduce the frustration that can sometimes go into planning a trip like that.”

These aren’t monumental shifts—they’re strategic alignments that create clarity and reduce unnecessary barriers for families.

🎓 Real Impact: A Unified Approach to Family Engagement

At both Binghamton University and NC A&T, these strategies led to measurable improvements:

✅ Higher Attendance Rates: Simplified registration led to increased Family Weekend participation.

✅ Improved Family Satisfaction: Families felt informed, valued, and included.

✅ Seamless Event Execution: Thoughtful pre-planning minimized day-of chaos and stress.

Family Weekend isn’t just about events—it’s about creating an experience that supports long-term student success.

As Nichole Florence emphasized:

“We wanted to ensure that families felt like the value of their package was worth every dollar and every moment spent on campus.”

📢 Conclusion: It’s Time to Rethink Family Weekend

Family Weekend doesn’t need to be a standalone event—it can be a strategic part of your onboarding playbook. When treated as part of the onboarding journey, it becomes:

✅ A way to deepen family trust in the institution.

✅ A bridge between orientation and long-term student success.

✅ A platform for campus-wide collaboration.

What Can You Do Today?

• Start planning Family Weekend earlier in your onboarding timeline.
• Simplify registration using platforms familiar to your families.
• Collaborate with campus partners to create a unified experience.

Family Weekend doesn’t have to be a logistical headache—it can be a powerful tool for engagement, trust, and student success.

🎥 Want to Learn More?

Watch the full interview with Betsy Staff (Binghamton University) and Nichole Florence (North Carolina A&T State University) on OrientationMatters Season 2, Episode 4: “Family Weekend for Orientation Professionals.”

👉 Explore how VZO supports onboarding success: www.govzo.com/case-studies

Let’s turn simple details into powerful outcomes—together.

💬 Have Questions or Want to Learn More?

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