Family Weekend

Our Family & Trailblazer Team Member Weekend is an opportunity for our Trailblazer Team Members to join their students for a weekend of quality family time, activities, and fun.

Enjoy time with your student, explore their home away from home, and make some trailblazer memories!

 

 

Family and Trailblazer Team Weekend 

We are excited to welcome families and Trailblazer Team Members to campus!

 2024 Family and Trailblazer Weekend Date

October 18-20, 2024

By October you will have heard a lot about MCLA from your student. Family and Trailblazer Team Weekend is a chance to see for yourself what its all about! You will be able to enjoy the MCLA campus through your students eyes and maybe even meet one of their friends or two!

This year the Student Government Association (SGA) is sponsoring a supply drive to support a local animal shelter No Paws Left Behind. If you are interested in supporting SAG or No Paws Left Behind, you can find the Amazon wishlist here.

Family and Trailblazer Team Weekend is not only for families or Trailblazer Team Members of our first-year students. Everyone is welcome to attend!

Students are typically eager for a visit from a trusted love one by this time in the semester. Please keep in mind your student may also be tired, overwhelmed, and or stressed. Spending time with someone who cares for them might be well needed.

By this time of the semester, students are generally settled into a regular routine. During this weekend you could ask them to take you to their favorite spots on campus or to a place in the local community that they explored or have wanted to explore.

Before attending the weekend, make sure you discuss your students schedule and what you expect out of the weekend in regards to spending time with you students. Remember they may still need to study for an exam or write a paper. They may even have a club event that they are wishing to attend. Use this time to learn about their life at MCLA.

The majority of the Family and Trailblazer Team Member programming will happen on Saturday, October 19th. Activities on Friday, October 18th will likely occur in the later afternoon/evening. Activities on Sunday, October, 22nd are more for you to enjoy the local community.

Consider what works best for you and your student as you make plans. Some families and Trailblazer Team Member chose to visit for the entire weekend, while other may just attend for just the day.

Whether you attend all or just one of our offered events, we are excited for you to join us!

As you are making travel arrangements, do what works best for you! October is the Berkshires is a lovely time to explore North Adams and the surrounding areas!

Please use the link below for a list of local Hotel Accomodations

Accomodations In or Around North Adams

Find things happening in the Berkshires
Berkshire.org

Ashuwillticook Rail Trail
Lanesborough, MA 01224 

Cascade Waterfall
Marion Ave, North Adams, MA 01247

Gallery 51
51 Main St., North Adams, MA 01247

Hoosac Valley Train Ride
3 Hoosac Street, Adams, MA 01220

Ioka Valley Farms
3475 Hancock Rd, Hancock, Massachusetts  01237

Jaeschke’s Orchard
23 Gould Road, Adams, Massachusetts 01220  

Lakeview Orchard
94 Old Cheshire Road, Lanesborough, MA 01237 

Mt. Greylock State Reservation
Visitors Center/Park Headquarters
30 Rockwell Road, Lanesborough, MA 01237

Natural Bridge State Park
McAuley Road, North Adams, MA 01247 

Whitney’s Farm Market
1775 S. State Rd. - Rt.8, Cheshire, MA 01225  

Below is the schedule used for Family and Trailblazer Team Weekend 2024.

Family and Trailblazer Team Weekend 2024


Friday, October 19th

9:30 a.m. -3:30 p.m.

Campus Bookstore Open

Visit the bookstore to pick up the newest MCLA gear!

Marketplace
      Campus Center, 1st floor

6 p.m.

Men’s Soccer Game

Cheer on the men’s soccer team as they compete against Salem State.

Athletic Complex
       776 West Shaft Road

 

Saturday, October 21st

9 a.m. -
3:30 p.m.

MCLA Bookstore Open

Visit the bookstore to pick up the newest MCLA gear!

Campus Center, 1st floor

10 –
11:30 a.m.

Welcome Table

Check-in for the weekend here and enjoy a cup of coffee or visit the bookstore. Interester in supporting the Student Government Associations supply drive, find the wish list here for No Paws Left Behind.

*Registration for the weekend is not required

Marketplace
   Campus Center, 1st floor

11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

MCLA Brunch

Join your student for a lovely brunch in the Centennial Room. $$

Campus Center, 1st floor

12 noon -
4 p.m.

Family Fest

Join this fun-filled event of games, bounce houses, and more.

Sponsored by the Student Activities Council

Venable Hall, gym

2 p.m.

Alpha Lambda Delta and Alpha Chi Honor Societies induction Ceremony

Join our students as they are inducted into two nationally recognized honor societies.

Church Street Center, Auditorium

3 p.m.

Faculty Recital

 

Church Street Center, Auditorium

7 p.m.

Ghost Hunting with Chris Fleming

Join members of the MCLA commuity on a fun and exciting extraterrestrial adventure around campus to see what arises!

Sponsored by the Student Engagement Office

Murdock Hall, rm 218

 

Sunday, October 22nd

Enjoy the day with your student out in the Berkshires!

11 a.m. –
2 p.m.

MCLA Brunch

Join your student for a lovely brunch in the Centennial Room. $$

Campus Center, 1st floor

2- 3 p.m.

Exploring the Creation of Glass Art with Josh Simpson at The Clark Art Institute

Renowned glass artist Josh Simpson, based in Western Massachusetts, offers a glimpse into historical and contemporary glassmaking techniques. Presented in conjunction with Fragile Beauty: Treasures from the Corning Museum of Glass, this talk explores the intricate process behind creating one of the exhibition's stunning objects, Megaworld. Drawing parallels to his own work in his rural studio, Simpson discusses how natural and astronomical inspirations translate into glass art. Fragile Beauty will be on view for one more week following this lecture.

The Clark Art Institute
225 South Street Williamstown, Massachusetts 01267

 

 

Questions? Just Ask!

Email us at TrailblazerTeam@mcla.edu

Jenn Labbance
Director of New Student Programs and Family Engagement