In the shadow of High Point Solutions Stadium, away from the noise and commotion of traditional pre-game tailgating, Rutgers’ youngest fans celebrated homecoming Saturday during a family-friendly event on the president’s lawn.
The R Family Fall Festival, hosted by President Robert Barchi, his wife Francis and the Rutgers University Alumni Association (RUAA), is now in its fourth year and has become part of the fabric of Rutgers-New Brunswick’s homecoming weekend. It provides a chance for alumni to reconnect with their alma mater and old friends, while maybe even getting their children to think about their future in college.
“Am I going to come to Rutgers when I am older?’’ Carley Sundack, 7, asked her parents, both Rutgers graduates, after visiting the petting zoo – the highlight of the day for the aspiring veterinarian.
Kimi Stephenson, Class of ’09, was hoping her three nephews would have a similar reaction after spending the morning on the lawn of the president’s residence in Piscataway.
“It’s important for them to experience these events,’’ said Stephenson, of New Brunswick, after playing a round of mini golf with her 2-year-old nephew, Keegan Wogwugwu.
“My parents didn’t graduate college,’’ Stephenson said. “Hopefully, events like this will plant a seed in them and they will want to go.’’
Throughout the grounds, children of Rutgers alumni had a chance to pet some of the animals brought over from Rutgers Farm on G.H. Cook campus. They played in the bounce house, went on pony rides and even took a ride on a tractor driven by President Barchi.
The thought of hosting a festival designed for children came to the Barchis in 2012, during their first Rutgers football season. Whenever the Scarlet Knights played at home, they would navigate the parking lot tailgate parties as they walked from their residence to the stadium. They realized the environment could be too rowdy for kids.
For Francis Barchi, it’s important the popular pre-game festival – open to alumni with children under 15 – remain a tight-knit and welcoming event where it’s safe for the youngest fans to run freely.
“I like seeing parents be parents at our event and not wrapped up with being fans,’’ Francis Barchi said. “At the same time, I love seeing kids feel like they are part of the Rutgers fabric as opposed to tag alongs at adult activities.’’
‘It gives more breadth to young families’ understanding of what Rutgers is all about,’’ Francis Barchi said.
About 240 alumni and their families attended the morning event, which gave them an opportunity to share their Rutgers pride with their children.
“It is a good excuse to come back to school and meet up with friends,’’ said Avi Naveh, Class of 2000, who wore a matching red Rutgers fleece with his 4-year-old son, Nathaniel. His 6-month-old daughter, Daniella, was also dressed for the occasion in scarlet tights.
“It’s a nice way to teach them about where Daddy went to school,’’ his wife, Einat, said. “And it’s a nice way to teach them about the concept of college.’’
The morning’s event is one of many hosted by the RUAA, geared toward helping alumni reconnect and feel like they are still part of Rutgers. The RUAA offers events, volunteer opportunities, exclusive benefits and more ways for alumni to build upon their relationship to Rutgers no matter when they graduated or where they live.
“Often, young alumni and their families have a hard time attending university events, either because they’re so busy or because some events are not geared toward children,’’ said Donna Thornton, vice president of alumni relations, annual giving and communications. “So this is a way to include them and let them know that not only are they an important part of the Rutgers family, they are scarlet forever.”
