Welcome Families!
We are thrilled to welcome parents and families for a weekend of fun!
At Kalamazoo College we appreciate and value the supporting role that families play in the education of their student. We invite you to enjoy a celebratory and informative weekend at Kalamazoo College. Family Weekend typically occurs at the beginning of November.
Family Weekend 2023 is scheduled for November 3-5. Throughout the weekend, families are encouraged to explore the Kalamazoo community with their student. An information table is available in the Hicks Student Center Friday morning through Sunday afternoon with campus and local resources, and registration is not required to attend. Come when you are able, stay as long as you can, and enjoy a lovely fall weekend with your student!
Navigating Campus During Family Weekend
Accessibility Information
Learn about accessible parking around campus along with barrier free access to campus buildings.
Accessible Parking & Campus Routes
Report an accessibility barrier to HR and Accessibility Services at K. We will address all concerns as soon as possible. Thank you.
Report an Accessibility Barrier
Campus Map
Nearly all events listed in the Family Weekend Schedule have links to the location of events. For a full map visit the Kalamazoo College Campus Map page. Alternatively, maps will be provided at the information table throughout the weekend.
Family Weekend Schedule 2023
Information Table & Bookstore Hours
Friday, November 3rd
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Information Table
Location: Hicks Student Center, Atrium
Stop by to access a variety of information about the campus and the wider Kalamazoo community. Pick up schedules, information sheets, things to do in Kalamazoo, maps, a local restaurant guide, and more.
9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Bookstore
Location: Hicks Student Center, Lower Level
Sale- 20% off all Kalamazoo College imprinted items
Saturday, November 4th
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Information Table
Location: Hicks Student Center, Atrium
Stop by to access a variety of information about the campus and the wider Kalamazoo community. Pick up schedules, information sheets, things to do in Kalamazoo, maps, a local restaurant guide, and more.
10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Bookstore
Location: Hicks Student Center, Lower Level
Sale- 20% off all Kalamazoo College imprinted items
Sunday, November 5th
8 a.m.-3 p.m. | Information Table
Location: Hicks Student Center, Atrium
Stop by to access a variety of information about the campus and the wider Kalamazoo community. Pick up schedules, information sheets, things to do in Kalamazoo, maps, a local restaurant guide, and more.
11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Bookstore
Location: Hicks Student Center, Lower Level
Sale- 20% off all Kalamazoo College imprinted items
Friday, November 3
Open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. | The Book Club
Location: Upjohn Library Commons, 1st floor
This coffee shop offers grab and go sandwiches, salads, snacks, and drinks. Now accepting payments in the form of K Cash or credit cards.
7:30 a.m.-10 a.m. | Breakfast | 10-11 a.m. | Continental Breakfast
Location: Hicks Student Center, Welles Dining Hall
Our premier dining location, Welles serves all-you-care-to-eat meals to please any appetite, including our fresh and colorful salad bar, dynamic chef-attended action station, daily entrée features, vegan and vegetarian options, as well as our Inspired Eats inclusive dining station.
Breakfast & Continental Breakfast Price: $6.10 per person – Family members pay at the entrance
10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Career Studio Open House
Location: Dewing Hall, Center for Career and Personal Development
Come see the Career Studio in action! Located in the Center for Career and Professional Development in Dewing Hall. Light refreshments will be provided.
10 a.m.-4 p.m. | The Richardson Room
Location: Hicks Student Center
Our retail cafe features a wide variety of delicious, made-to-order food options including signature sandwiches, flat breads, smoothies, and yogurt bowls. There’s an abundance of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options too.
11-11:50 a.m. | Honors Day Convocation
Location: Stetson Chapel
Kalamazoo College observes Honors Day in the fall quarter of each year, recognizing at convocation those students who have earned honors for the year and those who have won special prizes during the previous academic year. This event will be live streamed for anyone unable to be present with us in person. Link to livestream: https://vimeo.com/event/1356498
11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Lunch | 1:30-4:30 p.m. | Light Lunch
Location: Hicks Student Center, Welles Dining Hall
Our premier dining location, Welles serves all-you-care-to-eat meals to please any appetite, including our fresh and colorful salad bar, dynamic chef-attended action station, daily entrée features, vegan and vegetarian options, as well as our Inspired Eats inclusive dining station.
Lunch and Light Lunch Price: $8.15 per person – Family members pay at the entrance
1-4 p.m. | “Censorship Through the Centuries” Rare Book Room Exhibit
Location: Upjohn Library Commons, A.M. Todd Rare Book Room, 3rd floor
Book bans and challenges are on the rise, but this isn’t a new phenomenon. Come see the books and authors whose works have been censored over the centuries. Many may surprise you!
1-4 p.m. | Student Accounts/Billing Individual Consultation
Location: Mandelle, Business Office 201A
Have questions about your student’s account at the College? Feel free to drop by to see Juan Muniz, Student Accounts Coordinator, to get your questions answered. The Business Office is on the main level to the left when entering Mandelle from the Quad side. It is up one flight when entering Mandelle from the Academy Street side.
1-4 p.m. | Financial Aid Individual Consultation
Location: Mandelle, Financial Aid Office 111
Have questions about your student’s scholarships or need-based aid? Feel free to stop by the Financial Aid Office where Financial Aid staff will be available to answer questions. The Financial Aid Office is down one flight of stairs when entering Mandelle from the Quad side. It is on the main level when entering Mandelle from the Academy Street side.
3-4 p.m. | Why it Matters: The Importance of Critical Civic Engagement
Location: Dewing Hall, 1st floor, Center for Civic Engagement Community Room
Join staff and student leaders of the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement for snacks and a conversation about how K students and faculty work alongside community residents and organizations in Kalamazoo to contribute to social change, equity, democracy, and sustainability. Each year, the CCE partners with over 47 different community organizations and many academic departments and classes to involve over 450 students with Kalamazoo Public Schools, Farmworker Legal Services, food justice organizations, the YWCA, League of Women Voters, the City of Kalamazoo, and many more. Learn how civic engagement helps students find a sense of purpose, gain the ability to “cross borders,” assume program and project leadership roles, and explore pathways to meaningful careers.
4:30-6 p.m. | Hoop House Community Garden Open Hours
Location: Hoop House (located behind the Fitness & Wellness Center)
Stop by our Hoop House community garden to see what’s growing, harvest vegetables, and meet Hoop House student interns. The Hoop House gardens are supported by the Environmental Stewardship Center and Center for Civic Engagement.
5-8 p.m. | Dinner
Location: Hicks Student Center, Welles Dining Hall
Our premier dining location, Welles serves all-you-care-to-eat meals to please any appetite, including our fresh and colorful salad bar, dynamic chef-attended action station, daily entrée features, vegan and vegetarian options, as well as our Inspired Eats inclusive dining station.
Dinner Price: $11.50 per person – Family members pay at the entrance
Evening | Explore Kalamazoo with Your Student
Pick up a list of shopping, walking, and dining suggestions at the Information Table.
A fantastic Downtown monthly event tonight is Art Hop. Art Hop was created as a way for local artists, organizations, and businesses to showcase their work and to bring the Kalamazoo community together surrounding a shared love of arts and culture. The event is free for the public to attend, and takes place downtown Kalamazoo and in surrounding neighborhoods on the first Friday of the month from February through December.
7:30 p.m. | Theatre Production – Playhouse Creatures
Location: Light Fine Arts, Nelda K. Balch Playhouse
Playhouse Creatures by April De Angelis, directed by Ren Pruis. Set in 1669, it focuses on five women who were some of the first English actresses to appear on stage after Puritan suppression. It explores the lives of these trailblazers and their fight for power and agency in a patriarchal society.
Festival Playhouse is celebrating their 60th year with the theme: “Systems as Old as Time,” exploring the harmful and oppressive systems that have held us back and how we fight against them. Recognizing those that came before us, we seek to highlight ways that joy, laughter, and solidarity can exist and persist in spite of these systems. Additional information is available on the Festival Playhouse website.
Reserve tickets through the Festival Playhouse online Box Office or by calling 269.337.7333
7-10 p.m. | Pumpkin Smash!
Location: Quad
Join Wellness and CARE to smash some pumpkins to vent out frustrations and stress. Learn about healthier choices to destress than getting smashed (intoxicated).
*We also want to help the Earth! Old Jack O’ Lanterns contribute to food waste and methane. We aim to provide as many pumpkins as possible that are past their prime, and compost the remains.
Saturday, November 4
9-9:50 a.m. | Guide to Study Abroad/Away for Families
Location: Hicks Student Center, Banquet Room
What do parents of first and second-year students need to know about study abroad? Presented by Margaret Wiedenhoeft, Executive Director of the Center for International Programs.
Coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and donut holes will be available
10-10:50 a.m. | Career Development at K: Partnerships and Practice
Location: Hicks Student Center, Banquet Room
Learn about the College’s commitment to integrating career exploration and development throughout a student’s four years at K, including how parents and others can get involved. Sponsored by the Center for Career and Professional Development.
Coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and donut holes will be available
10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Brunch
Location: Hicks Student Center, Welles Dining Hall
Our premier dining location, Welles serves all-you-care-to-eat meals to please any appetite, including our fresh and colorful salad bar, dynamic chef-attended action station, daily entrée features, vegan and vegetarian options, as well as our Inspired Eats inclusive dining station.
Breakfast Price: $11.50 per person – Family members pay at the entrance
11 a.m. | Men and Women’s Swimming & Diving Competition
Location: Natatorium
Come and cheer on our Hornet swimmers and divers at the “Kalamazoo Quad” featuring K, Hope, Chicago, and DePauw.
Noon-4 p.m. | “Censorship Through the Centuries” Rare Book Room Exhibit
Location: Upjohn Library Commons, A.M. Todd Rare Book Room, 3rd floor
Book bans and challenges are on the rise, but this isn’t a new phenomenon. Come see the books and authors whose works have been censored over the centuries. Many may surprise you!
2-4 p.m. | Light Lunch
Location: Hicks Student Center, Welles Dining Hall
Our premier dining location, Welles serves all-you-care-to-eat meals to please any appetite, including our fresh and colorful salad bar, dynamic chef-attended action station, daily entrée features, vegan and vegetarian options, as well as our Inspired Eats inclusive dining station. is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers a wide variety of options which include: Stone Fired Pizza, Chef’s Exhibition Line, Regional Cuisine Corner, Soup, Salad & Deli Bar, The Grill & the Vegan and Vegetarian Selection, and allergen sensitive area.
Light Lunch Price: $8.15 per person – Family members pay at the entrance
Evening | Explore Kalamazoo with Your Student
Pick up a list of shopping, walking, and dining suggestions at the Information Table.
5-8 p.m. | Dinner
Location: Hicks Student Center, Welles Dining Hall
Our premier dining location, Welles serves all-you-care-to-eat meals to please any appetite, including our fresh and colorful salad bar, dynamic chef-attended action station, daily entrée features, vegan and vegetarian options, as well as our Inspired Eats inclusive dining station. is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers a wide variety of options which include: Stone Fired Pizza, Chef’s Exhibition Line, Regional Cuisine Corner, Soup, Salad & Deli Bar, The Grill & the Vegan and Vegetarian Selection, and allergen sensitive area.
Dinner Price: $11.50 per person – Family members pay at the entrance
7:30 p.m. | Theatre Production – Playhouse Creatures
Location: Light Fine Arts, Nelda K. Balch Playhouse
Playhouse Creatures by April De Angelis, directed by Ren Pruis. Set in 1669, it focuses on five women who were some of the first English actresses to appear on stage after Puritan suppression. It explores the lives of these trailblazers and their fight for power and agency in a patriarchal society.
Festival Playhouse is celebrating their 60th year with the theme: “Systems as Old as Time,” exploring the harmful and oppressive systems that have held us back and how we fight against them. Recognizing those that came before us, we seek to highlight ways that joy, laughter, and solidarity can exist and persist in spite of these systems Additional information is available on the Festival Playhouse website.
Reserve tickets through the Festival Playhouse online Box Office or by calling 269.337.7333
9 p.m.-12 a.m. | Saturday Night Zoo After Dark: Diwali with K Desi
Location: Hicks Student Center
Join the Office of Student Activities for their Saturday night series program! This week featuring activities and food celebrating Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, with the student organization K Desi! Everyone of all ages is welcome to attend this fun, vibrant event!
Sunday, November 6
All Day | Explore Kalamazoo
Pick up a list of shopping, walking, and dining suggestions at the Information Table.
Various Times | Worship Services
The city of Kalamazoo provides a rich variety of places of worship for a variety of faith traditions. A list is available at the Information Table. Service times vary with the season, so we recommend calling your preferred institution for the service schedule.
10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Brunch
Location: Hicks Student Center, Welles Dining Hall
Our premier dining location, Welles serves all-you-care-to-eat meals to please any appetite, including our fresh and colorful salad bar, dynamic chef-attended action station, daily entrée features, vegan and vegetarian options, as well as our Inspired Eats inclusive dining station.
Brunch Price: $11.50 per person – Family members pay at the entrance
Open 1-9 p.m. | Book Club Cafe
Location: Upjohn Library Commons, 1st floor
This coffee shop offers grab and go sandwiches, salads, snacks, and drinks. Now accepting payments in the form of K Cash or credit cards.
2 p.m. | Theatre Production – Playhouse Creatures
Location: Light Fine Arts, Nelda K. Balch Playhouse
Playhouse Creatures by April De Angelis, directed by Ren Pruis. Set in 1669, it focuses on five women who were some of the first English actresses to appear on stage after Puritan suppression. It explores the lives of these trailblazers and their fight for power and agency in a patriarchal society.
Festival Playhouse is celebrating their 60th year with the theme: “Systems as Old as Time,” exploring the harmful and oppressive systems that have held us back and how we fight against them. Recognizing those that came before us, we seek to highlight ways that joy, laughter, and solidarity can exist and persist in spite of these systems. Additional information is available on the Festival Playhouse website.
Reserve tickets through the Festival Playhouse online Box Office or by calling 269.337.7333
Open 6p.m.- midnight | The Richardson Room
Location: Hicks Student Center
Our retail café features a wide variety of delicious, made-to-order food options including signature sandwiches, flatbreads, smoothies, and yogurt bowls. There’s an abundance of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, too
Questions
Questions about Family Weekend can be directed to Dana Jansma, Senior Associate Dean of Students and Dean of the First-Year Class (dana.jansma@kzoo.edu). We look forward to seeing you on campus in September!