University of California Irvine Parent Guide
Parents Day 2009 a Success!
For the second year in a row I had the great pleasure of welcoming the extended Anteater family to the campus as Parents Day 2009 brought more than 200 Anteater parents and guardians to UC Irvine.
Attendees were greeted by Chancellor Michael V. Drake and Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs Manuel N. Gómez. Following the chancellor's state of the university address, both Chancellor Drake and Vice Chancellor Gómez answered participants' questions. According to one parent, "Chancellor Drake was excellent and Vice Chancellor Gómez was a delight. The explanation of costs, budget forecasting and things related to expenses was easy to understand."
The keynote address by Hans Keirstead, Ph.D., Associate Professor at the Reeve-Irvine Research Center at UCI, proved to be the highlight of the event. Professor Keirstead discussed his groundbreaking research in stem cell-based treatments for spinal cord injury and disease. In the words of one excited parent, "Dr. Keirstead's presentation made Parents Day! UCI is so fortunate to have not only such a remarkable talent, but such a remarkable human being as well. He is the rock star of the university! He made me feel proud as a parent that my daughter is a UCI student!"
Throughout the rest of the day, attendees were able to take part in a number of workshops on a range of topics including how to search for a job in today's economy, why students should get involved on campus, how UCI students can maintain their health and wellness, and how parents can begin the process of letting go of their children while still remaining connected.
The day was finished off by a selection of tours through various housing communities and the Anteater Recreation Center.
As we always find when parents come to the campus, Parents Day 2009 was an enriching experience, and an excellent opportunity for networking and learning more about how parents and the university can work together.
We hope to see many of you there in 2010!
- Mike Knox, Assistant Director, New Student Programs
