This past week I had the opportunity to sit down with several representatives of the marketing firm responsible for selling Rensselaer to potential students. The questions came up, “Why Rensselaer?” Three things came to mind: the reputation, the excitement, and the community.
No one can dispute the prestige Rensselaer has maintained for nearly 175 years. In addition to a well-established reputation, exciting new changes are bringing about the largest capital campaign in the history of Rensselaer. Throughout years of an old reputation and in the midst of new development, a strong community, the Rensselaer family, has endured. Within this large family, each student has his or her own group of supporters: be it teammates, club members, professors, classmates, or roommates. We all have a niche here at Rensselaer, and as family weekend approaches, we welcome our own families to our new home.
As we celebrate family weekend, take the time to thank your family for giving you the support needed to join the Rensselaer community. One of the most important determinants in the success of students is their families. They have provided us with the resources, encouragement, companionship, and curiosity necessary to explore the world. Family weekend will be an excellent way for the Rensselaer students to show their families some of the appreciation they deserve.
The weekend will be filled with events, so make sure you bring your families out. Some promising activities include the Fall Fest, the hockey game versus the University of Connecticut, and the GM/PU brunch. A full schedule of events including times, locations, and descriptions can be found at http://www.fye.rpi.edu.
As we extend the Rensselaer community to our own families, we can feel proud of the reputation, the excitement, and the community of which we are each a part. So bring your family out to the events, give them a glimpse into your life, and share with them: why Rensselaer?
