Grandparents Flood IWU Campus

A record 700 grandparents attended Indiana Wesleyan University’s eighth annual Grandparents Day on Friday, September 18. Grandparents Day is second only to Homecoming in the number of guests who visit campus.

IWU’s University Relations Division organized the event.

The day began with a continental breakfast in IWU’s Phillippe Performing Arts Center before grandparents moved on to an informational convocation with several IWU officials, including President Henry Smith.

Dr. Jim Lo, Dean of the Chapel, spoke at two chapel services that guests attended with their grandchildren. There also were bus tours of campus and lunch in Baldwin Dining Room.

Grandparents Day ended with a variety show, which was arranged by Dr. Todd Guy, Chairman of the IWU Division of Music.

"We’ve come every year just to see our granddaughter, and we want her to know how much we think of her," said Liz Leseman from Grant, Michigan. Leseman said she and her husband, Bob, left home at 3:15 a.m. to drive to IWU.

Their granddaughter is Maria Gonzalez, an IWU junior. “We know she is in good hands at IWU,” her grandmother said.

Alan Miller, IWU’s Director of University Relations, said some guests continue to attend Grandparents Day, even though they no longer have grandchildren on campus.

"I’m not sure how many conversations I had with grandparents, but I loved hearing them talk about their reactions to the IWU community," said Dr. Keith Newman, IWU’s Vice President for University Relations. "Several of them broke down and cried about what they experienced."