University Life for Families: It 's Open House at Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC Davis By Kathy Chin Leong In April, you can learn the secrets of speed cubing from the Stanford Rubik's Cube Association, practice the Heimlich Maneuver, go on a fossil dig at UC Berkeley, create slime, learn how to make compost the UC Davis way, and much, much more. No one is too young or too old to step into the glorious world of academia. UC Berkeley, Stanford University, and UC Davis are opening their hallowed doors forfree community days, welcoming all who want to take advantage of campus activities. Whether your children are toddlers or teenagers, collegiate organizers have events, booths, lectures, food, and play zones for everyone to enjoy. Each campus will host thousands of visitors, offering the opportunity to tour dorms, talk to professors, meet folks in the admissions departments and ask them the big question: “How can I afford to send my kid to Stanford?” Here is a survival guide on how to get the most out of your day in higher education. You can also log on to the campus Web sites for detailed itineraries. No one can cover everything, but you and your family can scope out the must-sees. CARDINAL RULES Stanford’s fourth annual Stanford Community Day takes place Sunday, April 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is held at the Stanford quadrangle. While it officially starts at 10 a.m., go early to the Galvez lot to get free parking The campus will offer shuttle buses for people parked on the outskirts. Parking is free all day throughout the non-residential spaces. According to planner Kate Chesley, last year’s community day drew more than 10,000 people, with 75 percent of the attendees being children and families. Expect booths run by 26 student clubs, the largest showing of groups ever. According to the Stanford Office of Communications, which is sponsoring the event, highlights include: *Catapult games from the Civil Engineering department. *Face painting in Chinese Peking Opera style from the American Chinese Exchange. *Ethnic games from the Singaporean Club. *Impromptu wind, string, and brass ensembles, hosted by the university symphony orchestra. *Slime-making by the Center for Polymer Interfaces and Molecular Assembly. *Magic show performance by the Chem Club. *Solar car exhibit by the Solar Car Club. This car entered a race last year driving from Chicago to Los Angeles. The Stanford Medical Center will have a major presence with its own health fair.Take this opportunity to get free health checks and monitoring. Medical booths will hand out interesting and useful items, along with answering questions on health and nutrition. Campus sports will be showcased in the designated athletics area, and families can try football, lacrosse, fencing, and kayaking. Stanford Cardinal athletes from Division One sports will be on hand to give demonstrations and distribute sports trinkets. Don’t forget to pick up free bottled water. The Cantor Art Center will offer museum tours and host faculty lectures. Former Stanford president Donald Kennedy will present a session about birds, his favorite hobby and subject. Meanwhile, Stanford pediatrican Tom Robinson will discuss his research on children’s weight at the Center for Research and Disease Prevention. UC BERKELEY The next week, Saturday, April 16, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., you can visit Stanford’s arch rival UC Berkeley. At UC Cal Day, the action takes place throughout the entire campus. According to Diane Musto, head of the UCB parent organization running the show, parking is extremely limited. The public is urged to take BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), then board the cable car shuttles waiting at the station. UC students will serve as docents on the shuttles, so visitors and prospective students can ask questions. “This open house will feature something for everybody,” she promises. More than 150 academic departments and student groups will host booths or tables.  The engineering and science departments will demonstrate robotic cars, solar vehicles, and other creative feats of wonder. Unique to Cal Day is the chance to venture into research museums typically closed to the public. The Vertebrate Zoology Museum features hedgehogs, reptiles, and other living creatures. The Paleontology Museum, Jepson Herbaria botanical research facility, Valley Life Science building with a T-Rex exhibit and dinosaur fossils will also be open for some serious snooping. Berkeley museums, which usually charge admission, will be free to the public as well. These include Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley Art Museum, and the Hearst Museum of Anthropology. Financial aid staff will be on hand to answer questions at the resource fair. Admissions personnel can also be interviewed to see what it takes to become a Cal Bear. Anyone can participate in a campus and residence hall tour. Check out the UCB Doe Library, which features underground stacks and tunnels that link to another campus library. Like the Stanford Community, Cal Day sponsors a festival of cultures from various student groups, so you can expect to see and sample international food, crafts, and entertainment.You can pick up a printed program of events that day or go on-line to view the program on April 1st. UC DAVIS PICNIC DAY For those of you eager to learn about the Aggies, UC Davis also hosts its Davis Picnic Day on April 16, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., so you'll have to choose between Davis and Berkeley. Little known fact: every year the Davis Picnic day plays host to 50,000 to 60,000 visitors and is the largest studentrun event in the nation. “Professors will be out and about,” says student publicity director Ami Vora of the ninety-first annual event.“We start planning a year in advance. In June, we will be planning what we will do the following year.” Some 17 student directors pull off this monumental feat, featuring more than 90 student groups. Activities include animal events, chemistry magic show, hands-on arts and crafts, composting workshops, a multi-cultural children's faire, and kids’ zone.   Your tots may like going to the Davis campus for its agricultural and rural spin. Last year’s big attraction was a hay bale maze, and Vora expects the maze to return. Visitors will get to see a policedog demonstration. Like Stanford and Berkeley, parking will be free on campus throughout the day, and folks can board complimentary shuttles. Want to camp out? RV parking overnight will also be permitted when families contact the UC David Parking director ahead of time. International food booths will be open throughout the day, and the university food service will have upwards of 15 different tents stationed around the campus. Carnival-style food vendors will sell drinks, hot dogs, cotton candy, popcorn, and all that contraband you ban at home. Families can also bring their own yummies and picnic anywhere on the grassy campus. After lunch, kids can participate in sporting demonstrations and listen to musical performances. According to Vora, the day will feature plenty ofacapella groups and bands. Parent’s needn’t worry about suggestive lyrics, says Vora. “We monitor all the tracks and make sure every music item is appropriate.” The entire college town gets involved, including a morning parade with fire trucks from the Davis Fire Department, local schoolchildren and luminaries. The parade cuts through campus and winds through the downtown area. In the evening, around 5:30 p.m., everyone is invited to see the talent show, a slug out between campus clubs for a shot of campus male or female diva.  Everyone gets into the act here on Picnic Day, from parades to demonstations to arts and crafts and singing. “This day is all about Davis as a community,” Vora concludes. So, are your kids ready for the academic big leagues? Come out for a day or two of college life “lite.” They will be more than ready to visit any of these three campuses with a taste of college life without the frats and finals. **** NOTEWORTHY WEBSITES: * www.berkeley.edu/calday Contact phone: 510/642-2294, ask for Diane Musto.  * www.Stanford.edu Contact phone: 650-724-2933, ask for Kate Chesley * www.picnicday.ucdavis.edu Contact phone: 530/752-6320, ask for Alice Cheng parking director if you want camping info or email at apcheng@gmail.com [Back to Top]   [Back to Index]