It’s a celebration one century in the making.
Arkansas Tech University will mark the 100th anniversary of its annual Family Day with an afternoon and evening of activities for ATU students and their families on Saturday, Sept. 28.
“Family Day is an opportunity to say thank you to the parents and other family members who provide an important support network for Arkansas Tech University students,” said Dr. Keegan Nichols, ATU vice president for student affairs. “We look forward to a great afternoon of tailgating, an exciting Wonder Boys football game and the chance to express our gratitude to ATU families for their partnership in fulfilling our mission of student access and success.”
Originally known as Dad’s Day, ATU Family Day was first observed in 1924. It was an idea proposed by Hugh Critz, Arkansas Tech president, based upon an event that was held at his alma mater, Mississippi A&M (today’s Mississippi State University), the previous year.
According to Dr. Kenneth R. Walker’s “History of Arkansas Tech University: 1909-90,” the first Dad’s Day at what is now known as Arkansas Tech featured a parade of the school’s livestock, including purebred Percheron colts and a variety of cattle.
Walker wrote that Arkansas Tech was just the second college in the nation to host a Dad’s Day observance.
Two years later, the 1926 Dad’s Day was noted for contests to determine which Arkansas Tech father had the largest head, the baldest head, the largest waist line, the largest hands, the youngest age, the oldest age and greatest number of miles traveled to attend the event.
Dad’s Day at Arkansas Tech continued to change over the years. It came to be known as Parents’ Day before evolving into its current incarnation, Family Day.
The 2024 Family Day festivities will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, with an opportunity for guardians and family members of current ATU students to pick up complimentary football game tickets. They will be available at the ATU Parent and Family Relations tent in the tailgating area outside Williamson Hall, directly across from the football stadium. There will be 250 complimentary tickets and they will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Additional tickets are available for purchase at www.arkansastechsports.com/tickets.
Starting at 3 p.m., ATU Parent and Family Relations will offer a complimentary tailgating meal for current ATU students, their guardians and their family members. The meal will include pulled pork sandwiches and sides and it will be served in the tailgating area on the Centennial Plaza lawn outside the stadium.
The ATU Family Day football game between the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys and the Southern Arkansas University Muleriders is scheduled for a 6 p.m. kickoff at Simmons Bank Field at Thone Stadium.
The ATU marching band, “Arkansas’ Band of Distinction,” the ATU dance team and the ATU cheer team will perform at the tailgate party and the game.
Learn more about ATU Parent and Family Relations at www.atu.edu/parents.
