We are family: Li’l Sibs Weekend draws nearly 150 Rowan siblings to campus

With seven youngsters bouncing from activity to activity—and a gaggle of Rowan t-shirts draped on her arm—Jocelyne Valentin had her hands full, literally and figuratively, at the University’s Li’l Sibs Weekend.

The junior psychology major said wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“We want to show them that they need to keep going to school. But we also want to show them that college isn’t all just work,” said Valentin, who, with her boyfriend, junior finance major Bryce McNair, proudly shared their love of Rowan University with their siblings and cousins during the annual Li’l Sibs Weekend.

“Whenever there’s an event, we’re here. We come sometimes just to walk the campus. My brother already thinks he’s a college student.”

A taste of the Rowan experience

Altogether, nearly 150 siblings, a record number, spent three days on campus as they got a taste of the Rowan University experience during Li’l Sibs Weekend. Presented by the Office of Student Activities (OSA), Li’l Sibs was open to kids ages five to 17.

The siblings slept in residence halls, enjoyed a “dive-in” movie in the Rec Center pool, cheered on the Profs baseball and softball teams, visited Rowan After Hours, went roller skating, watched movies, indulged in midnight food bars, learned about science at the Philadelphia Science Festival, and enjoyed a host of activities at Rowan’s annual Spring Fest.

That’s where Valentin and McNair happily shepherded the children through a special, boardwalk-themed siblings zone that featured face painting, silly selfie photos, sandy candy, relay races, basketball, bowling, a nine-hole miniature golf course, and other activities led by OSA students.

Valentin’s group included her brother, Jovoni, 10, her cousins, Ruby, 11, Mayali, 12, Emerald, 7, and Amethyst, 5, and McNair’s brothers, Brendan, 13, and Daniel, 10. And while the focus was on family fun, there was talk about going to college throughout the weekend, Daniel and Brendan agreed.

'College is hard work'

“He tells me college is hard work, that you have to study,” Daniel said of McNair.

“He does say it’s difficult and that he studies 90 percent of the time,” added Brendan. With his older brother clearly out of earshot, he noted that McNair always makes time for his siblings. “He’s very kind. He takes us to 76ers games, Phillies games, and football games here.”

Across the way on Rowan’s intramural field, siblings of all ages also enjoyed volleyball games, inflatables, a mechanical shark ride, caricature artists, a stilt-walking balloon artist, and carnival foods.

'There are a lot of fun things to do at Rowan'

Sophomore Health Promotion and Fitness Management Major Taylor Stoll and her siblings, Thomas, 17, and Nicolette, 13, took turns attempting to conquer the mechanical shark ride. They lost, all falling off in similarly dramatic, funny fashion.

“I wanted to show them around so that they could see that there are a lot of fun things to do at Rowan,” Stoll said.

Thomas got the message--and already looked the part of a college student right down to his last pair of clean, though mismatched, socks. The aspiring English teacher and novelist, who is thinking about applying to Rowan, was keen on seeing more of campus.

“He wants to see the library,” Stoll said.

“And the Barnes & Noble,” her brother added.

Nicolette had other ideas. She was ready for the RAH roller skating party later that night.

“She’s a very good skater,” Stoll said with pride.

Before leaving Spring Fest, Valentin picked up a Li’l Sibs t-shirt for each of her young family members.

“I made sure to get all of them shirts. My Rowan shirts always seem to go missing,” she said with a smile before sheepishly admitting that she had borrowed her mom’s Glassboro State College Alumni sweatshirt for the day. Valentin’s mom, Lucy, graduated in 1988 with her bachelor’s degree in law and justice studies.

“The kids all say they want their Rowan shirts to ‘represent,’” Valentin continued. “That’s a really good thing.”