There is a unique group of students who are finally getting recognition at DePaul. They’re of mixed races, genders and backgrounds, different ages and majors. What do they have in common? Their parents work at DePaul.

As part of Alumni-Family Weekend, the university hosted the first ever student-parent luncheon Oct. 14 in the Cortelyou Commons.

“You are a special group and you share a lot in common,” said Mark Laboe, associate vice president of University Ministry. The luncheon was the idea of Dr. Joseph Ferrari, a psychology professor at DePaul, and his daughter Christina Ferrari, a student.

“They came to me with the idea and we made it happen. We thought it was a neat idea to bring [students and their DePaul employee-parents] all together and agreed that [they] deserve to be celebrated and recognized,” Laboe said. “The one question was how to find all of them.”

Nearly 40 parents and students attended the luncheon, of more than 200 total students and their parents who work at DePaul. At the luncheon, students and parents discussed the pros and cons of having their parent/child in such close quarters.

“My daughter, Betsy, practically grew up on this campus,” Jim Montgomery, an environmental science professor said. “I try and make sure I give her space as if she were away for college.”

“I see him a lot because my classes are in the same building where he works,” said Betsy Montgomery, a biology major. “A down side is that he is friends with all my professors, so there’s a lot of pressure for me to make him look good… A plus is being able to go to him for help or with questions.”

One positive thing that everyone seemed to agree on was the tuition waver. DePaul offers full tuition waivers that cover “100 percent of tuition at the undergraduate level and 50 percent at the graduate level” for all dependent children of fulltime faculty and staff who have worked for the university for more than one year, according to the benefits summary on the DePaul human resources website.

Though Montgomery agreed the tuition waiver is great, it means she can’t relate to students who struggle with paying their tuition. “Sometimes it’s awkward, especially when our friends complain about tuition… We just sit there like, ‘Okay, I’m sorry’ because we can’t relate,” Montgomery said.

Jacqueline Taylor, a dean in the College of Communication shared her feelings on having her child go to DePaul. “It’s great to be a resource of information for [our kids]. I find it valuable, especially having a child in your own department, to get insight into the student view of things,” she said. “One thing I fear is that my child will not have the same experiences or learn the same things that other students who go away to college have.”

The conversation shifted to talking about personal experiences with DePaul’s mission and values. “Students at DePaul, regardless of what their major is, realize their responsibility is not just to themselves, but to the world,” Laboe said.

Christina Ferrari, a senior and daughter of Professor Joseph Ferrari, gave a speech about her journey at DePaul. She talked about her experience with the university’s mission, which she discovered through service work in Chicago and abroad.

“Today we are gathered as family… We are part of our own families, the DePaul family, and the Vincentian family,” she said. “We are part of something much bigger.”

Erin Moran from the Alumni Association, who is also the associate vice president and campaign director in the Advancement department, spoke briefly at the event.

“It’s a joy to hear your conversations. This is the first time we’ve had this event and I think it’s wonderful. You are connected to the university in a unique way,” she said.

Overall, parents and students agreed that the luncheon was a great time to get to know others who share this unique relationship to the university. For a trial run, the luncheon went smoothly and has become an event that many students and DePaul employee-parents are looking forward to repeating in the future.