Senior marketing major Octavia Bonds looks forward to her mother’s visit this weekend.

Today marks the beginning of the first Moms’ Weekend at NIU, hosted by the Parents’ Association. In February, the association hosted the first Dads’ Weekend at NIU since the 1950s and received positive feedback.

“We had about 80 dads up that weekend,” said Phyllis DuPre, assistant director of the Parents’ Association. “We’re expecting about the same for Moms’ Weekend.”

Octavia’s father attended in February. Based on his good experiences, Octavia’s mother registered to attend this weekend.

“The activities [for Dads’ Weekend] were great,” Octavia said. “There were just a lot of things we wouldn’t have normally done, like when the black choir came and sang. The kickoff party was a lot of fun, too. I’m really looking forward to this weekend with my mom.”

Octavia’s mother,Denise Bonds, looks forward to the weekend as well.

“My daughter is almost ready to graduate and we’ve never had anything like this,” Denise said. “Being a mom, you want to be there for your children at these important times in life.”

Denise is also looking forward to the massage/keepsake package, “A Little Something Special.”

“A massage is always a fun thing to do. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll probably go off somewhere and go get a manicure and a pedicure and a facial and have girl talk.”

The range of activities is wide enough to encompass most interests, though some of the choices may seem unconventional.

“We’ve tried to put together a weekend of activities that provide enough variety for everyone both on campus and in the community by tapping into the resources we have here to showcase some of Northern’s best,” DuPre said.

Another goal of both Moms’ and Dads’ Weekends is to provide opportunities for parents to network, have some questions answered and find encouragement, as well as spend time with their children.

“When they go home,” DuPre said, “no matter what their circumstances at home, we want the parents to know they make a difference in their students’ lives.”

The main event this weekend is the “poWer” dinner/comedy show, featuring comedian Sally Edwards, a mother from Arlington Heights, whose family-based humor has been honed through performing on programs like Showtime’s “Comedy Club Network,” A&E’s “Comedy on the Road” and NBC TV’s “Friday Night.”

But for Octavia, it’s not the comedy or the food or any of the specific activities she’s looking forward to.

“I’m just looking forward to hanging out with my mom,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what’s going on outside of that.”

Students are invited to have their mothers come to campus, stay in the hotel and attend their choice of activities going on through Sunday afternoon.

Mothers are invited to join the NIU Parents’ Association for $50, or to purchase the Parents’ Association Members Package for $150.

Membership provides discounts and program opportunities for the rest of the student’s enrollment, and the membership package includes the cost of a hotel room, the kickoff party, and the “poWer” dinner/comedy show.