Tulane alumni, parents and families bring Green Wave spirit to campus for Wave Weekend ’22

Wave Weekend ’22 brings Tulane University alumni and parents to campus this weekend to reminisce, reconnect — and rock.

“Wave Weekend offers opportunities for alumni to reconnect with Tulane and with each other,” said Luann Dozier, vice president for Advancement, Constituency Programs. “For parents, the weekend gives them a time to learn more about their child’s experience at Tulane. And for attendees who are both alumni and parents, Wave Weekend proves a special time to share their love for all things Tulane.”

Alumna Paige Axelrod (NC ’89) has a son and daughter who are current Tulane students. When they decided to attend Tulane, she was thrilled. She hopes her children will have as meaningful an experience at her alma mater as she did.

“First and foremost, I want them to get the most that they can out of their education because I think Tulane has so much to offer,” said Axelrod, who is part of a tight-knit group of nine Tulane graduates who live near each other and still get together frequently. “I hope they make friends like I did. I want them to make lifelong friends…. And I want them to really explore New Orleans and get the most out of that city. To live in a place like New Orleans for four years is such a gift. It just has such a pulse, such a heartbeat.”

Wave Weekend is one of the Tulane experiences that Axelrod enjoys sharing with her son, Aidan, a junior, and her daughter, Emerson, a first-year student.

Wave Weekend activities and celebrations start today. President Michael A. Fitts will hold the Presidential Speaker Series today at 4 p.m. in Dixon Concert Hall, and the Back to the Classroom Lecture series will feature some of Tulane’s star professors. In addition, deans and directors will hold open houses.

An array of reunion parties will beckon classes whose graduation years end in 2s and 7s.

On Friday night, Tipping Point returns for a sixth year at The Fillmore New Orleans to benefit scholarships. This year’s all-star benefit concert will be headlined by eight-time Grammy Award winner Stephen Marley (son of Bob Marley) and Lukas Nelson (son of Willie Nelson). The popular event funds scholarships that will enable qualified students to attend Tulane regardless of their economic background.

Axelrod recommended attending Tipping Point, which she said is a highlight of every Wave Weekend. “They always have an amazing lineup, and you run into so many people.”

On Saturday, there is nothing like the sense of excitement that permeates the uptown campus when alumni convene to tailgate. After tailgating, Tulanians will head to Yulman Stadium to watch the nationally ranked Green Wave take on the Memphis Tigers in the Homecoming game. Tulanians can also watch women’s volleyball play against the University of Tulsa on Friday and Wichita State on Sunday.

Also on Sunday, an event will be held especially for alumni parents with current students. The Legacy Family Brunch, coordinated by Valerie Calenda, director of alumni admissions programs, will allow families to celebrate the tradition of Tulane.

For more information on Wave Weekend events, visit homecoming.tulane.edu.