Three-Day Event Combines Homecoming, Family Weekend and Alumni Reunion Weekend
This year, Wilmington College is combining Homecoming, Alumni Reunion Weekend and Family Weekend into one big, festive and event-packed Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 20 to 22.
PICTURED: President Jim Reynolds takes a Homecoming selfie with Quakerman, the College's athletics mascot, during last year's celebration.
With an expectation of breaking all attendance records for the annual, fall campus ritual, the College is making a special effort in welcoming the community to join WC alumni, students, parents, families, faculty and staff in the celebration.
Homecoming features such family-friendly activities as horse-drawn wagon rides, an inflatable game park, a food truck rally, music with a live DJ, Homecoming Court pageantry, Greek Bed Races and, of course, a variety Fightin’ Quaker sports.
While students get a head start on Homecoming Thursday (Sept. 20) evening with the Mud Volleyball Tournament and subsequent pep rally, alumni begin arriving Friday (Sept. 21) for class reunions, Saturday is prime time for activities and attendance.
The day kicks off with a 9 a.m. breakfast (reservations required) featuring a “State of the College” message from President Jim Reynolds and a chat with 1968 alumnus and WKRP in Cincinnati star Gary Sandy, who will speak about his WC experience, as well as provide a look “Behind the Scenes at WKRP.” ($10 breakfast/event tickets available at www.wilmington.edu/homecoming/)
Also, Saturday morning, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1968 alumnus Gary Kersey will display pieces of his acclaimed Abraham Lincoln memorabilia collection in Thomas Lounge of Pyle Student Center. From 10 a.m. to noon, Dr. Monte Anderson, professor of agriculture, will lead a tour of Hazard Arboretum and offer his popular “Gardening with Monte” presentation. The tour will start at the rock near the arboretum entrance on Elm St.
Concurrently, the Equine Center on Fife Ave. will hold an open house, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., featuring horse-drawn wagon rides leaving from Hermann Court, on Elm St., at 10 and 11 a.m. Also, such activities geared for children as face-painting, inflatable attractions and a dunking booth will be held on Collett Mall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
In addition, at 10 a.m. the Harcum Art Gallery and Meriam R. Hare Quaker Heritage Center will be open featuring exhibits by ceramics artist Nicolin Haines and “Quilting the Golden Rule,” respectively.
The popular Greek Bed Races will commence at 10:30 a.m. on Elm St. in front of Hermann Court.
Popular tri-state disc jockey Aaron Judd will spin tunes from the Alumni Tent beginning at 10:30 a.m. and, just in time for lunch, the Food Truck Rally runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Elm St. outside Williams Stadium, the site of the football team’s 2 p.m. kickoff versus the Muskingum Muskies.
Halftime will feature the Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony and the crowning of the Homecoming king and queen, and introduction of the court.
Football isn’t the only sport on tap. The volleyball team will play St. Mary-of-the-Woods at noon and Boyce College at 4 p.m. in Fred Raizk Arena of Hermann Court, while the women’s soccer team will take on Albion College at 6 p.m. at Williams Stadium. All sporting events are free of charge.
A number of WC alumni will be honored for achievement throughout the weekend.
Friday’s 50-Year Anniversary Class and Alumni Awards Dinner will honor the Class of 1968 along with special award recipients: Linda Evers Smith ’92 and Ed Fields ’74 for professional achievement, and Dr. Noris Cabrera Price ’81 and Megan Stiltner Large ’05 for contributions to education. (Reservations required)
Also, a Saturday brunch will be held in honor of the five new inductees into the Athletic Hall of Fame: Chad Garman ’07, men’s soccer; Greg Morrow ’05, men’s track and field; Kelly Peters ’07, women’s basketball; Sharon Sims, longtime (from 1978 to 2012) coach, faculty member and athletics administrator; and Jay Slouffman ’81, men’s basketball. (Reservations required)
A full schedule including reservation information for paid events can be found at: www.wilmington.edu/homecoming/.
