Well it’s about that time of year, a time for wild dance moves, a parade and tons of laughter and fun. Homecoming and Family Weekend will kick-off on Thursday, Oct.6, 2016, with Wesleyan Activities Council (WAC) hosting an Open Mic night, which will take the time slot for AirBand. The event is open to everyone and we may even get special performances by alumni.
On Friday, Oct. 7, the Homecoming Parade, that is put on by Student Government Association (SGA) will take place. We can predict that the sidewalks alongside the Jane P. Batten Student Center will be lined with students, faculty, staff, parents and alumni to see some grasshoppen floats to this year’s theme, “The Jungle.”
During the parade there will also be a special tribute to our beloved alumna, Nancy Kelly. Kelly died in a car accident earlier this year when a drunk driver hit the vehicle she was driving. The Women’s Basketball team will be partnering with members of the Chi Beta Psi fraternity and LifeNet Health to set up a table and raise awareness and promote the organization’s mission for organ donation.
“She was an impacted student and she was the epitome of a true division three student athlete because she was an athlete, but at the same time, she was such a well balanced student and excelled at everything she did,” Coach Stephanie Dunmyer said.
The table will be up during the weekend and will hold a spot at the tailgate.
Swinging into the next event of that night is the annual Oktoberfest Dinner, which serves traditional style German cuisines in the Cafe, and will be serving from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Homecoming Dance, hosted by WAC, will take place in Boyd Dining Hall at 9 p.m.
On Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, Wake Up at Wesleyan, hosted by President Scott and Annie Miller, will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. with a performance by Virginia Wesleyan Chorale, directed by Dr. Bryson Mortensen. Following that will be the VWC Volleyball team in the Convocation Center at 11 a.m. The Field Hockey team will play as well at 12 p.m. Both teams will take on Roanoke College.
Tailgates, Reunions, Food trucks, Oh My! From 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., the festivities for the day will continue with a tailgate with all different types of fun in a united celebration with alumni, family, friends and faculty on Trinder Lawn. This will lead into our Men’s Soccer team taking on the Bridgewater Eagles, also in Foster Field at the Trinder Center. During the game there will also be a crowning of the Homecoming court. During the evening, the theatre department’s production of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit will play in the Hofheimer Theatre. The Women’s Soccer team will go toe-to-toe with Roanoke in Foster Field. Later that night there will be a movie showing that is truly fitting to this year’s Homecoming theme, the Legend of Tarzan.
Concluding the weekend will be an Interdenominational Worship Service in the Monumental Chapel from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Alumni will also have some events of their own during the weekend. During the first night, Oct. 7, VWC will be having an annual Alumni Social called Friday Night Flights, hosted by the Office of Alumni Relations. They will be celebrating the night with Shorebreak Pizza, sports, and billiards. There will also be alumni games on Saturday, Oct. 8 starting with a softball game at 11:30 a.m. on Marlin Field, followed by a baseball game at 2 p.m. in the Kenneth R. Perry Field and Women’s Lacrosse in Birdsong Field at 2:30 p.m. Closing the sports events for the evening will be a Men’s Lacrosse game at 4 p.m. in Birdsong Field.
“We want alumni to come home. For you as a students, this campus is your away from home and for the alum it is a sense of nostalgia. Hoping that they come back a remembering that this was their home when they were here,” Lori McCarel, Executive Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations said.
Don’t miss out on the fun!
Morgan Boyd
mnboyd@vwc.edu
(Photo: Anthony Dellamura | Marlin Chronicle)
