Homecoming Weekend at Central Methodist University will be a celebration of the past and present this year, with events kicking off on Friday, October 17 and continuing through Sunday.
The office of advancement and alumni relations has planned a number of events to provide returning alumni with the opportunity to reconnect and make new memories, starting with a Faculty Forum by Dr. Robert “Tad” Perry ’65 at noon on Friday. The afternoon will also feature a celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Morrison Observatory, as well as a celebration of life for the late Dr. John Carter, who passed away in August.
On Friday evening, a special Homecoming Kickoff Celebration will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 on the fourth floor of the Inman Student Center. A $20 ticket to the event will give access to food, drinks, and a celebration of Eagle pride through the years at CMU.
The Eagles volleyball team will host Baker at 7 p.m. in Puckett Fieldhouse on Friday evening, as well.
The Saturday morning parade will begin at 10 a.m. on the Fayette square, with many of Central’s most revered and long-serving faculty and retired professors serving as the grand marshals. The parade will have a “Battle of the Decades” theme, featuring the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. Following the parade, the Davis Field parking lot will open for tailgating, including the Alumni Tailgate hosted by the CMU Alumni Board.
At 11 a.m., Central will celebrate the dedication of the Reardon Family Field, honoring the service of Coaches Pat and Gene Reardon and family to the Eagle athletic department and the softball team in particular.
The football game will kick off at 1 p.m. against Benedictine at Davis Field, while the women’s and men’s soccer teams will face off with Mount Mercy at 5 and 7:30 p.m., respectively.
Off campus, Alpha Phi Gamma, the MOKERs, will celebrate 80 years with an anniversary banquet at the Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville. See the link below for more details on the event as well as other MOKER gatherings throughout the weekend.
Sunday morning events will begin with church service at 10:30 a.m. at Linn Memorial United Methodist Church. As usual, all choir alumni are invited to join the choir in singing “Beautiful Savior.”
Finally, the annual Alumni Awards Brunch will close out the festivities, beginning at 11:45 a.m. in the Inman Student Center. Distinguished Alumni awardees this year include Bill Chott ’91, Beverly Garner ’88, Kristofferson Culmer ’06, and Marvin Manring ’85. Young Alumni to be awarded are Geofrey Bilabaye ’15, Dr. Shayna Burchett ’13, and Chris Ebright ’11. A Service Award will also be posthumously given to Jeff Hogenmiller ’70.
Many more event details and ticket/registration links can be found on the Alumni Events page at https://www.centralalumnievents.com/.