Homecoming welcomes alumni
Former students to see changed campus during weekend of reminiscing
Liberty University will welcome alumni from across the nation to the ever-changing campus landscape at this year’s Homecoming Friday and Saturday, Oct. 3-4.
Festivities — Homecoming 2013 welcomed Liberty alumni. Photo credit: Ruth Bibby
The weekend will be packed full of events for alumni and current students to enjoy. Homecoming is one of Liberty’s largest annual events, according to the Homecoming website. This year, Liberty’s Alumni Relations Office anticipates 6,000 registered guests for Homecoming weekend.
“I think that there’s a level of excitement for the alumni to come back and see what’s happening here,” Tyler Falwell, alumni director, said. “They were here some time ago, and they have a very clear picture of what Dr. Falwell’s vision was, and I’m excited to have them come back to see the vision that President Falwell has. It’s exciting because it follows the same core principles, but it’s obviously bigger.”
Falwell expressed excitement for hosting alumni on campus, allowing them an opportunity to appreciate where current leadership is taking the university.
“There’s no doubt that those who were here under Dr. Falwell are going to look today and just be proud of our current leadership, be proud of where we are,” Falwell said.
Falwell said it has been exciting to see the amount of guests at Homecoming continue to grow every year. He said he expects this number to grow even more as the number of alumni increases. This year, Alumni Relations has partnered with Liberty University Online to invite current online students to attend Homecoming.
“It’s exciting to get the online students engaged with us as well, because they’re important to what we do,” Falwell said. “They’re important to alumni. They’re important to the university.”
Some of the events and activities planned for Homecoming weekend include a carnival, bonfire, parade and football game. For this year’s Homecoming game, the Flames will play the Richmond Spiders, coached by Danny Rocco, formerly Liberty’s head coach.
Guests will also be able to attend a performance by Guy Penrod, a Liberty graduate, Oct. 3. They also have the opportunity over the weekend to see the Alluvion stage company’s production of “The Little Mermaid” in the Tower Theater.
According to Alluvion’s website, ticket prices range from $5 to $20, with a $3 discount available to Liberty students, seniors 60 and over, those with a military ID and children 12 and under.
“It’s definitely a jam-packed weekend, but it’s always exciting,” Falwell said. “People live so far away. They can only make it back one time a year, and so … we try to make sure that they are able to put as much in there as they can.”
For more information on activities during homecoming weekend, visit liberty.edu/homecoming.
FYI
Alumni tickets purchased via the Homecoming registration Web page can be picked up at check-in.
HUDSON is a news reporter