Four days of Homecoming festivities at Greenville College promise a lively mix of competitive spirit, family fun and class reunions. Members of the community are welcome to participate in events that include a parade, choir concert, athletic games, the annual races and more.
For a complete schedule of activities, including student and alumni athletic games, visit greenville.edu/homecoming.
Thursday – Swinging kick off
The Greenville College Jazz Band, always a community favorite, will kick off Homecoming festivities with a free concert at 7:00 p.m. in Whitlock Music Center, sponsored by Wall Real Estate and Huddle House. A special Vespers service will follow at 9:30 p.m. in the same location.
Friday – Special guests, family fun and games
Join President Ivan Filby, faculty, students and Homecoming guests as they recognize recipients of the College’s 2015 Alumni Awards during a chapel service in Whitlock Music Center at 9:30 a.m. The honorees include Distinguished Alumnus Dr. David Altopp, Outstanding Young Alumna Sonya Jones and Loyalty Awardees Howard and Virginia Schantz. Jones, a standout athlete at GC and most recently known for her appearance as a finalist on NBC’s reality TV show “The Biggest Loser,” will deliver the chapel address.
A brief ceremony recognizing the rededication of the newly refurbished Scott J. Burgess Memorial Tennis Courts will take place at 12:30 p.m. on Friday. The festivities include the installation of a plaque commemorating the 40th anniversary of the courts. Special guests Jay and Shay Burgess, parents of Scott Burgess, in whose memory the courts were named, will be there. Burgess friend and Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond ’76 and his wife Marsha will also attend.
Weekend guests can learn more about the College’s transition in identity to university by attending three sessions on campus. These include “Presenting GC to Prospective Students” in the Ruby E. Dare Library at 10:30 a.m., “Q&A with President Ivan Filby” in Dietzman 101 at 1:30 p.m. and “GC’s Strategic Plan to Meet the Future – Q&A with Provost and COO Edwin Estevez” in Dietzman 202 at 2:30 p.m.
Homecoming parade marshal former GC coach Sharon Alger will lead the march down College Avenue at 4 p.m. Participants in the parade include bands, student athletes, honored alumni and local businesses. The parade will begin at the United Methodist Church parking lot on Second Street and travel north to College Avenue, proceed east on College to Eastern Avenue, turn north on Eastern and proceed to Oak Street. Turning west on Oak, it will then head back to campus.
Post-parade fun on Scott Field includes music, inflatables for children and a meal ($10 a plate, payable at the register). At the same time, members of the Wilson T. Hogue Society are invited to a special dinner in the Krober Room of Armington Center, also at $10 a plate. Reservations for the special WTHS dinner are required. Call 618-664-6500 for more information.
Athletic events in the afternoon and evening include alumni football, baseball and softball games; junior varsity men’s soccer (v. Lindenwood) and women’s volleyball (v. Iowa Wesleyan). Visit greenville.edu/homecoming for details.
The Greenville College Choir will perform in Whitlock Music Center at 7:30 p.m. in a concert sponsored by Enertech. There is no admittance fee, and the public is welcome. A dessert reception with President Ivan and First Lady Kathie Filby will follow at 8:30 p.m. in the Claussen Courtyard at Whitlock Music Center. The cost is $5 per person. Call 618-664-6500 to reserve a place, or register online.
Student improvisation troupe Joyous Chaos will perform at 10:00 p.m. in LaDue Chapel. Admittance is free.
Saturday – Panther 5K, athletics and gatherings
ChampionChip 24/7 will provide chip timing at the Panther 5K Road Race sponsored by Moneta Group on Saturday morning with an 8:30 a.m. start. Interested participants can register online through Wednesday, October 14. Runners may also register on race day, beginning at 7:00 a.m. on Hogue Hall Lawn off College Avenue. Children ages seven years and younger will participate in the Children’s Fun Run on Scott Field at 8:00 a.m. Older children ages 8-12 will run the College Avenue Dash at 8:15 a.m. Detailed race information including registration for all races is available at greenville.edu/homecoming.
A tailgate lunch sponsored by Midland Bank will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. under the tents at the Strahl Athletic Complex. The cost is $10 for an adult and $5 for children age 12 and under.
The Panthers will take on MacMurray in football at 1:00 p.m. in a game sponsored by Nevco.
Men’s and women’s soccer matches (v. Eureka) are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. respectively. Other athletic events throughout the day include men’s alumni soccer and basketball games; women’s alumni basketball, soccer and volleyball games; men’s and women’s tennis and alumni mixed doubles. Visit greenville.edu/homecoming for times.
An all-alumni dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. Saturday evening in the Eleanor M. Armington Center. Advance reservations are recommended for this event. Informal gatherings for reunion classes begin at 8:00 p.m. at venues throughout town. This year’s reunion classes include ’55, ’65, ’75, ’90, ’95 and ’05, as well as young alumni graduates from the Classes of 2006-2015.
Special reunion gatherings are also planned for alumni who played volleyball, prepared for careers in the health professions, or majored in digital media or art. Visit greenville.edu/homecoming to learn more.
Also on Saturday – Open Houses and Tours
The Bock Sculpture Museum will be open for visitors from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Also be sure to visit the art exhibition at Maves Art Center where the works of Jim Johnson ’77 will be featured alongside pieces from other alumni artists in the Rowland Art Gallery.
Science enthusiasts will not want to miss presentations of research at 10:00 a.m. in Snyder Hall of Science sponsored by Dave Disch ’82, a financial advisor with Waddell & Reed. Student researchers will be on hand with displays that illustrate their recent explorations in quantum physics, neurobiology and more.
Buildings open for viewing in a self-guided campus tour from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. include GC Central in Lower Armington, the Office of Admissions in Joy House, J K L Academic Hall and more. Maps will be available at the Watson and Bonnie Tidball Alumni House and Welcome Center on the corner of College Avenue and Elm Street.
Additional alumni gatherings during the weekend include the volleyball alumni game and reunion, sponsored by SOGA, on Friday morning; a medical professionals reunion, sponsored by Greenville Regional Hospital, HSHS/St. Joseph’s, CICBC, and Apex on Saturday morning; the annual art reunion, sponsored by Kahuna’s, on Saturday evening from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, and the digital media reunion on Saturday from 8:00 to 10:00 pm. Visit greenville.edu/homecoming for complete information and schedules for these affinity reunions.
Worship services and brunch
The Greenville College Choir will perform a prelude and contribute to worship during the first service at the Greenville Free Methodist Church. The prelude begins at 8:30 a.m. in the sanctuary with worship to follow at 8:45 a.m.
At 10:15 a.m., alumni have the opportunity to relive their chapel experiences by attending a special service in Whitlock Music Center with chapel favorite Dr. James A. Reinhard bringing the morning message.
Alumni are invited to participate in a brunch in Armington Center before heading home. Brunch is served for just under $10 each, payable at the register.
For additional information including a complete listing of athletic and alumni games, meal prices, and event locations go to greenville.edu/homecoming or call 618.664.6500.
