October is a time for hayrack rides, pumpkin spice – and Homecoming weekend at Monmouth College.
The college will host its annual event that celebrates alumni Oct. 17-18, featuring several award ceremonies, as well as a spirit shout, a parade, a football game and pre- and post-football game gatherings. Reunions will be held throughout the weekend for the classes of 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020.
Oct. 17 events
The induction of Julia Briggerman O’Hara ’62 into the Hall of Achievement – the highest honor Monmouth College bestows upon its graduates – will be part of the Alumni Impact Awards ceremony, which will be held Friday at 5:30 p.m. in Mellinger Commons in the Center for Science and Business.
A trailblazer in biomedical research, O’Hara was also a pioneer for women in science, breaking new ground as a member of the first class of women admitted to Ph.D. programs at Dartmouth College. Her early work explored porphyrins and their role in the body, ultimately leading her to specialize in photodynamic therapy – a light-activated treatment that enhances cancer therapy effectiveness. That remained a central focus of her work across decades of contributions to medicine, radiology and biomedical engineering.
Others to be honored at the ceremony are Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient Payson Wild ’67, whose career spans the fields of education, philanthropy and transportation planning; longtime Alumni Board member Jerri Picha ’75, Distinguished Service; award-winning violinist and motivational keynote speaker Mariela Shaker ’15, Distinguished Young Alumnus; and the Smith family, Family of the Year. Chemistry professor Audra Goach will be presented with the Hatch Academic Excellence Award for Distinguished Teaching.
The Homecoming spirit shout will begin at 8 p.m. at April Zorn Memorial Stadium. The traditional celebration, which will feature competition by student organizations and the introduction of Homecoming royalty, will conclude with a fireworks display.
Earlier in the day, there will be events at 2, 3 and 4 p.m. to help kick off the weekend. The first occurs at 2 p.m., when there will be a ribbon cutting at Tartan Threads, the new spirit store for college apparel that’s located on the lower level of the Stockdale Center. At 3 p.m., the Moot Court 15th Anniversary Social will be held on the third floor of the Center for Science and Business. Monmouth’s annual competition – which is a unique opportunity for undergraduate students – will begin on campus Oct. 25. Finally, at 4 p.m., the men of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity will be presented with the Chapter Award of Distinction, a national honor they received earlier this year that is given to only five chapters across the country.
The Fighting Scots volleyball team will be in action against Cornell College at Glennie Gym at 7 p.m., and the Scots will return to their home court at noon Oct. 18 to meet Lawrence University.
Other Oct. 18 events
The Saturday, Oct. 18, events will begin at 8:30 a.m. when four former Fighting Scot athletes will be inducted into the M Club Hall of Fame. The ceremony for baseball ace Dan Dunn ’06; national champion high jumper Tyler Hannam ’11, speedy softball standout Lauren Bergstresser-Petoskey ’12 and cross country All-American Mary Kate Beyer Black ’12 will be held in the Huff Athletic Center fieldhouse.
The ceremony will also include the induction of three teams into the college’s Fighting Scots Champions Club – the undefeated 1925 football team and the 1985 and 1986 men’s track and field teams, which both won Midwest Conference titles.
At 10 a.m., the 10th annual Fraternity and Sorority Life Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held in Mellinger Commons. Slated to receive acceptance into the Hall of Fame are Debra Jackowniak Scarlett ’95 of Pi Beta Phi and Kristin Whitver Fouts ’03 of Kappa Kappa Gamma.
The Homecoming parade along East Broadway, which has once again been extended to begin at Second Street before it passes campus, will start at 11:30 a.m. Sponsored by the Association for Student Activity Programming, it will include the Monmouth College Pipe Band and Fighting Scots Marching Band.
A $15 cookout for faculty and alumni will be held from noon-2 p.m. on the east hilltop overlooking Zorn Stadium, and the Homecoming football game against Cornell College will follow with a special kick-off time of 2 p.m.
An All-Monmouth Reunion Celebration featuring the music of Craig & Co. will be held at 5 p.m. on the hilltop.
For the schedule of events: monmouthcollege.edu/homecoming
***Courtesy of Barry McNamara, Monmouth College***
