The big weekend is finally here. Come celebrate all things Wittenberg during the University’s annual Homecoming, Reunion & Family Weekend, Oct. 5-8, 2023.
Everyone is invited to show some Tiger pride and participate in the many weekend activities that will provide a festive atmosphere, which includes such programs as: Launch: Career-Driven Conversations, a special Dessert Under the Stars event on Friday evening, athletics competitions throughout the weekend, live music at the Tiger Tailgate on Saturday, campus tours, special reunion celebrations, the Alumni Achievement Awards, the Athletics Hall of Honor, family fun events, and so much more.
As part of Family Weekend, there will be a Powder Buff volleyball match on Wednesday, Oct. 4 from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. at Pam Evans Smith Arena inside the Health, Wellness & Athletics Complex. During the event, this year’s homecoming court will be announced. On Thursday evening, there will be a Powder Puff game of flag football from 9 to 10 p.m. at Edwards-Maurer Field.
Also on Thursday will be the always popular Athletics Hall of Honor dinner and induction ceremony, which will take place at the Pam Evans Smith Arena beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Several big events will take place on Friday, Oct. 6. Homecoming information and check-in tables for weekend participants will be available at the Benham-Pence Student Center from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Other highlights of the day include the Launch: Career- Driven Conversations for Alumni, Students, and Parents which will take place from 4 to 6:45 p.m. at the Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center. Launch is where the entire Wittenberg community comes together to connect in career vocation cluster networking sessions led by the University’s expert faculty and open to the entire Wittenberg community. Students can sign up for clusters that interest them while leveraging the Wittenberg Alumni Network. Parents can engage in career readiness conversations with students and alumni can join the event to share their inspiring Wittenberg liberal arts success stories.
A 50th/60th/70th reunion campus tour will take place at 4 p.m. and begin at the information desk at the student center followed by the reunion dinner at 5 p.m. in the Alumni room of the student center.
This year’s Alumni Achievement Awards will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the 1929 Fieldhouse of the HWA Complex followed by another special event, the President’s Reception: Dessert Under the Stars, to celebrate the completion of Wittenberg’s successful $100 million Having Light Campaign. The celebration will take place at 7 p.m. near Hollenbeck Hall’s south lawn. Two other events, the band and choir concert at 8 p.m. at Weaver Chapel and a homecoming bonfire at 9 p.m. on the corner of Woodlawn Avenue and Ward Street, will finish out the day.
Easy yoga at the HWA will be available before attending the Homecoming Weekend anchor event, the Tiger Tailgate, on Saturday, Oct. 7. This year’s Tiger Tailgate will provide a festival-style atmosphere around Hollenbeck Hall and surrounding areas from 10 a.m. up until the Tigers take on Hiram in football at 1 p.m. at Edwards-Maurer Field. East Campus Drive will close at 10 a.m. to pedestrian traffic only for the tailgate.
Featuring live music from the Weekend Effect and Steel Pan Palooza at the Hollenbeck Stage, traditional tailgating begins at 10 a.m. and includes food trucks, the Family Weekend Mix and Mingle Tent (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.), a chance to connect with alumni, students, parents, faculty, and staff, and much more.
Led by Kenneth Spicer, Wittenberg class of 2003, The Weekend Effect is a high-energy performance with full sound and a setlist, including songs from six different decades. A five-piece band including Alan Frantz on lead vocals and acoustic guitar; Daniel Brosh on drums, percussion, and backing vocals; Elliot Hetzer on keyboard, percussion, and backing vocals; Jason Smith on electric guitar; and Spicer on bass guitar; The Weekend Effect formed in late 2018 and generally plays three-to-four shows per month across southwest and central Ohio. The Weekend Effect will be on stage at approximately 10 a.m.
Wittenberg’s Department of Music is also presenting a special performance on the Tiger Tailgate stage by Steel Pan Palooza. A steel pan ensemble of Wittenberg students and special guests, the group will take the stage at 11:30 a.m.
Other Saturday events include a swimming and diving alumni meet at 10 a.m., fraternity and sorority information sessions and open houses from 9 to 11 a.m., a McClain Center for Diversity open house and tours of the gross anatomy lab from 9 to 10:30 a.m. There will also be family and homecoming weekend tours beginning at 10 a.m. at the information desk in the student center. There will be a Coaches Circle tent at Edwards-Maurer Field during the football game beginning at 1 p.m. After the football game, the men’s soccer team will take on Wooster at 5 p.m. at the stadium.
Additional evening events include a Concerned Black Students (CBS) Affinity Networking session from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in room 105 of the Joseph C. Shouvlin Center for Lifelong Learning, trivia night at Founder Pub and Geil Lounge in the student center beginning at 7 p.m., and a theatre and dance cabaret at Founders at 9 p.m.
Two other special events on Saturday revolve around Professor Emeritus of Physics Daniel Fleisch. For the past three years, Fleisch has been taking true-color images of astronomical objects including planets, nebulas, star clusters, and galaxies from Weaver Observatory and the front yard of his home in Springfield. The best of those images from the telescope and astrocameras, which he used to acquire the photos, will be on display in the lobby of the Clark State Performing Arts Center during a Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) performance titled “The Planets” by composer Gustav Holst, at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7. Tickets are available here. Take 15 percent off the ticket price by using code WITT15 on the ticket purchase.
After the SSO performance, Fleisch will present a Tour of the Night Sky at Weaver Observatory during Homecoming, Reunion & Family Weekend. Beginning at 10 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 7, Fleisch will navigate and educate attendees about the night sky and show everyone a glimpse of Saturn and Jupiter through the Weaver Observatory telescope.
On Sunday, Wittenberg invites everyone to Weaver Chapel for donuts and fellowship, beginning at 10:30 a.m. followed by the chapel service at 11 a.m. A pancake brunch is also being offered in the student center’s Center Dining Room (CDR) beginning at 11 a.m.
Other weekend festivities will include campus tours, golf outings, special lunches, guest speakers, alumni sporting events, tailgate parties, and much more.
Create a unique weekend experience by registering for Homecoming, Reunion & Family Weekend events. For the complete schedule, or to register for events, click here.
Plan to post your Homecoming, Reunion & Family Weekend photos on social media using #WittHomecoming and #TigerUp.
