Wittenberg is changing the game this year as Tigers from all generations return to campus for Homecoming & Reunion Weekend 2019, Oct. 24-27.

From the traditional football game and tailgate to the dedication of the new Health, Wellness & Athletics (HWA) Complex, the 50th Anniversary of the Concerned Black Students Walkout, the Alumni Achievement Awards brunch, and all the special reunions this year, there are plenty of things to do on campus during the much-anticipated weekend.

“Regardless of how long it’s been since you’ve last been on campus – a few months, a few years, or more – stepping foot on campus brings back great memories immediately, making you feel like you’re back ‘home,’” said Allison Scaia ’09, Wittenberg Alumni Board president. “It’s always exciting to see alumni return for Homecoming, relive their Wittenberg experience, and reinvigorate their passion for Wittenberg as they reconnect across campus.”

Homecoming Weekend 2019 will start with a welcome back reception for the classes of 1969 and 1979 from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, at Koch Hall. Everyone is then invited to check out comedian Jessimae, presented by Wittenberg’s Union Board, from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at Post 95 in the Benham-Pence Student Center.

Friday’s events begin with Homecoming information and check-in tables for all reunion classes at the registration desk in the Student Center. Wittenberg’s ‘Why You’ program featuring mock interviews with alumni will take place throughout the day from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Hollenbeck Hall. There will also be classroom experiences and admission mini-sessions before the reenactment of the CBS Walkout, which begins at 2 p.m. on Alumni Way. Following the reenactment, learn more about the history of the CBS organization and the walkout of 1969 through a panel discussion from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Bayley Auditorium of the Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center. A reception follows the discussion from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Hobson Atrium of the Science Center. Read more about the event here.

Also on Friday, alumni, students, staff, and the Springfield community will celebrate the opening of the HWA from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The new 265,000-square-foot complex sets the standard in Division III, as it enhances the University's student experience and serves as a regional resource. The facility will also support Wittenberg’s recruitment efforts and alumni engagement, all while building community, connections, capacity, and champions. Guests will feel the Tiger Up spirit during a tour of this $50-plus million investment, which includes the renovated Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Center, the 1929 Field House and the new building, The Steemer, made possible through a lead gift from Columbus-area residents Wes Bates, chairman and CEO of Dublin-based Stanley Steemer, and wife Ann Bates, both Wittenberg class of 1970. To read more about the HWA, click here.

Other weekend festivities will include additional reunions and tours, golf outings, special lunches, guest speakers, the Black Excellence Soiree, Greek open houses, sporting events, tailgate parties, and much more.

Special alumni panels will take place on Friday, Oct. 25. Invited panelists will share their experiences about their time at Wittenberg and about their lives and careers after graduation. A chemistry alumni panel will take place from 4-5 p.m. in room 248 of the Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center, and a political science alumni panel will take place from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the Ness Family Auditorium of Hollenbeck Hall. A special business colloquium titled ‘Climbing the Ladder’ will take place from 4:45 to 6 p.m. in room 212 of the 1929 Field House.

Select alumni will also be honored this year at the Alumni Achievement Awards brunch beginning at 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 26, in room 105 of the Joseph C. Shouvlin Center for Lifelong Learning. The event will celebrate those who have given generously of their time, talents and treasure to Wittenberg University. To read about this year’s winners, click here.

One of the most popular Homecoming events is the Tiger Tailgate, where alumni gather to connect with fellow Tigers, meet current Alumni Board members and chapter leaders, enjoy drinks from the Founders Outpost, and stock up on Wittenberg gear. Traditional tailgating will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, before the Tiger football game begins at 1 p.m. vs. Denison. Tigers can set up their own tailgate at the Tiger Tailgate on East Campus Drive and in the Synod Hall parking lot. Parking passes are required for groups setting up a tailgate and only 50 parking passes are available.

Other Saturday sporting events include the women’s and men’s soccer teams squaring off against Denison at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., respectively, at Wittenberg Stadium.

Additionally, stop by and sample foods prepared by students representing several countries around the globe during the American International Association’s annual Crossroads event in the green space near the HWA). This tasty Wittenberg tradition runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

  The entire weekend-long celebration ends with a church service of Holy Communion in Weaver Chapel at 11 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 27, with The Rev. David Moreland '69 and special music from the Wittenberg Choir. All reunion classes, visitors, and current students are welcome.

To register for events and for more information about the weekend’s festivities, including tailgate registration, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (937) 327-7414. To see the complete listing of events, view the schedule.