Homecoming 2008

This year’s Homecoming activities begin today, with a talk at 10:30 a.m. by Scott Westering, ’82, PLU’s head football coach, at the Homecoming Chapel. With the theme, “Get in the Game,” the annual event will focus on the camaraderie of teams, specifically the Lute basketball teams over the years.“It’s a spin off of the term ‘get your head in the game,’ said Jacob Himmelman ‘03, associate director of the Office of Constituent Relations. “It was suggested by one of our students, off of the song ‘Get Your Head in the Game,’ from the play ‘High School Musical.’

“We all liked it, so we said ‘Let’s go for it,’” he said, of an event that is in the planning stages all year long before the big weekend. In all, up to 1,000 people can visit the campus during the weekend.

Homecoming weekend, which gears up Thursday with the RHA Songfest, is packed with events for alumni and the entire family, including the football game and gala on Saturday. Here is a rundown of selected events.

Friday

Athletic Hall of Fame Luncheon: This will take place between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Olson Auditorium. The cost is $20. This year’s inductees include: Kim Corbay ’98 – Women’s Basketball, Karl Lerum ’98 – Football and Track, Eric Monson ’83 – Baseball, Tony Hicks ’75 – Men’s Basketball, Brenda Lichtenwalter ’93 – Soccer, Wendy Cordeiro ’95 – Track.

Homecoming Lute Fest: This free event will take place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the University Center. Throughout the afternoon, visitors will enjoy a festival-like atmosphere complete with snacks from the concession stand, performances from student groups including PLUTonic (student a cappella group), Clay Crows (student improv group) and the Hawaii Club, while browsing a display of student artwork.

Lutes on the Airwaves: From 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the University Center, this free event will offer visitors a chance to listen to alumni sport journalists Art Thiel ’75, Tom Glasgow ’81, Chris Egan ’95 and Troy Oppie ’05 discuss the significance of Lute athletics from the media perspective.

Global Health Panel Sponsored by the Nursing Alumni Association: Also at the University Center, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. you’ll have a chance to listen to nurses talk about their experience overseas. Speakers include Dr. Kathleen Flarity ’97 on flight nursing in Afghanistan, Helen Holt ’97 on setting up clinics in postwar Vietnam, Karen Fagerstrom ’97 on serving Inuit communities in Alaska and Mary Barber ’02, on working in Liberia.

Saturday:

Coffee Hour Reunions: These will all take place from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. and are free. The following classes and affinities will gather individually for coffee and reminiscing: 1947 – 1949, 1958 and Pear Bowl Alumni in the Morken Center for Learning & Technology 1963, 1968, 1973, 1983, 1988, 1993 and African American Alumni in the University Center.

Homecoming Celebration Brunch: This will take place from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Olson Auditorium. The cost is $20. All alumni and friends are invited to this special brunch that honors the opportunity to honor the 2008 Alumni Award recipients. This year’s recipients include Distinguished Alumni Bruce Bjerke ’72 and Connie Kravas ’67, Outstanding Alumni Mark Anderson ’83 and Peter Anderson ’82, Outstanding Recent Alumna Crystal Aikin ’97, Heritage Award recipient Jim Kittilsby ’60, Special Recognition Award recipient MaryAnn W. Anderson, Alumni Service Award recipients Dr. John ’76 and Jan (North ’76) Winskill and the Brian C. Olson Award recipient Courtney Stringer ’08. Also, the Nursing Alumni Association’s Distinguished Nursing Alumna Charleen (Zrust ’77) Tachibana will be honored.

Homecoming Football Game: What you’ve been waiting for! The alumni tent will be open from noon to 3 p.m. Game time is at 1:30 p.m. at Sparks Stadium. PLU Lutes will take on Gustavus Adolphus College in this year’s Homecoming game.

Homecoming Gala: This event will be from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Tacoma Art Museum. The cost is $45, and $25 for GOLD Alumni. Live jazz music provided by the David Joyner Trio (Joyner is a member of the PLU music faculty). Museum galleries will be open and PLU alumna Abby (Buck ’03) Houston will demonstrate her oil painting throughout the evening in the Open Art Studio.