We are thrilled to welcome alumni and friends back to campus for Graceland’s 2024 Homecoming festivities. Join fellow alumni and friends in Lamoni for a weekend of food, fellowship and fun.
Online meal registration and athletic tickets will open closer to the event.
Purchase Homecoming Athletics Tickets
Indicates a ticketed event.
TIME | EVENT | LOCATION |
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6 – 7:30 p.m. | GU4U Networking Event Students and Alumni! Join the GU4U committee in The Corner to enjoy some sweet treats and to help build those vital networking connections. GU4U is an outreach of the Graceland University alumni board that seeks to link current students with alumni across the world. |
Newcom Student Union, The Corner |
TIME | EVENT | LOCATION |
---|---|---|
8 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Alumni Board Meeting | Newcom Student Union, CETL |
11:30 a.m. | Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament |
Lamoni Municipal Golf Course |
3 – 6 p.m. | Softball Home Run Derby | North Park |
3:30-4:30 | 21 Steele Strings Enjoy a wonderful concert with Graceland alumni Dean Landsberg, Larry Wheeler, Ray Adams, and Joe Racine. These Graceland superstars are members of the legendary “New Folk Singers” and “North Door Singers.” Join us for an hour of lively music and friendship. |
Carol Hall |
5 – 6:30 p.m.
|
Alumni and Friends Awards Banquet All are welcome to join us for a delicious meal and to celebrate this year’s homecoming award winners! Register for this event using the form at the top of this page. |
Shaw Center, Lobby |
6:30 – 8p.m. | Art Show and Reception
Constructing the Contemporary Landscape featuring three Graceland University Alumni art students; Tressa Cummings ’20, Ryan Schlom ’17, and Evan Sloan ’18. |
Helene Center, Constance Art Gallery |
7:30 p.m. |
An Evening with the Arts Join Graceland’s wonderful music and theatre departments as they put on a wonderful showcase of acting, song, and so much more! |
Shaw Center, Shaw Family Auditorium |
9:30 p.m. | Air Band | Morden Center |
TIME | EVENT | LOCATION |
---|---|---|
8:30 – 10 a.m. | Women’s Intrasquad Volleyball | Morden Center |
9:30-10:30 a.m. | Resch Open House Student demonstrations along with robotics, gaming and more. Former CS, CE, CIS, IT, CSIT, Biology and Chemistry majors are encouraged to stop by. |
Resch Science and Technology Hall, Room #130 |
9:30-11 a.m. | Agape Breakfast Students will provide breakfast for alumni as well as hold a silent auction to raise House funds. |
Gunsolley Hall, Dan B. Kelley Lounge |
9:30 a.m. | Crescent Gathering | Green Room, Shaw Center |
10-10:30 a.m. | Alumni Endowed Scholarship presentation | Shaw Center, Lobby |
10 a.m.-1 p.m. | International Club Silent Auction | Campus Quad (In case of rain, location will be moved to Newcom Student Union, Great Room.) |
10 a.m. | Nicholas L Hartwig Greenhouse Dedication | Greenhouse in Resch Science and Technology |
10 a.m. | Future Student Campus Tours | Higdon Administration Building, Lobby |
10 a.m. | Men’s and Women’s Soccer vs. Alumni | Training Pitch |
10 a.m. | Men’s and Women’s Volleyball v. Alumni | Morden Center |
11 a.m. | Pep Rally (In case of rain, location will be moved to inside the Morden Center.) |
In front of Morden Center |
11:30 a.m. | Tailgate Lunch! Join us for a tailgate lunch on the campus quad to join in community and enjoy a delicious meal before the exciting afternoon activities! ($8.75 Credit/Debit Card only) |
Campus Quad |
11:30 a.m. | Prospective Student Pep Rally Pizza Party High school students are invited to join the Admissions team for food, games, and other activities. They will get to meet their admissions counselor, current Graceland students, and others like them who are deciding if Graceland is their perfect fit. |
Newcom Courtyard |
11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Book Signing with Author Donna Lynn Sheehy
Upon retirement from teaching kindergarten Donna has most recently written a book entitled: Kids Are Worth It: Let The Good Times Grow! Her experience in the classroom has helped to shape the way she sees our most vulnerable little citizens and it makes sense to her that we should look to teachers for inspiration for raising our children outside the structured school setting. Told in a reader-friendly fashion, Donna’s hope is to encourage anyone who crosses paths with children. Because Kids Are Worth It: Let The Good Times Grow! |
Campus Quad |
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. |
60-year Honor Class Lunch Connect with friends, skim through yearbooks, and enjoy some delicious dessert. Also join us to celebrate the class of 1965 turn 80 with cake and a delicious lunch! A Graceland photographer will also stop by to take your honor class photo so be sure to attend! This room is also reserved all weekend for you and your former classmates to catchup and enjoy each other’s company! |
Heritage Chapel |
1:35 p.m. | Freeman Awards Presentation Tom ’55 and Terry Moore ’56 Freeman present medals to the top scholar-athletes in each sport. |
Huntsman Field (In case of rain, location will be moved to Morden Center.) |
2 p.m. | Ergo and Friends | Carol Hall |
2 p.m. |
Homecoming Football Game vs. MidAmerica Nazarene Half-time: Hall of Fame Inductions. Online tickets with a valid ID are required for entrance. |
Huntsman Field |
4 p.m. | 50-Year Honor Class Mocktail Hour Gather together before your honor class dinner to catch up and reminisce! |
Newcom Student Union, Great Room |
5 p.m.
|
50-year Honor Class Dinner Join us for an enchanting evening of nostalgia and reconnection as we celebrate 50 years since we first walked these halls. Register for this event using the form at the top of this page. |
Newcom Student Union, Great Room |
5 p.m. |
Women’s Soccer vs. Central Methodist University Online tickets with a valid ID are required for entrance. |
“The Razz” Soccer Facility |
5-11 p.m. |
Food Trucks (Accepting cash and credit/debit card payments) Food trucks will be parked in the Zimmerman parking lot on Saturday night and live music will be playing throughout the campus. Gather with your friends for food and fun! |
Campus Quad / Zimmermann Parking lot |
6:30 p.m. | 10, 20, and 25 Year Honor Class Desserts Connect with friends, skim through yearbooks, and enjoy some delicious dessert. A Graceland photographer will also stop by to take your honor class photo so be sure to attend! This room is also reserved all weekend for you and your former classmates to catchup and enjoy each other’s company! |
JR Theatre |
6:30 p.m. | 30 and 35 Year Honor Class Desserts Connect with friends, skim through yearbooks, and enjoy some delicious dessert. A Graceland photographer will also stop by to take your honor class photo so be sure to attend! This room is also reserved all weekend for you and your former classmates to catchup and enjoy each other’s company! |
Helene 101 |
6:30 p.m. | 40 Year Honor Class Dessert Connect with friends, skim through yearbooks, and enjoy some delicious dessert. A Graceland photographer will also stop by to take your honor class photo so be sure to attend! This room is also reserved all weekend for you and your former classmates to catchup and enjoy each other’s company! |
Newcom Room 24 |
7 p.m. | Alumni Softball Game | North Park |
7:30 p.m. | Men’s Soccer Game vs. Central Methodist University | “The Razz” Soccer Facility |
7:30 p.m. | An Evening with the Arts Join Graceland’s wonderful music and theatre departments as they put on a wonderful showcase of acting, song, and so much more! |
Shaw Center, Shaw Family Auditorium |
9-10 p.m. |
Chad Elliott ’96 Live Music Performance Midwest singer-songwriter Chad Elliott blends folk roots, swampy blues and soulful writing to deliver an original Americana sound. His live performances have been honed over a decade of being on the road performing more than 200 shows each year. Elliott is lauded as “Iowa’s Renaissance man” by Culture Buzz Magazine. He has penned more than 1,500 songs in his career while also cultivating his skills as a painter, sculptor, illustrator and author (Wilderman’s Treetop Tales; Rumble & Flash). |
Shaw Amphitheatre |
10 p.m. | Fireworks! Join us for a dazzling display of fireworks that will be sure to light up your night! |
Campus Quad / Zimmermann Parking lot |
TIME | EVENT | LOCATION |
---|---|---|
8:30 a.m. | Communion Service | Cheville Chapel |
10:30 a.m. | Homecoming Worship Service | Shaw Center, Shaw Family Auditorium |
11:30 a.m. | The President’s Brunch This “invitation only” event salutes Presidential Society members and Heritage Club inductees. |
Newcom Student Union, Great Room |
1963 | 1973 | 1983 | 1988 | 1993 | 1998 | 2003 | 2013
In addition to a special dinner for these honor classes, we will have activities, events and meals planned for all alumni regardless of class year.
Every Homecoming, Graceland honors distinguished alumni and friends at its annual alumni awards banquet. It recognizes three awards: the Graceland Award of Recognition, the Honorary Alumni Award, and the Distinguished Service Award and new this year, we are happy to recognize our Wall of Fame and Hall of Fame inductees.
This year’s award winners included:
Each year, Graceland inducts distinguished alumni into its athletic program’s hall of fame and wall of fame. Since they were established, Graceland has honored those alumni each Homecoming with a presentation at halftime of the Homecoming football game. This year, we are also honoring these alumni at the Friday night Alumni and Friends Awards Banquet to be held in the Shaw Center Lobby.
The Hall of Fame recognizes exceptional individuals for their athletic accomplishments during their tenure at Graceland, while the Wall of Fame commemorates teams for their athletic achievements while at Graceland.
Looking for a place to stay near Lamoni? We’ve got you covered.
BUSINESS | DISTANCE | PHONE | WEBSITE |
---|---|---|---|
Cobblestone Inn & Suites
Lamoni, IA | 2.4 miles | 641.784.4000 | Website |
Rodeway Inn Lamoni, IA | 2.1 miles | 319.315.0080 | Website |
Eagles Landing Eagleville, MO | 14 miles | 660.867.5228 | |
Little River Inn Motel Leon, IA | 16.1 miles | 641.446.4884 | Website |
Lesanville Inn at Ramsey Farms Mt. Ayr, IA | 17.8 miles | 641.414.8550 | |
Charlie-Jane's B&B Mt. Ayr, IA | 22.8 miles | 641.464.2564 | |
Mount Ayr Inn Mt. Ayr, IA | 21.5 miles | 641.464.3500 | Website |
Armstrong Guest house Mt. Ayr, IA | 24 miles | 641.344.5553 | Website |
Quality Inn & Suites Bethany, MO | 25.8 miles | 660.425.8006 | Website |
Family Budget Motel Bethany, MO | 25.8 miles | 660.425.7915 | Website |
Super 8 Bethany, MO | 25.9 miles | 660.240.0597 | Website |
Relax Inn Osceola, IA | 32.2 miles | 641.342.2123 | Website |
AmericInn of Osceola Osceola, IA | 32.5 miles | 641.342.9400 | Website |
Quality Inn Osceola, IA | 32.2 miles | 641.342.6666 | Website |
Super 8 Osceola, IA | 32.2 miles | 641.638.6475 | Website |
Evergreen Inn Osceola, IA | 33.2 miles | 641.342.3162 | Website |
Blue Haven Motel Osceola, IA | 33.4 miles | 641.342.2115 | |
Lakeside Hotel & Casino Osceola, IA | 34 miles | 641.342.9511 | Website |
Hotel Rea Corydon, IA | 39.3 miles | 641.895.6074 | Website |
Nodyroc Motel Corydon, IA | 39.4 miles | 641.872.2533 | Website |
Inn of the Six-Toed Cat Allerton, IA | 40.2 miles | 641.873.4900 | Website |
NL Holdings Hidden Acres Cabins Bethany, MO | 27 miles | 660.373.9927 | Website |
The Villas Bethany, MO | 27 miles | 660.373.9927 | Website |
The Lamoni area has a few Airbnb options, though Graceland cannot verify their quality. Search for locations here.
Graceland has several RV camping spots on campus, located in the parking lot southwest of Resch Science and Technology Hall. No reservations are accepted – all camping spots are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Suggested rate: $15 per camper, per night. Please deposit RV fees in the drop box located at the northwest corner of the west events parking lot.
There are three campgrounds with 68 campsites (28 with electrical hookups), modern showers, restrooms and a trailer dump station just 12 miles from Graceland at Iowa’s Nine Eagles State Park. Find out more information and make reservations.