Get Ready for Homecoming 2013: “A Strong Past, A Better Forever”

The 2013 Homecoming theme is “A Strong Past, A Better Forever”, and that is what the Graceland community will be celebrating the weekend of October 11-13th.

Homecoming weekends always start with an entertaining theatre production. This year, Graceland is performing the musical The Little Shop of Horrors in the spacious Shaw Family Auditorium. Performances are scheduled for 7:30 pm on Thursday, October 10; 8:00 pm on Friday & Saturday, October 11 & 12; and 2 pm on Sunday, October 13. Graceland students and employee will receive a special rate of just $5.00 per ticket when purchased at the Shaw Ticket Office; limit of two with valid ID. Shaw Ticket Office hours are Monday-Friday, 9 am-12 noon and 1-4 pm. Tickets are now available at the Shaw Ticket Office and available online at www.graceland.edu/shawtickets. The regular ticket price is $8.00.

At 5:00 pm on Friday, the 14^th Annual Emeriti Dinner and Awards Banquet will be held for the first time ever in the spectacular Shaw Center lobby. During the Banquet and Awards ceremony, the alumni basketball games will start warming up the Closson Center for Airband, one of the most anticipated Homecoming events among Graceland students, at 10:30 pm.

Homecoming Saturday is jam-packed with the traditional football tailgate lunch and gridiron matchup taking center stage in the middle of the day. Before that, the campus quad will be buzzing starting at 9 a.m. with the second annual Changing Strides 5K Run/Walk.

The Shaw Center Amphitheatre will be very busy on Saturday, starting with the Annual Alumni Association Forum at 10 am. The Forum will be followed by a presentation on Graceland’s new hoop house, the crowning of the Homecoming King and Queen, a jazz band concert starting at high noon, a performance by Graceland’s brand new drumline, and a student improv group performance in the JR Theatre. If that isn’t enough, the campus quad will also host the second annual student Tug of War House Competition.

Another GU Homecoming first finds all of the Honor Class groups, with the exception of the 50-year crew, dining together in the brand-new Shaw Center lobby. President John Sellars will deliver his “State of the University” message and then dine with the Class of 1963 in the Harpham Heritage Chapel, located in the Higdon Administration Building.

This year, the first annual “Graceland’s Got Talent Homecoming Edition” talent show will be on the Memorial Student Center stage starting at 9 pm on Saturday night.  The talent show will accept acts all the way up to curtains time.  There will also be a campfire and s’mores right outside the MSC.

Homecoming 2013 will wrap up on Sunday with a spirit-filled worship service starting at 10:45 am in the Shaw Center Family Auditorium. This year’s guest speaker is Apostle Staci Cramm.  Presidential Society members will once again enjoy a brunch inside the Memorial Student Center right after church.  Don’t forget the Crescent Breakfast in the Heritage Chapel at 8 am.

Homecoming 2013 promises to be much fun for students, alumni, and visitors from far and wide. Let the celebration of “A Strong Past, A Better Forever” begin!