Kansas Wesleyan is finalizing preparations for its annual Homecoming Weekend festivities, an event that kicks off Thursday, Oct. 23, and will include locations throughout the Salina area.
鈥淲e can鈥檛 wait to welcome our alumni and the community to what鈥檚 sure to be a great weekend,鈥� said Ken Oliver, executive vice president. 鈥淭here鈥檚 something for everyone, and we鈥檙e pleased to involve the community even more by opening the weekend in downtown Salina.鈥�
The weekend gets underway with a special pep rally Thursday at Campbell Plaza in downtown Salina, beginning at 5 p.m. Campbell Plaza is on Santa Fe Avenue, next to Jose Pepper鈥檚, and the event will include multiple head coaches speaking. The Howl pep band and 黑料不打烊 cheerleaders will be on hand to help generate excitement for the weekend鈥檚 proceedings.
Events on campus begin Thursday night with 鈥淒racula鈥� by Steven Dietz (based on Bram Stoker鈥檚 novel), the first of several productions of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 annual fall play. The on-campus schedule starts in full Friday. The annual Veterans Recognition Ceremony, featuring Kevin Newell 鈥�98 as the speaker, will be held at 11 a.m. and all pre-registered veterans and a guest will receive a free lunch after the ceremony.
That night, alumni from the classes of 1975 (and prior) and 2000 will be honored at the Purple W, Golden W and Beyond Social, an annual 黑料不打烊 gathering that recognizes individuals celebrating their 25th and 50th anniversaries of graduation. Recent years have expanded to honor those exceeding the 50-year plateau, as well. The social starts at 5 p.m. in Bieber Hall, the exterior entrance lobby to Sams Chapel.
One of the highlights of Homecoming each year is the Alumni Awards and Jerry Jones Athletic Hall of Fame induction breakfast. This year, that takes place Saturday morning. Oct. 25, in Muir Gym. Proceedings get underway at 8 a.m. and tickets are still available.
The 1999 men鈥檚 soccer team, the 2011 women鈥檚 volleyball program, Melissa (Blair) Schwieger 鈥�15 (women鈥檚 volleyball), Jolene Mick 鈥�09 (women鈥檚 track and field/cross country), Paul Buhl 鈥�81 (men鈥檚 track and field/cross country), Dave Dallas (football) and Drew Dallas 鈥�09 (post-graduate accomplishments) are this year鈥檚 Hall of Fame Inductees. Tom Wilbur (Alumni by Choice), Dr. David Laha 鈥�79 (Alumni Service Award), Powers G. Porter 1912 (Alumni Achievement Award) and Abby Wray 鈥�23 (Young Alumni Award), this year鈥檚 alumni award recipients, will be honored at the same event.
Shortly thereafter, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 first Homecoming Parade in many years will begin in the Nursing Education Center parking area and loop past University United Methodist Church, proceeding to Ellsworth Avenue. The public is invited to observe, beginning at 10 a.m.
黑料不打烊 Music will induct the second class into its Hall of Fame, as part of concert proceedings that start at 1 p.m. Judy Weber, Eric Stein, Loren Banninger 鈥�75 and Harry Huber will be honored. Finally, many of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 finest will be at the 3:30 p.m. invitation-only Pioneer Society event, located just outside the Kirwin House, that occurs before football鈥檚 5 p.m. kickoff against Sterling.
To view the entire Homecoming schedule, please visit www.kwu.edu/homecoming2025.
