2008 Woodie Awards
SRU alumni return to reunite, take part in Homecoming festivites
By Katie Kurylo
Rocket Contributor
Issue date: 10/5/07 Section: Focus
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It's a chance to get together with old friends and maybe make a few new ones. Kings and queens, pep rallies and fireworks, SRU Homecoming seems to have it all.
On Oct. 13, many SRU alumni will make their way back to the campus they called home for at least a few years of their lives.
Mike Saraka, the director of alumni relations, said there are several ways alumni can hear about the week and the activities going on.
Each alumnus gets a direct mail invitation and an e-mail notification, and can also check the alumni Web site.
Saraka said there were about 300 alumni that attended the events during last year's Homecoming week.
Dee Thompson, a clerk typist III at the alumni relations office, said that while many alumni come back, the office has no real way of estimating the number for expected alumni for this year's festivities.
"If they are attending one of our events, then yes, we do register them," Thompson said. "But many choose to come back on their own time."
While it may be surprising that the office does not keep a record of contacts, the logistics of keeping a current and up-to-date university alumni address list are staggering.
"If you can figure out how to do it, tell us," Thompson said. "But while we don't get in touch with everyone, most alumni do find time to come back to campus."
The job of the Office of Alumni Relations is to not only head and coordinate most of the alumni activities that go on during Homecoming weekend, but also much more.
Its mission is to support the university and keep alumni informed of what is going on in the Slippery Rock area.
They also sponsor chapter events around the country and local events such as the awards banquet, alumni weekend and of course, Homecoming week.
The Alumni Office activities start the weekend on the morning of Oct. 12 with the annual Fall Classic Golf Outing at Olde Stonewall Golf Club in Ellwood City, Pa.
The five-hour event includes a raffle, with all proceeds going to the alumni scholarship fund.
On Oct. 13, after the annual parade concludes, there will be a meeting of the Alumni Association Board. Here, alumni are informed of upcoming events sponsored by the office.
Later that day, at noon, the annual alumni barbecue will take place on the corner of Stadium Drive by the baseball field.
Thompson said most alumni take time out of their schedules to stop by the tent.
"We usually have around 100 alumni show up for the cookout," Thompson said.
In addition to traditional barbecue, this year the alumni tent will have live music provided by the band Making Trax.
Saraka said this isn't the first year there have been bands perform for the alumni, though.
Last year, there was a German folk band and a deejay on hand in 2005.
But Making Trax is the first contemporary band to perform at the alumni activities.
Saraka said Making Trax is special to Slippery Rock because the drummer of the band is Bill McKinney, the dean of the College of Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts.
His band, based out of Bucknell University, will play styles varying from '70s to contemporary-style music.
There will also be small games and giveaways for children at the barbecue.
A final event in Homecoming weekend will take place on Sunday afternoon.
The Alumni Association is sponsoring a trip to Pittsburgh's Cabaret Theater, where alumni can see the show "Always…Patsy Cline."
In addition to the Alumni Relations' activities, certain departments, such as athletic training, dance, education, business, communication, physical therapy, physical education and other departments have their own events.
"We help each one with the mailing and invitations, and we also help them find a place to hold their events," Saraka said.
The elementary education and communication departments both have pre-game tailgates scheduled in the afternoon on Oct. 13.
Another benefit of Homecoming week is that Alumni will be able to return to campus and visit their old fraternities or sororities.
Or perhaps they can check in on a sports team they for which they used to play.
Saraka said one of the biggest changes alumni will notice is the way the campus has changed.
"Dodds and Founders Hall are both gone, so they will be curious to know what the new suites are like," Saraka said.
"Also, alumni from the 1950s and '60s will be surprised to see how the campus looks because when they attended, the campus consisted of only Old Main, North Hall, and West Gym."
Additional reporting by Liz Glazier.
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