Party time

By Rebekah McCombs
Courier Staff

“Let the Good Times Roll” is this year’s Homecoming theme, which will be held on the weekend of Oct. 21 through 23, and is full of activities for students, alumni, community and will include the Inauguration of our 13th president, Mauri Ditzler.

The events for the weekend are organized by the Association for Student Activity Program-ming members, (ASAP): Stephanie Kennedy, assistant director of campus events/-McMichael hall director and sophomores Joanna Martorelli and Sarah Mendez.

Possible events students could participate in are the Spirit Shout, the parade, making banners and decorating the windows of downtown businesses, with cash prizes for all of them.

Marterelli said, “We are really looking forward to homecoming because it will be a really great time.”

According to Kennedy something new will be happening this year to keep more people involved.

On Thursday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Main Dinning Hall there will be a “Think Fest” game show that will be open to the community, as well as the students.

There will be questions that tie in with Monmouth and there are opportunities to win prizes.

As for decorating downtown, it will take place the week before Homecoming and will be judged by alumni at 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21.

Kennedy said, “The businesses are looking forward to students decorating their windows.”

In addition, to decorating downtown, the banners will be judged on Friday at 4 p.m.

To kick-off Homecoming at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, there will be the Spirit Shout, hosted by seniors Kimi Karau and Jimmy Kolhbacher, where all students are invited to attend and participate in.

President Ditzler will also be speaking, the Homecoming nominees will be announced and then there will be the crowning of the Homecoming King and Queen.

Fireworks will conclude the event and the alumni are welcome to come since they will have places reserved for them to sit during the show.

Saturday morning will begin with the parade at 10 a.m. and the football game, against Illinois College, will begin at 1:30 p.m.

Halftime entertainment will be provided by the MC marching band, directed by Steve Richter, the MC dance team and the MC cheerleaders.

In addition, the Homecom-ing Royalty and the winners of the parade will be announced during halftime.

Kennedy said, “During Homecoming we work together with the community and it is open to the whole community. We hope to have many students participate in many events.”

As for the alumni portion of Homecoming Weekend, Lucy Thompson, director of advancement/annual gifts, is in charge of organizing the activities and has put together many different events to keep the alumni busy.

The Class of 2004 will be dedicating their gift, a new sound system for the Bobby Woll Memorial Field, at 12:45 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22.

To note, the classes of ’70, ’75, ’80, ’85, ’90, ’95, ’00 and ’04 will be celebrating their class reunions at this time

Thompson further explained how this year the M-Club Hall of Fame will hold its introductions and, she added that other sporting events include alumni volleyball, cross country, track and golf events.

According to Thompson, a very important award, the Hall of Achievement Award, will be presented this year to William Trubeck, ’68 at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 21 in the Morgan Room. Trubeck is the executive vice president and CFO of H&R Block and has a distinguished career.

This award is the highest honor for alumni who have made extraordinary achievement in his/her career and Thompson added, “Mr. Trubeck certainly falls under this category.”

She added, “I hope we have a great crowd. We have a packed weekend planned for our alumni. We hope they can come back and enjoy campus.”  

Finally, the Inauguration of President Ditzler will take place at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21 on Wallace Hall Plaza, followed by a reception on Peterson Plaza.

At Ditzler’s Inauguration, those present will be institutional representatives, class representatives and alumni representatives.

At the Inauguration there will be two speakers: Dr. John Agresto and Dr. John Churchill.

Agresto has a Ph.D. and is a former president of St. John’s College and Churchill is the CEO of Phi Beta Kappa which is the nation’s oldest academic honor society.