Each October, alumni and families come together for Homecoming & Family Weekend. While the pandemic has prevented everyone from gathering in person this year, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate and have some Union fun.
Homecoming & Family Weekend will be held virtually Friday, Oct. 23 and Saturday, Oct. 24.
“There’s no substitute for being on campus together, but there are some great benefits to virtual events. Since July 1, more than 4,000 alumni, parents and friends have participated in virtual activities,” said Ashley Boland, director of Alumni and Parent Engagement & Advancement Events. “Overall, we’ve engaged more alumni virtually than we would have hosting events in person.”
“We know most people would prefer to be here, especially in the fall, but virtual events give alumni across the country the opportunity to be part of the festivities,” she added. “Additionally, we are very excited to announce this year’s Gold Medal winners. We plan to award medals to recipients in person as soon as possible, but we look forward to virtually recognizing our alumni for everything they do for Union.”
Among the highlights of Homecoming are:
- Virtual Tailgate Cookbook & Contest: Share your favorite tailgating recipe for the Union College Virtual Tailgate Cookbook. Winners will be announced Oct. 24. The top three recipes will receive a Union-themed prize.
- Pumpkin-carving Contest: Carve a pumpkin and submit a picture. Winners will be announced Oct. 24. All winners will receive a Union-themed prize.
- WRUC 100th Anniversary Panel: Alumni discuss their experiences on WRUC and the impact the station had on their lives. (Thursday, Oct. 22, 7 p.m.)
- Campus Tour: Join Samantha Epstein ’21 for a live virtual tour of campus. (Friday, Oct. 23, 4:30 p.m.)
- Alumni Gold Medal Awards: Join Kate Barry ’01, trustee and Alumni Council president, as she announces the recipients of the 2020 Alumni Gold Medals, Rising Star award for GOLD alumni, the Faculty Meritorious Award and Special Appreciation Award. (Saturday, Oct. 24, noon)
- Virtual Tailgate & Game: Join Gridiron alumni for a virtual tailgate party, followed by the broadcast of one of Union football’s 10 most memorable games. (Saturday, Oct. 24, noon)
Register and see the full schedule here.