Upper Iowa University is summoning all those with Peacock spirit to attend the Tie Dye & Tailfeathers Homecoming celebration Thursday-Sunday, October 3-6. Among the alumni anticipating the start of the festivities are grand marshals Al ‘56 and Jan ‘64 (Mork) Seabrooke. The Elgin, Iowa, residents will lead the Homecoming parade, which is scheduled to begin at noon Saturday, October 5.
Among the other special guests of the 2019 Homecoming celebration are Alumni Award honorees Pam Whitmore ’65 of Buckingham, Iowa; Bill DeLauro ’78 of Austin, Texas; Jason Zilk ’94 of Des Moines, Iowa; Sgt. Maj. Tito Reed ’13 of San Antonio, Texas; and James Ebert ’11 of Richmond, Kentucky. The five award winners will be recognized during the Alumni Awards & Honor Class Brunch scheduled for 9:30 a.m. in the Student Center Ballroom October 5.
Additional information about the Homecoming grand marshals, alumni award recipients and royalty candidates will be announced in the near future.
The 2019 Upper Iowa University Homecoming schedule includes the following events and activities:
Thursday, October 3
- Agates, Crystals and Geodes Display – Garbee Hall (lower lobby) 3:30 – 5 p.m. Featuring specimens from the collections donated to UIU by Burton and Dorthea ’71 Odekirk and Leora Sullivan ’61. Guests are invited to bring specimens or digital images of your own rocks or fossils for identification by UIU professor of geosciences Dr. Kata McCarville.
- Welcome Home Dinner – Maue Atrium in the Andres Center for Business and Education, 5:30 p.m. The all-class reunion dinner, hosted by the Alumni Association, begins with a reception at 5:30 p.m., with dinner buffet served at 6 p.m. Cost for this event and buffet-style meal is $15. RSVP required.
- Pep Rally, Bonfire and Coronation – East of Victory Gate/Peacock Pavilion Tailgate Area, 7:30 p.m. In the case of inclement weather, the event will be moved into Dorman Gymnasium. Refreshments will be served.
Friday, October 4
- Campus Tours – Alumni House. UIU students will lead campus tours at 10, 10:30, 11, and 11:30 a.m. Participants are asked to sign the historic alumni registry book.
- Research, Internship & Creative Endeavors – Baker-Hebron Hall and Garbee Hall (Lower Level), 1 – 2:30 p.m. Join the UIU departments of Biology, Chemistry, Geosciences, Geography, and Mathematical Sciences in viewing posters detailing the activities and works of University undergraduates.
- UIU Women’s Soccer – Pattison Field, 1 p.m. UIU vs. MSU Moorhead
- UIU Men’s Soccer – Pattison Field, 3:30 p.m. UIU vs. Davenport University
- 7th Annual President’s Ball– Student Center Ballroom, 5:30 p.m. Upper Iowa University invites you to “IMAGINE!” during the 7th Annual President’s Ball. Guests may enjoy a cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m., with a dinner program and dancing to follow. Ticket information is available at uiu.edu/presidentsball. RSVP required.
Saturday, October 5
- Archives Take-Away Display & Social– Student Center main level, 8:30 a.m. Take a trip down memory lane! Coffee available for guests.
- Alumni Awards & Honor Class Brunch – Student Center Ballroom, 9:30 a.m. This event will honor the classes of ’59, ’69, ’79, ’89, ’94 and ’99. A special gift will be presented to members of the 50-year class. In addition, the distinguished Alumni Award honorees (announced above) and members of the Heritage Society will be recognized. The brunch is complimentary to all alumni and friends, but RSVP is required.
- Homecoming Parade – Downtown Fayette, noon.
- Live Music – Tailgate area, noon-2 p.m. Country/rock acoustic guitarist, Beau Timmerman. The free event is sponsored by the Peacock Tailgate Association.
- UIU Heritage, History and Headstones Tour – Hendersen-Wilder Library, 1-2 p.m. Participants are to meet in the library to enjoy a guided tour of the Grandview Cemetery with UIU professor of geosciences/Delano professor of science Dr. Kata McCarville. Self-guided tour maps will also be available for pickup at the library’s circulation desk.
- Alumni Tailgate – Tailgate area, 1:30-3 p.m. All are invited to the Homecoming football game pregame party! The classes of ’04, ’09 and ’14 are celebrating their 5-, 10- and 15-year reunions, respectively, and the alumni will receive a special gift for stopping by.
- Football Alumni Victory Walk – Tailgate area, 1:45 p.m. Gather with fellow Peacock football alums and lead the team to the field.
- UIU Homecoming Football Game – Harms-Eischeid Stadium, 3:05 p.m. UIU vs. Northern State University.
Sunday, October 6
- UIU Women’s Soccer– Pattison Field, noon. UIU vs. Northern State
- UIU Men’s Soccer – Pattison Field, 2:30 p.m. UIU vs. Ashland University
Throughout Homecoming week, UIU students will host several events and activities:
- Sunday, September 29 – Student Fashion Show, hosted by Beta Theta Omega
- Monday, September 30 – Window Painting
- Tuesday, October 1 – King & Queen Voting
- Wednesday, October 2 – Sidewalk Chalk Challenge and Juggling Performance
- Thursday, October 3 – Pep Rally, Bonfire and Coronation
UIU’s Tie Dye and Tailfeathers Homecoming event schedule and various RSVP and other registration forms can be found at uiu.edu/homecoming. For additional details on student-hosted activities, visit facebook.com/UIUStudentActivities.