Press release from UNC-A:
UNC Asheville is calling all Bulldogs back to campus for Homecoming & Family Weekend, September 22-24, 2017, as part of the year-long celebration of the university’s 90th anniversary. Weekend festivities are open to families and friends of the university, with special ticket packages for parents and alumni available for $35. Tickets to individual events, including athletics games, the picnic on the Quad, and alumni activities are also available, starting at $6. Kids can register for free, and a kids’ zone will be available on Saturday afternoon between tailgating and soccer games. Advance registration is encouraged and available online at https://hfw.unca.edu/.
“We are excited to host alumni in conjunction with this year’s Homecoming & Family Weekend celebrations,” said Elizabeth Underwood, senior director of alumni relations at UNC Asheville. “We’ve already received registrations from alumni who are traveling to be here, and with a very large base of alumni residing in our local region we are expecting a great crowd. We are especially excited to host the National Alumni Awards reception and banquet — our premier event — on Friday evening. Additionally, we are hosting events at alumni-owned and alumni-managed businesses of Well Played and Green Man Brewery (respectively). These two venues are popular in the Asheville area and we feel alumni will enjoy the refreshments and accommodations!”
Friday, September 22
UNC Asheville’s Homecoming & Family Weekend kicks off with the student-favorite Bulldog Big Wheel race on the Quad at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 22, when students team up on three wheels to see who is crowned champion for the year.
Alumni are invited to the annual alumni awards reception and banquet at the Sherrill Center. The reception begins at 6 p.m. on the Scholarship Deck and the banquet in the Mountain View Room begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25, and are not included in the weekend package. This year’s award-winners include Professor of Political Science Dwight Mullen who will be honored for his mentorship of alumni as well as students, and UNC Asheville graduates Bill Gettys ’74, Steve Woody ’89, David de Haan ’97, Molly de Mattos ’02, Patrick Conant ’11.
The Homecoming volleyball match begins at 7 p.m. on Sept. 22 in the Justice Gym. Attendees can conclude the evening downtown, with fun and games at Well Played, a board-game café owned by UNC Asheville alumni that will be reserved for alumni Friday evening. Entry is included with the alumni ticket package; otherwise admission is $10, which includes one beverage, snacks and games.
Saturday, September 23
On Saturday, Sept. 23, UNC Asheville Athletics will induct its newest members to the Hall of Fame. The 2017 class is comprised of track and field legend Micki Logue (2000-04), men’s soccer great Mark Magee (1985-88) and longtime Bulldog boosters Ben and Shirley Snyder who will be inducted posthumously.
Back-to-class sessions begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23 and feature current and retired faculty from across the arts and sciences. Class topics include Literary Asheville, Honeybees and Humans, Neuroscience in Popular Culture, and Ancient Greek, just to name a few.
“We always look forward to having family members of our students join us on campus for the weekend to get a sense of what it’s like to be a member of the UNC Asheville campus community. Family members enjoy our back-to-class sessions because they provide full immersion into our interdisciplinary curriculum with our talented and highly esteemed faculty,” said Stephanie Franklin, director of transition and parent programs at UNC Asheville.
The whole UNC Asheville community will gather at noon on the Quad for a North Carolina BBQ picnic with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Tickets are included in the alumni and parent packages, otherwise $8 per person. Students can use their meal plan for the picnic.
After the picnic is a pre-soccer game tailgate, with a special Rocky’s Kids Zone. There will be a castle bounce house, giant bubbles, cookie decorating, face painting, spin art, hula hoops, and more.
The Homecoming Parade will take place at noon on Saturday, Sept. 23, circling half of University Heights from Zeis Hall to Karpen Hall and concluding in the tailgate parking lot. The soccer double-header begins at 3 p.m. with the women challenging Charleston Southern and the men taking on High Point at 6 p.m. An Alumni Zone at Greenwood Field will be available during the games and included in the ticket price. Alumni award winners and Hall of Fame inductees will be recognized, and the Homecoming coronation will take place during halftimes of the two games.
The Homecoming & Family Weekend closeout events include an alumni gathering at Green Man Brewery off campus while students partake of the Highsmith After Dark party in the university’s Highsmith Student Union.
Sunday, September 24
Alumni and families are invited to extend their stay through Sunday, with Brown Dining Hall open for breakfast from 9 to 10 a.m.
For more information, contact UNC Asheville Events & Conferences Office at 828-251-6853. To see the full event schedule and register for Homecoming & Family Weekend, visit https://hfw.unca.edu/.
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