Alumni Look Back at Homecoming Festivities
Emily Ryder
Manchester University’s 2018 Homecoming events that took place on Saturday, Sept. 28, ranged from an assortment of delicious food tents, a competitive corn hole tournament and live music playing, to an energetic, fun-filled kids’ zone, face painting and a variety of other tents engaged by recent alumni. These activities were neatly placed on the track, lasting until the victory of the home football team and captured the attention of nearly all ages, from young children to senior adults.
While these activities were going on, visiting alumni were eager to share their experiences they had during their time of being a college student.
As was evident, positive changes that have occurred throughout the years, there were also similar experiences that are mutual and common to current Manchester Spartans, as well. Lori Ryder, an alum from the graduating class of 1985, was eager to share her opinion on the changes Manchester is currently undergoing.
“Manchester [College] has always been a beautiful campus but the changes to the campus, such as the signs, buildings and the landscaping have made it aesthetically pleasing.” Ryder continues, “All of the updates have made it so much more appealing and attractive.”
Pete Myers, an alum from the graduating class of 2017, shared thoughts on the campus construction of brand-new buildings, as well as their past experiences as a Manchester Spartan.
“It was nice to see all of the new buildings that went up as well as the ones that are currently being built, just in the past few years since I’ve been here. I’m also excited about the new football stadium they have planned. It’s kind of cool that I was able to follow in the footsteps of my father who came to Manchester, played football and graduated as a business major as I did. It’s always neat to be able to come back to the school we both went to and even meet with some of the people he was friends with and graduated with.”
While there were numerous graduates from earlier years participating in the festivities, recent graduates and current Pharmacy students shared multiple tents to the right of the track where tables were filled with lab experiments, study abroad brochures, stickers, and more. This area captured the idea of what recent Spartans graduates were enthusiastic to share as well as what they miss the most.
These Homecoming events, however, allowed for uncountable interactions, sharing of the past and present, providing powerful dynamics to the appreciation of what it means to be a Spartan.
Myers, who played football at MU, shared that he misses being on campus, seeing his friends every day and the homelike feeling while walking around. “I enjoyed going back and seeing a lot of the people that I went here with, especially the people on the football team,” Myers said. “I’ve missed them but it was really nice being able to catch up with them.” Manchester University’s Homecoming events are perfect times where progress and success are showcased from new buildings to new organizational clubs, past students, families, and friends are able to visit these buildings, speak with recent graduates, and engage in the countless activities.