A new year, a new class, and a new opportunity to celebrate the history of Guilford all come together on Homecoming weekend, which begins on Sept. 25. It has been 50 years since the class of 1960 graduated from Guilford and 25 years since the class of 1985 graduated. This year the class of 1960 will be honored at homecoming with an induction into the Golden Circle. These two classes and all the classes before and after get to celebrate their time at Guilford as well as to meet with old friends, faculty, and staff, according to Associate Director of Alumni Relations Karrie Manson.

“The big thing is the concert Friday night,” said Manson.

The concert is free and will take place on the main campus lawn, ’00 alum Scott Pryor performing. There will also be the football game against Hampden-Sydney under the lights.

“From an athletic perspective it is great to be able to showcase our athletic program, facilities, and teams and meet and make new friends,” said Athletic Director Tom Palombo.

Sophomore Luke Vandall, a sophomore football player, added, “It’s always nice to play well in front of our alumni and all the people who come to watch.”

But there will be much more to homecoming than just a game and a concert. Manson and her associate Emily Thompson, director of the Guilford Fund, have a whole slate of activities planned.

There will be a rock wall set up by CAB on Friday, a BBQ party before the football game, an alumni soccer game, an inter-squad baseball game, a women’s alumni lacrosse game, and an alumni rugby game. A schedule of all these events can be found in Founders Hall.

Manson said that all these events are trying to make homecoming a “student and alumni thing,” The alumni have their gatherings every year, but according to Manson over the past few years there have been very few events for students. She is trying to change that this year.
“It’s a lot of work done by few people,” said Manson, who then laughed, “You see all this grey hair on my head? That’s from homecoming!” Additionally, according to a homecoming pamphlet, all the residence halls will be open so that visiting graduates can come and see where they lived and how it has changed over the years.

Details about homecoming events can be found at http://www.guilford.edu/alumni/gatherings/homecoming.