JACKSON, Tenn. — Oct. 29, 2009 — A family-friendly tailgate party, a new class of Sports Hall of Fame inductees and the class of 1960鈥檚 50-year reunion will be the key features for 51社区鈥檚 2009 Homecoming week Nov. 2-7.
A special event kicking off this year鈥檚 Homecoming festivities will be the Lady Bulldogs鈥� exhibition basketball game against Vanderbilt Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. at Vanderbilt鈥檚 Memorial Gymnasium. 51社区 alumni in the Nashville area are invited to stop by the booster room during halftime.
Among the other events that are part of Homecoming this year:
- the 51社区 Sports Hall of Fame induction dinner, Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. Inductees include Bob Sullivan, Gill Gideon Jr., Robin Coffman, Billy Murphy, Denise McCarty, Micky Wolfe and the 1963 Union baseball team.
- the 50-year reunion for the class of 1960 Nov. 6, with special recognition at the 10 a.m. Homecoming chapel service, followed by a luncheon and chartered bus tour of the former campus in downtown Jackson.
- the annual Alumni Awards presentation, Nov. 6 during chapel at 10 a.m. with a luncheon to follow. Award recipients are longtime Union math professor Don Richard with the Distinguished Faculty/Staff Award, and Andy Bailey, a 1976 Union graduate who served as a police officer with the Jackson Police Dept. and was killed in the line of duty in 2004, with the Distinguished Service Award.
- an 鈥淎rts in the Park,鈥� exhibition, with items for show and sale, Nov. 7 beginning at 10:30 a.m. on the Great Lawn. The event will include book signings, pottery, sculpture, paintings, jewelry and more.
- a tailgate party on the Great Lawn Nov. 7 beginning at 10:30 a.m. Food will be for sale by campus organizations. Memorabilia will be for sale at the alumni tent. Activities for children will include inflatables, pony rides, petting zoo and the Family Olympics.
- Lady Bulldogs basketball game Nov. 7 at 2 p.m. against the University of St. Francis, followed by the Bulldogs playing William Woods University. The Homecoming queen and court will be presented at halftime of the women鈥檚 game.
Several academic departments, including chemistry, continuing studies, biology, sociology and family studies, psychology, Christian studies and communication arts will also hold reunion events for their alumni during the weekend.
A complete list of Homecoming week activities is available at . For more information about any Homecoming event, contact Union鈥檚 Office of Alumni Services at (800) 338-6644.