Kansas Wesleyan will welcome home many of its own Oct. 15–17, as the university hosts its traditionally annual Homecoming and Family Weekend. It will be KWU’s first Homecoming Weekend since 2019, due to the one-year absence necessitated by COVID-19.
While many of the traditional events return, there are several exciting additions to the schedule as well. KWU will dedicate a new optics lab in Peters Science Hall, named in honor of longtime professor Paul Stucky. Stucky’s son, Mark Stucky, a nationally-known test pilot and commercial astronaut for Virgin Galactic, will speak at a 2 p.m. event on Oct. 15.
Two of KWU’s most unique programs, eSports and Debate and Forensics, will also be represented during the weekend. Both will host showcase events, where visitors can see the teams participating in scrimmage-like competitions. Debate and Forensics will welcome visitors at 3 p.m. Oct. 15, while eSports will do so at 10:30 a.m. the following morning.
The traditional Golden W event returns as well, but it has been shifted into an evening event. All alumni are welcome for the Oct. 16 dinner that will see Golden W (’70 and ’71), Purple W (’95 and ’96) and alumni award winners honored. The music department will also be featured at the evening’s proceedings, which get underway at 6 p.m. at Salina’s Hilton Garden Inn.
Athletics will also be well represented, with a junior varsity women’s volleyball game, football taking on McPherson and men’s and women’s soccer both in action. The athletic Hall of Fame inductions will take place at a dinner event in Muir Gym Friday, Oct. 15 at 6 p.m.
Finally, the KWU Alumni Association will reveal a new space, dedicated to alumni award winners through the years. The area will be on Brown Mezzanine inside the Student Activities Center. The new space will be revealed at 9:15 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 16.
For more information on Homecoming and Family Weekend, please contact director of recruitment, alumni and parent engagement Claire Houk at [email protected]. For the full 2021 Homecoming and Family Weekend schedule, please visit http://www.kwu.edu/homecoming2021.
