Southern Utah University brings the thunder in a full week of activities leading up to homecoming

Southern Utah University Thunderbirds at a homecoming game, date and location not specified | Photo courtesy of Southern Utah University, St. George News/Cedar City News

CEDAR CITY— Southern Utah University’s homecoming week is not only a time to welcome back former students but for the campus and community to celebrate their school. A full week of activities will honor SUU and its students this year starting Sunday and ending with the football game and headphone dance Oct. 13.

Southern Utah University students enjoy the homecoming parade, date and location not specified | Photo courtesy of Southern Utah University, St. George News / Cedar City News

All students, past and present, faculty, staff, parents of Thunderbirds, descendants of founding families, friends of the university and community members are invited to share in the rich heritage of SUU. Homecoming week brings together the Cedar City community for a multitude of festivities.

Sunday, Oct. 7

The week begins with the women’s soccer team battling Portland State at 1 p.m. at the SUU Soccer Field.

Monday, Oct. 8

The annual Miss SUU Pageant gives the ladies of SUU a chance to compete in a variety of events to determine who is the next Miss SUU. Baylee Terrones, the reigning Miss SUU, will pass her crown off to the woman who wows the judges and crowd in the SUU Auditorium at 7 p.m.

Watch the women’s volleyball team play Northern Arizona University in the America First Event Center at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 9

The week rolls on with the cardboard boat race at the SUU pool. All SUU students, faculty, staff and alumni are welcome to build a boat and race or come and watch the fun. Professor Richard Cozzens will be holding cardboard boat building workshops for anyone who would like help building a boat. Join the workshops held Oct. 4 from 6-8 p.m. and Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. to noon. Both workshops will be held in the technology building, room 106.

There will be a debate between U.S. Senate candidates Mitt Romney and Jenny Wilson held in the America First Event Center. Because of high demand, tickets are no longer available. Visit the Utah Debate Commission website to submit a question and learn more. The debate will be televised on CNN, C-SPAN and Fox News.

Wednesday, Oct. 10

The Student Programming Board will host two dive-in movies at the pool in the SUU PE building. Families are invited to watch “Christopher Robin” from 5-7 p.m. and students are invited to “Ant-Man and the Wasp” from 7:30-10 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 11

Join the A.P.E.X Event series celebrating the achievements of SUU’s finest alumni with a special alumni speaker Mvemba Phezo Dizolele at 11:30 a.m. in the Whiting Room of the Hunter Conference Center. Dizolele is a respected foreign policy analyst on African affairs, an educator at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and author of the forthcoming biography “Mobutu: The Rise and Fall of the Leopard King.”

Alumni and friends are invited to attend the annual homecoming banquet to celebrate the alma mater and recognize three individuals: Dizolele, an outstanding alumnus; Kathryn Berg for her distinguished service; and Rhett Guter, young alumnus. The banquet will be held in the Gilbert Great Hall from 6:30-8:30 p.m. To reserve tickets, call the Alumni and Community Relations Office at 435-586-7777.

Nighttime festivities start off with the annual powder puff football game. The game features 25 Lady T-Birds and is a great opportunity for friends and family to enjoy more football at 8 p.m. in the Eccles Coliseum.

Afterward, there will be a pep rally in the Eccles Coliseum will ensue at 9 p.m. Sure to be energetic, the pep rally gives students an opportunity to get excited for the football game on Saturday.

Friday, Oct. 12

The parent and family weekend is held in conjunction with homecoming and is hosted by SUU’s Parent and Family Services. Parents and families are invited to return to campus and enjoy homecoming with their student. Check-in will begin at 5 p.m. in the Sharwan Smith Student Center. Later that night there will be an SUUSA EC Reunion at 6 p.m. in the Hunter Conference Center and a nursing alumni dinner at 5 p.m. on the science center south lawn.

The night is headlined by the annual Forever Red beginning at 7:30 p.m. on the upper quad with free food for everyone in attendance. One of the most anticipated events of the week – and the entire year – Forever Red offers the perfect opportunity for alumni, students and community members to gather on the upper quad with lively music, fireworks and food. Featuring ABBA Mania, popular ABBA songs will be played.

Saturday, Oct. 13

The day begins with the free pancake breakfast served at the alumni house at 9 a.m. sponsored by the Emeriti Association, SUU Alumni and the Student Alumni Board.

The annual homecoming parade, with the theme “Pushing Limits,” will come trekking along at 10 a.m. down University Boulevard with floats produced by student organizations and local businesses.

Take a tour of SUU’s new business building while catching up with professors and staff of the Dixie Leavitt School of Business from noon-2 p.m.

The All Student Leader Reunion will also be held from noon to 2 p.m. in the Whiting Room of the Hunter Conference Center. This reunion is for all alumni who served in campus organizations and clubs. The cost is $10, which includes lunch and a general admission game ticket. Please RSVP to the Alumni Office at 435-586-7777 by Oct. 8.

Join the Southern Utah Museum of Art for Family Day,which includes family-friendly visual and performing arts activities for people of all ages from 2-4 p.m.

Cheer on the football team during its traditional Thunder Walk at 3:30 p.m., then head over to the softball parking lot for the tailgate party. At 6 p.m. the Thunderbirds will take on the Sacramento State Hornets in the homecoming game. This is a “red out” game, and fans are encouraged to wear red. Current SUU students receive free admittance with a valid student I.D. All other fans can purchase tickets in advance through the America First Event Center Ticket Office or by calling 435-586-7872.

Visit the SUU homecoming webpage to learn about individual reunions and other events.

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Twitter: @STGnews

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