Colleges display departmental pride with tents

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Academic departments turned out Saturday to feed homecoming crowds and greet alumni near Rose Ponds.

“Every homecoming, we welcome back alums and let them know we’re glad to be here,” said Sherene McHenry, counseling and special education associate professor. McHenry manned the College of Education and Human Services tent and gave away pencils and CMU-themed plastic cups.

College of Science and Technology departments competed for the title of best chili chefs in an annual cook-off.

“The physics department has been bringing chili for 16 years,” said Joe Finck, physics professor.

Other departments joined the cook-off a few years ago. The winner is determined by which pot of chili is scraped clean first, said Richard St. Andre, interim dean of the College of Science and Technology.

“We have physics chili, geology chili … physics has always won,” Finck said.

ROTC also set up a table to greet returning alumni.

“We want to honor our alumni and meet them as they come back,” said Lt. Col. David Manville, military science dean.

Manville said ROTC hosts a reception in Finch Fieldhouse after the game for alumni every year.

“This is our 50-year anniversary, too, so it’s really important that we be here,” said Denise Gallagher, military science administrative secretary.

Matt Franklin, Detroit junior, said he comes to the game every year.

“It’s really cool to mingle with all the people who have been here before. (The tents are) a great way for all the departments to relax,” he said.

The Association of Information Technology Professionals and the American Marketing Association set up a table near the College of Business Administration. Members of the associations offered to “Capture the Moment” for $3 with a digital camera.

Greg Boehmer, Shelby Twp. senior and president of AITP, said the fund-raiser will benefit AITP and AMA.

“We’ll see how well it goes and maybe make it an annual thing,” he said.

The College of Business Administration’s “Pot of Gold” made gold diggers out of alumni and students, who picked a gold coin and chocolate candy out of a pot in hopes of winning a prize.

Nancy Worgess, CBA executive secretary, said the department sends out notices to alumni before the event in an effort to increase turnout.

“We welcome back all or our alumni. Dr. (John) Schleede, the dean, loves this event. He loves to cook brats and feed the kids,” she said.

The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions’ tent workers focused on soliciting funds in order to nab the Kresge Grant, which will give the college $600,000 and a national “seal of approval.”

Susan Lobsinger, Health Professions director of development, said it’s important for alumni to know about the grant.

“We’re trying to get our alumni to understand we need to raise $1.9 million by July of next year (in order to get the grant),” she said. “We’re in the middle of a Kresge challenge; we want to build awareness of that. We wanted to welcome our alumni back to campus and build awareness of our new building, and just celebrate CMU.”

Many alumni, students and staff turned out for the free food and atmosphere.