Homeward Bound: Homecoming connects university with past, present, future

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Homecoming weekend organizers say they strive to create an atmosphere in which the campus community can come together to celebrate the history of CMU.

Marcie Otteman, executive director of Alumni Relations, said Homecoming allows graduates and their family and friends to revisit their alma mater. It also gives alumni, she said, the opportunity to see new initiatives and developments at CMU while they enjoy the many activities planned for the weekend.

Otteman said the football game is obviously the biggest draw but there is a plethora of other activities planned that are catered to students, alumni and the Mount Pleasant community.

“There’s a variety of events going on so there’s an opportunity for people to do a lot of different things while they’re on campus,” she said.

Derek van der Merwe, senior associate athletics director, said the athletics department collaborates with all the departments and organizations involved with Homecoming to maximize the experience for alumni and the campus community.

Van der Merwe, a CMU alumnus, received a bachelor’s degree in 1996 and a master’s degree in 2005. He played football from 1991-95.

He said Homecoming is a campus-wide event in which every campus department celebrates the history of their programs, the history of their students and the success of current students.

Other organizations on campus that also contribute to Homecoming include the Chippewa Club and Student Life.

Van der Merwe said that is what makes Homecoming so special to him because it is one of the premier weekends every year where the campus community gets to connect the university’s past, present and future.

“Homecoming is a pretty big deal for some of our alumnus who want to return to campus to connect with people they went to school with,” he said, “and people they don’t interact with during the course of the year.”

Otteman said the Homecoming parade and Rock Rally demonstrate the connection between the community and the university, which grew up together in a way.

“As these sort of traditions grow and happen, it provides people a lot of different ways to experience CMU again,” she said.

She said one of her favorite parts about Homecoming is interacting with alumni all across the spectrum, including recent graduates and those with a few more decades under their belt.

The class of 1960 will be honored this year for their 50-year reunion, she said.

Dean of Students Bruce Roscoe said the Mount Pleasant community feels the CMU Homecoming is a part of their homecoming as well.

“My sense is that the government officials in Mount Pleasant and the university personnel work very well together to coordinate activities,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of activities planned throughout the day and community members attend those, as well as members of the university community.”