SHANNON URTNOWSKI
News Editor
With a lineage that traces back to 1937, Pepperdine has seen the passing of more than 70 classes of students. Next weekend will unite members of the university’s family tree through Pepperdine Homecoming 2008.
Between Friday, Feb. 15 and Sunday, Feb.17, the Seaver and George Pepperdine Alumni Office will host a series of reunion events at the Malibu campus.
The events will include alumni sporting events, a lip sync competition, live entertainment, reunion receptions and a homecoming court coronation, to name a few.
“One of the big things for us has always been to make it a really enjoyable time for students so that they have fond memories and want to come back as alumni,” said Tara Lawrence, manager of Homecoming and Reunions.
Saturday will include the majority of the organized Homecoming events, two being Homecoming Village and Tailgate Party. Homecoming Village, which will include a number of booths and reunion events, has been organized primarily with the alumni in mind. Tailgate, which will be like a large pep rally event, is organized to appeal to current students.
“My focus was doing something that the students would really love and the alumni would really love, and it just happened to be that it was better splitting them up,” Lawrence said.
Homecoming Village will be open between noon and 3 p.m., and students can attend Tailgate from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free In-N-Out will be given away at Tailgate.
The Spirit Cup will also be a major event within Homecoming 2008, according to Lawrence. Kicking off Monday before the weekend events, various members of fraternities, sororities and clubs will take part in various events, such as a bakeoff and a lip sync competition.
Although Lawrence anticipates these three events to appeal to separate crowds, she said she wants everyone to feel welcome at all of the weekend’s events.
“It’s really important to us to not leave any of the students out,” she said.
SGA is going to set up booths in Homecoming Village and pass out free giveaways to ensure that everyone can take something special away from Homecoming 2008.
A variety of alumni groups have been invited to Homecoming 2008 and are expected to attend. For example, a dinner is scheduled for the classes of 1990 through 1999 on Feb. 15, a Sweetheart’s Brunch is organized the morning of Feb. 16 for couples who met at Pepperdine and eventually married, and the Fab Five Classes of 2003 through 2007 will reunite Feb. 16, as well. A total of 10 reunions have been planned.
Homecoming 2008 has been in the works since June, according to Lawrence.
About 1,500 people usually attend the Homecoming events, Lawrence said. She added that about 500 to 700 current Pepperdine students are usually expected to attend.
As such, the event will move to Alumni Park this year from its usual location in Joslyn Plaza.
“It’s always been our goal to get down to Alumni Park, so this is kind of a neat thing that we’re finally able to reach that goal and bring it down and kind of see our vision unfold,” Lawrence said.
The park will hold a number of booths, tables, tents and a 22-foot by 42-foot stage, which is twice the size of the main stage that was used last year.
With all of the changes expected for this year’s Homecoming, junior Jonathan Hippensteel, who serves as Homecoming Host in the Athletics committee, said that members of the Pepperdine community should not miss out.
“It’s a great time for everyone to come together and a great time for bonding,” he said.
Junior Kaycie Lund, an intern with Homecoming and Reunions and the president of Homecoming Hosts, said she hopes people attend the event and show support for Pepperdine’s building heritage.
“We really just want to make it a tradition,” she said. “It’s about getting together, coming to the games and supporting your friends that are performing.”
02-07-2008
