Homecoming Set for Nov. 7-8

About 2,000 people are expected to participate in "Back to the Hill," Oklahoma Baptist University's 83rd annual Homecoming celebration Nov. 7-8.

A mix of new and traditional events is on the schedule for this year.

"This year's celebration will be a blend of the traditional Homecoming events, and some new activities," said Marty O'Gwynn, executive director of the OBU Alumni Association. "One new activity is our Children's Festival, which is designed to let the children of our alums know more about their parents' alma mater."

That festival is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to 2 .m. Saturday in Clark Craig Fieldhouse.

Class reunions for all class years ending in "3" or "8" will have fellowship times from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7, and luncheons beginning at 11:45, noon and 12:15 on Saturday, Nov. 8.

Reunions are also scheduled for the 50-year Club (10 a.m., Friday), Student Nurses Association (8:30 a.m., Saturday), Gamma Phi Delta (9 a.m., Saturday), University Chorale, (9 a.m., Saturday), Mortar Board (9:30 a.m., Saturday), Cheerleaders (10 a.m., Saturday), Phi Omega Sigma (10 a.m., Saturday), Sigma Alpha Iota (10:30 a.m., Saturday), Alpha Gamma Tau (11 a.m., Saturday), Bison Glee Club (11 a.m., Saturday), Campus Activities Board (11 a.m., Saturday), Communication Arts (11 a.m., Saturday), Theta Sigma Chi (11 a.m., Saturday), and Zeta Pi Lambda (1 p.m., Saturday).

"We anticipate that more than 2,000 people will participate in Homecoming events over the weekend," O'Gwynn said. "More than 600 people will attend the special class reunion luncheons on Friday and Saturday."

Several other special events are also on the schedule, including the 65th anniversary celebration of the Bison Glee Club at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and the 50-year anniversary of the Nursing Education program, which will be celebrated with a banquet at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

OBU Theatre will present Pirates of Penzance at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 8 and 9.

The annual four-man golf scramble tournament will begin at 12:30 p.m. Judge Glenn Dale Carter will lead a seminar, discussing the Patriot Act, at the OBU Bench and Bar Association Seminar at 1 p.m., Friday.

The Harvest Dinner, which begins at 6 p.m. Friday, will honor Alumni Achievement Award winners Dr. Shirley Jones, OBU professor emerita of literature, and Ron Clem, president of Executive Training International. The 2003 Graduate of the Last Decade Alum of the Year Award will be presented to Joel Phelps, an administrator with Integris Bass Hospital in Enid. Darrin Fowler, an All-American Bison baseball pitcher, and Fabio Sant'Anna, an All-American basketball player, will be inducted into the OBU Athletic Hall of Fame.

The OBU Musical Gala in Raley Chapel, featuring current faculty and student ensembles, will follow the Harvest Dinner.

Dr. Doug Melton, pastor of Southern Hills Baptist Church and former OBU dean of students, will present the Homecoming Chapel message. The Homecoming Chapel service also includes the recognition of the 12 Profile in Excellence Award recipients for 2003.

Basketball is a traditional part of the Homecoming experience as well. The OBU women will be in action at 6 p.m. on Friday against the University of Illinois-Springfield and at 1:30 p.m. Saturday against Doane College. The Bison will play at 3:30 p.m. Saturday against Southwestern Christian University.

The Alumni Showcase and Harvest Festival is set for 8 p.m. Saturday, featuring the talents of alumni from reunioning classes and ending with the presentation of the 2003 Harvest Court.

"OBU's Homecoming is a great tradition that continues to be a high point of the year on our campus," said O'Gwynn.

Registration begins at 9 a.m. Friday in the Geiger Center. For event ticket or general information, contact the Alumni Office at 405-878-2707.