Kansas Wesleyan is finalizing preparations for its annual Homecoming Weekend festivities, an event that kicks off Thursday, Oct. 23, and will include locations throughout the Salina area.
“We can’t wait to welcome our alumni and the community to what’s sure to be a great weekend,” said Ken Oliver, executive vice president. “There’s something for everyone, and we’re pleased to involve the community even more by opening the weekend in downtown Salina.”
The weekend gets underway with a special pep rally Thursday at Campbell Plaza in downtown Salina, beginning at 5 p.m. Campbell Plaza is on Santa Fe Avenue, next to Jose Pepper’s, and the event will include multiple head coaches speaking. The Howl pep band and KWU cheerleaders will be on hand to help generate excitement for the weekend’s proceedings.
Events on campus begin Thursday night with “Dracula” by Steven Dietz (based on Bram Stoker’s novel), the first of several productions of KWU’s annual fall play. The on-campus schedule starts in full Friday. The annual Veterans Recognition Ceremony, featuring Kevin Newell ’98 as the speaker, will be held at 11 a.m. and all pre-registered veterans and a guest will receive a free lunch after the ceremony.
That night, alumni from the classes of 1975 (and prior) and 2000 will be honored at the Purple W, Golden W and Beyond Social, an annual KWU gathering that recognizes individuals celebrating their 25th and 50th anniversaries of graduation. Recent years have expanded to honor those exceeding the 50-year plateau, as well. The social starts at 5 p.m. in Bieber Hall, the exterior entrance lobby to Sams Chapel.
One of the highlights of Homecoming each year is the Alumni Awards and Jerry Jones Athletic Hall of Fame induction breakfast. This year, that takes place Saturday morning. Oct. 25, in Muir Gym. Proceedings get underway at 8 a.m. and tickets are still available.
The 1999 men’s soccer team, the 2011 women’s volleyball program, Melissa (Blair) Schwieger ’15 (women’s volleyball), Jolene Mick ’09 (women’s track and field/cross country), Paul Buhl ’81 (men’s track and field/cross country), Dave Dallas (football) and Drew Dallas ’09 (post-graduate accomplishments) are this year’s Hall of Fame Inductees. Tom Wilbur (Alumni by Choice), Dr. David Laha ’79 (Alumni Service Award), Powers G. Porter 1912 (Alumni Achievement Award) and Abby Wray ’23 (Young Alumni Award), this year’s alumni award recipients, will be honored at the same event.
Shortly thereafter, KWU’s first Homecoming Parade in many years will begin in the Nursing Education Center parking area and loop past University United Methodist Church, proceeding to Ellsworth Avenue. The public is invited to observe, beginning at 10 a.m.
KWU Music will induct the second class into its Hall of Fame, as part of concert proceedings that start at 1 p.m. Judy Weber, Eric Stein, Loren Banninger ’75 and Harry Huber will be honored. Finally, many of KWU’s finest will be at the 3:30 p.m. invitation-only Pioneer Society event, located just outside the Kirwin House, that occurs before football’s 5 p.m. kickoff against Sterling.
To view the entire Homecoming schedule, please visit www.kwu.edu/homecoming2025.
