Marshall University has announced its 2023 Homecoming activities, promising a week filled with nostalgia, camaraderie and spirited festivities for students and alumni alike. The theme this year is “Super Marco: Level Up,” which celebrates the history of video games throughout the years, as well as celebrating Marshall “leveling up” in stature.
“We are thrilled to announce Marshall University’s Homecoming is just around the corner, and we can’t wait to welcome back our alumni family with open arms,” said Matt James, executive director of alumni relations. “Get ready for an unforgettable week filled with time-honored traditions as we come together to celebrate our beloved alma mater.”
Please see a full list of events and activities below:
Monday, Sept. 25
Activities for the week begin at 5 p.m. with the Unity Walk, an annual event celebrating unity, inclusion and oneness on campus with music, fellowship and fun. Community members are invited and encouraged to participate. The walk begins at the Marshall Rec Center and ends at the Memorial Student Center Plaza. Marshall’s Homecoming Court will also be announced at the event.
Tuesday, Sept. 26
Intercultural and Student Affairs will host Penny Wars from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Memorial Student Center Plaza Monday through Thursday. Chalk the Walk will also take place Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with judging taking place at 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 27
Intercultural and Student Affairs will host a window display contest from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the second floor of the Memorial Student Center. Judging will take place at 3:30 p.m.
Black United Students’ Miss Captivating Pageant will take place at 7 p.m. in the Don Morris Room of the Memorial Student Center.
Thursday, Sept. 28
The Marshall University Alumni Association will host its annual Office Decorating Contest from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Any department or office is welcome to participate. There will be prizes offered in three categories in each of two divisions, and two grand prizes. Winners will be announced during Party on the Plaza on Friday.
WMUL will host its annual Car Bash from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Buskirk Field. Join us as participants pay $1 to bash the car, painted in Old Dominion’s colors, with a sledgehammer for two minutes. Sledgehammer, gloves and goggles will be provided.
Hoops in Huntington returns at 6 p.m. along Third Avenue across from Pullman Square. Hoops in Huntington event highlights Herd athletics, including introductions from student-athletes and coaches, fun activities for families and more!
Intercultural and Student Affairs will host Herd Pop Trivia at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Student Center.
Wild N’ Out, an annual event full of fun and laughs centered on improvisational comedy, will take place at 9 p.m. in the Don Morris Room of the Memorial Student Center. For more information on this event, contact Corey Cunningham at cunningha189@marshall.edu.
Friday, Sept. 29
Party on the Plaza returns from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The event, hosted by University Marketing and Communications, features free food, music, a pep rally and photo booth. The event is free and open to students, alumni and the campus community.
Parent and Family Weekend also returns Friday and concludes Sunday, Oct. 1. Food trucks will be on site at the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse from noon to 8 p.m. for students and their families.
At 4 p.m. Friday, the Marshall University Foundation and Alumni Association will celebrate the 25th and 50th classes on the patio of Brad D. Smith Foundation Hall. The 1998 and 1973 class members are also invited to participate in Marshall’s Homecoming parade at 6 p.m.
The Homecoming parade will march down the streets of Huntington, featuring Gary G. and Jo Ann White as grand marshals. Gary White served as interim president of Marshall University from December 2014 to January 2016. A Marshall graduate, White is a former member and past chair of the Marshall University Board of Governors, as well as an accomplished businessman and leader in the coal mining industry.
The parade will begin on Fourth Avenue at 10th Street and travel east to Hal Greer Boulevard, where it will move up to Fifth Avenue and continue east to 17th Street at Harless Dining Hall. For those who are unable to attend the Homecoming parade in person, a livestream of the event may be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/marshallu.
The annual bonfire is scheduled to take place immediately following the parade on Harless Field (located between Harless Dining Hall and City National Bank). Music will be played on site by Kindred Communications. There will be special appearances by coaches, players, cheerleaders and more.
From 6:30 to 11 p.m., the Marshall University Alumni Association Board of Directors will host Homecoming StamFEED. Alumni, family and friends will experience downtown Huntington and the city’s best drinks and eats. Tickets are $60 and include a commemorative Homecoming 2023 glass. To purchase tickets, visit https://muaahomecomingstamfeed2023.eventbrite.com.
At 7 p.m., Marshall University Black Alumni will host its inaugural Hall of Fame ceremony in Brad D. Smith Foundation Hall. Honorees include Roy Goines, Joseph Williams, Mr. and Mrs. William Redd, Dr. Kimberly Austin, Edward Starling Jr., Mr. and Mrs. William Smith, Katherine Dooley and Sean Hornbuckle.
From 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., The Glow Up Sneaker Ball, an event that encourages guests to wear their best fashions and coolest sneakers, will take place in the lobby of the Memorial Student Center. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. For more information on this event, contact Cunningham at cunningha189@marshall.edu.
Saturday, Sept. 30
At 12:30 p.m., the annual Marshall Alumni and Family Tailgate will take place in the Joan C. Edwards Stadium East Lot, beside the Chris Cline Indoor Athletic Complex. The tailgate is hosted jointly by the Marshall University Alumni Association and Marshall University Black Alumni, and presented by Woodlands Retirement Community. The tailgate features food, drinks, music and special guest appearances. Tickets to attend are $20. For tickets, visit https://muaatailgate2023.eventbrite.com.
A tailgate accompanying Parent and Family Weekend will take place on the Memorial Student Center Plaza at 12:30 p.m.. Intercultural Affairs will have a family gathering at 12:30 p.m. on the East Lawn.
The Thundering Herd will take on Old Dominion University at 3:30 p.m. at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. During halftime, the Homecoming Court will be crowned on the field.
Greek life at Marshall will compete in the Greek Stroll-Off Competition at 8 p.m. in the Don Morris Room of the Memorial Student Center. A stroll-off competition showcases a team’s agility, creativity and understanding of rhythm and dance as they show precision, synchronization, originality and showmanship. For more information on this event, contact Cunningham at cunningha189@marshall.edu.
Marshall University Black Alumni will host its annual Black Out Alumni Party from 8-11 p.m. in BE-5 of the Memorial Student Center. There will be a DJ, food and more!
To learn more about the week’s calendar of events, visit https://www.formarshallu.org/events/homecoming-2023/.