CSU-Pueblo celebrates Family Weekend, Homecoming, Oct 5-11

PUEBLO – Former and current students of Southern Colorado Junior College, Pueblo Junior College, Southern Colorado State College, the University of Southern Colorado, and Colorado State University – Pueblo along with the parents of current students are invited to WELCOME HOMEcoming 2015 Weekend, Oct. 5-11, for a series of events planned by the CSU-Pueblo Alumni Association and the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership.

This year's student-homecoming theme is "Pack Attack," which will feature a week full of spirit activities focused on the 1990's, a decade of fashion fads, grunge rock, and TV shows, such as Saved by the Bell and Beverly Hills 90210. Students and faculty/staff are encouraged to dress according to the themes designated for the days of the week as follows: Monday, Oct. 5 - Madhatter Monday, Tuesday, Oct. 6 - Sports Jersey Tuesday, Wednesday, Oct. 7 - Western Wednesday, Thursday, Oct. 8 – ThunderWolf Thursday, and Friday, Oct. 9 - Flashback Friday (90s).

Parents, spouses, or families of current students are encouraged to register for a Family Weekend Package, which they can pick up between 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9 in the Office of Student Life, OUC003. The cost for Family Weekend is $30 per person. This must be paid when picking up your ticket packet from the Student Life Office (cash or check only). The package includes a Friday afternoon reception, t-shirt, tailgate luncheon, and football game ticket. 

The University will celebrate the start of the $30 million, student-funded renovation/expansion to the Occhiato University Center at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, (Oct. 7). Following the groundbreaking, construction will begin, with completion of the 24,000-square-foot Phase 1 New East Addition by December 2016. The 113,000-square-foot Phase 2 Renovation is expected to be completed by March 2018.

Also on Friday (Oct. 9), a faculty, staff, alumni, student and family friendly pep rally sponsored by the Health Education and Prevention Program (with assistance from Athletics and Associated Students’ Government) will be held at 5 p.m. in Massari Arena. The rally will feature student athletes, the CSU-Pueblo Marching Band,  and  performances by the cheer and dance teams. A powder puff football game will follow at 7 p.m. on the Student Recreation Field. Associated Students’ Government will sponsor a bonfire between the field and the water towers beginning at 8 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 10) begins with the Athletics Hall of Fame breakfast at 8:30 a.m. in the Occhiato University Ballroom. Six student-athletes will be inducted in the 2015 class: Kim (Villers) Schneider, gymnastics; Glen Printers, football; Dax Charles, wrestling; Dick LeDoux, cross country/track; Sue Northrup, volleyball/basketball, and Rick Pobst, golf.  In addition to the previously mentioned student-athletes,  Chuck Haering, Track & Cross Country Coach/Assistant football coach, will be inducted as a coach, the 1972 Men’s Basketball Team (who reached the NCAA College Division Elite Eight) will be inducted as a team, and Dr. Richard Krinsky, long-time CSU-Pueblo racquetball club team coach, will be inducted as a special contributor. Tickets to this event are $15 per person and can be purchased by calling 719-549-2050.

A variety of special reunion activities have been scheduled for alumni from the Band/Music Department, Engineering, Forensics Team/Debate, Track and Field/Cross Country, and the Mass Communications Department. 

A tailgate party hosted by the CSU-Pueblo Alumni Association and sponsored by Friends of Football will begin at noon beneath the red tent next to the ThunderBowl at a cost of $8 per person. Student Life will have a separate tailgate for students and their families. A $30 ticket will include a t-shirt, tickets to the tailgate and football game, and a Friday night reception. 

The 10th-ranked ThunderWolf football team takes the field versus Fort Lewis at 2 p.m. in the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl. Homecoming royalty and Athletics Hall of Fame inductees will be recognized at half time of the game. Student tickets will be available in the Bookstore the week of the game. 

For more information on Homecoming activities, contact Tracy Samora, Alumni Relations Director at 719.549.2858 or tracy.samora@csupueblo.edu. Alumni reservations for Homecoming activities may be made at http://alumni.csupueblo.edu/Events/Pages/Homecoming.aspx

For student or family activities, contact gena.alfonso@csupueblo.edu or 719-549-2687.

MONDAY, OCT. 5 - Madhatter Monday

TUESDAY, OCT. 6 - Sports Jersey Tuesday 

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7 - Western Wednesday

• Occhiato University Center Expansion Groundbreaking, 1 p.m., grass area between OUC and Massari Arena 
  • Residential dining venues and full food service additions to the existing OUC will provide on-campus meal plans for residential students. Included will be dynamic day-lit atrium spaces, dedicated to student interaction, including retail dining venues open to all, with non-programmed as well as programmed lounge/study spaces. A state-of-the-art, 11,000 square-foot “ballroom”/conference room with adjacent pre-function area and full catering and multi-media support spaces will be added to the east side of the existing building. 
• Rice Jewelry, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (students), 3-4 p.m. (staff), LARC Lobby
  • A skilled artist can write your name on a single grain of rice and create a beautiful custom bracelet or necklace for you in minutes! For those looking for something a little different, we can draw symbols, Greek letters, or Chinese characters. Participants can choose from a wide selection of glass charms and decorative beads to create unique jewelry of their very own.

THURSDAY, OCT. 8 - ThunderWolf Thursday

• DIY: Design Your Own Slap Bracelet , 11-1 p.m., OUC Great Hall
  • A popular accessory in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Create your own with Greek letters, your name, or a creative design! 
• Homecoming Court Interviews, 4-7 p.m., OUC Blue Spruce Room
  • Those selected to be on the homecoming court will be interviewed by a panel of CSU-Pueblo alumni.

FRIDAY, OCT. 9 - Flashback Friday (wear your 90's gear!)

• Homecoming Royalty Polls Open, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Online through Packlink or in the LARC Lobby
• Parent Reception, 3:45 - 4:45 p.m., OUC Aspen Leaf
• Parents will have the opportunity to sign up for the Parent Pack Council. Food and drinks will be provided.
• Pep Rally sponsored by Heath Education and Prevention Program, 5 p.m., Massari Arena
• Mass Communications 50th Anniversary Celebration, Cocktails & Silent Auction,      5:30 p.m., Dinner & Program 7 p.m., Pueblo Union Depot, $50 per person
• Powder Puff Game, 7 p.m., Student Rec Field
• ASG Homecoming Bonfire, 8 p.m., Parking lot between the Student Rec Field and the water towers

SATURDAY, OCT. 10

• Lambda Chi Alpha Golf Tournament, Walking Stick Golf Course, contact Juan Rodriguez at 719-930-9666 for more information. Proceeds benefit the Feeding America campaign and the University’s Pack Pantry. Check in at 8 a.m. with tee off at 9 a.m., Entry fee is $80 per person before Oct. 5, which covers green fees, cart, and lunch. After Oct. 5, the fee increases to $85. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. For more information or to sign up, call 719.930.9666 or email hightheta@lambdachipueblo.edu
• Band Alumni Activities begin at 8 a.m., contact Director of Bands Dr. Alan Mills at alan.mills@csupueblo.edu to perform with the ThunderWolves Marching Band at the Homecoming Football Game, which begins at 2 p.m.  A complimentary alumni band t-shirt and meal will be provided to all band alumni participants.
• Athletics Hall of Fame induction, 8:30 a.m., OUC Ballroom, $15 per person
• Forensics Team/Debate Alumni Tailgate and Debate, 9 a.m., OUC Hearthwell Lounge
  • Forensics and debate alumni are invited to enjoy breakfast with our current Forensics team and compete against them in a public debate.
• Engineering Alumni Open House and Breakfast, 9:30 a.m., 1st floor Technology Building
• Student/Family Tailgate, Noon, Next to the Alumni tent at the ThunderBowl
• Pack Football vs. Fort Lewis, 2 p.m. kickoff, ThunderBowl, reserved tickets $12 per person
• Paint U: Glow-in-the-Dark Paint Party, 8 p.m, Student Recreation Center Gym
  • Wear clothes that you don't mind getting dirty. Free t-shirts to the first 100 students, free shutter shades to the second 100 students.
• Cross Country/Track & Field Alumni Reunion, 4:30 p.m., following football game at Walking Stick Clubhouse, $10 per person

SUNDAY, OCT. 11

• Pueblo Symphony Performance and Champagne Tailgate, 1 p.m. Champagne Tailgate with Band Performance at the new General Classroom Building, Symphony performance 2:30 p.m., Hoag Recital Hall. Tickets are $40 per person and include the Champagne Tailgate and Symphony performance. 
  • The Pueblo Symphony will present the opening season concert of the 2015-2016 concert season on Sunday, October 11, with a program called, “Homecoming,” featuring Andrzej (On Jay) Grabiec (Gra B Etz) on violin and as guest conductor.  The symphony will welcome John Wristen, head football coach of the CSU-Pueblo ThunderWolves, the 2014 NCAA Division II National Champion Football Team, to the podium as a “special”  conductor.  A special student rate for tickets is available just prior to the performance at the concert hall for $5.00, per student.