October 23, 2003

It’s Homecoming...remember, reunite, reconnect

Homecoming festivities this weekend (Oct. 24-26) include a concert, parade, and football game against the Wisconsin Badgers.

It’s also Reunion Weekend for the classes of 1958, 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993 and 1998.

While current and former students participate in a variety of activities centered on socializing with classmates or former classmates, athletics and alumni education, the public is welcome to attend the Homecoming concert, parade and football game.

Members of the Class of 1958

• During Friday’s 7 p.m. Homecoming Concert at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, the Northwestern’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble will headline the School of Music’s annual celebration of Wildcat spirit. Program highlights include Shostakovich’s “Festive Overture”; Dana Wilson’s “Concerto for Horn and Wind Ensemble” written for and featuring Northwestern faculty member and horn player Gail Williams; Lauridsen’s “O Magnum Mysterium, Julius Fucik’s “Florentiner March”; and Ron Nelson’s “Passacaglia: A Homage to Bach.” The Wildcat Marching Band will make a special guest appearance at the end of the concert. Single tickets are $8.50 for the general public; $7 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $4 for full-time students. To order tickets by phone call (847) 467-4000.

• The Homecoming Parade that follows the concert begins at 8 p.m. Friday at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Chicago Avenue and proceeds north on Sheridan Road to Lincoln Street.

The parade will include University President Henry S. Bienen; the Wildcat Marching Band; Marching Band alumni; the Evanston Township High School Band, Orland Park’s Carl Sandburg High School Marching Band, and the Niles West/Skokie High School Band; Alumni Association President David Kragseth; Willie the Wildcat; cheerleaders, drum majors and color guard; alumnus David Fodor, the band director for Evanston Township High School; and parade student co-chairs Cara Bottjen and Ann Hietpas, both seniors in the School of Communication.

This year’s parade theme is “The Real Northwestern” with student floats based on “reality TV” shows. The floats were inspired by such popular television programs as “Temptation Island,” “Crocodile Hunter” and “Fear Factor.” Students who belong to various organizations, including Greek houses, residential colleges and other groups, decorate the floats. Among the floats appearing in the 2003 parade will be one celebrating the 125th anniversary of the School of Communica-tion.

The Homecoming football game at Ryan Field will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday against Wisconsin. Tickets are $40. To order football tickets for the game, call the Athletic Ticket office at (847) 491-CATS or purchase them at the Ryan Field ticket office until 7 p.m. Thursday, from 9 a.m. to

5 p.m. Friday, or prior to the game at a Ryan Field ticket booth.

Ryan Field parking is available only to season ticket holders who have purchased parking passes. Use alternate on-campus parking and shuttle service to the game. For more information on the parade and related homecoming activities, contact Tom Bull at (847) 467-4309 or

t-bull@northwestern.edu or visit www.alumni.northwestern.edu.

The theme of Reunion Weekend is “Remember. Reunite. Reconnect!” While alumni are on campus celebrating their respective 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 30th, 35th, 40th or 45th reunions, the following reunion event is open to the University community.

Members of the Northwest-ern community are invited to attend a Southern-style Gospel Brunch that will be held at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at Levere Memorial Temple, celebrating the appointment of Toni-Marie Montgomery, the new dean of the School of Music.

The brunch will be followed by an inspirational hour-long performance at 11:30 a.m. by the Northwestern Community Ensemble, the University’s diverse gospel choir. Seating is limited, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The event will be hosted by the Northwestern University Black Alumni Association.

Admission for the brunch and concert is $40. Pre-registration is required and may be done online at the Web address shown below.