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As one of the most anticipated and well-attended events of the school year, Pepperdine Homecoming’s theme, “Meet me in Malibu,” summarizes the energy that is created when students and alumni come together for a weekend of orange and blue infused celebration.
In addition to the events coordinated by the Greek organizations and the multitude of athletic games occurring throughout the weekend, the alumni office, has initiated two new events for this year’s festivities in which students in particular are included.
One of the new events this year is the entertainment that will run throughout the weekend on the main stage. This stage, which will be constructed on the stairs of the Adamson Plaza, across from the rock, is scheduled to give various organizations, alumni and individuals a chance to showcase their talents for the Homecoming crowds.
“This year we wanted to include everyone on campus, get them involved and let alumni see what our students have to offer,” said Tara Lawrence, Homecoming and reunions manager for Seaver College.
Those who were invited or auditioned to perform include the gospel choir and the Hawaii club among others, Lawrence said.
“We wanted to give everyone a variety of entertainment that will keep going throughout the weekend,” Lawrence said. “We feel it will help create the kind of environment we were going for with the ‘Meet me in Malibu’ theme.”
Students are encouraged to come down to the stage to enjoy the entertainment and support their friends throughout the weekend.
The Spirit Cup lip sync contest will also be held on the main stage on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Another new addition to the Homecoming festivities is the tailgate party, which will take place Saturday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in between the men’s volleyball and men’s basketball games. During the hour, students and alumni will come together at the Fieldhouse to enjoy hamburgers supplied by In-N-Out.
“We thought that it would be a fun way to get everyone involved,” Lawrence said.
While mingling with students and alumni, tailgate attendants will have the opportunity to participate in a showcase of spirit known as ‘Orange Out.’ Students can pick up a T-shirt supplied by the Student Programming Board and the Alumni association with a Pepperdine logo and designation whether the wearer is a wave or an alumni.
“We want both students and alumni to wear them at the homecoming games, especially the basketball game,” Lawrence said. “We want to show unity with the alumni and the students while they are all back at Pepperdine.”
Students across the campus are eagerly looking forward to the weekend’s events.
“I’m going mainly to the athletic events,” junior Amber McMahon said. “I was overseas last year, and I know that they are having some overseas reunions and barbecues and I’m excited about that.”
Throughout the weekend a group of selected students will be serving as Homecoming hosts to the alumni. These students are an important part of the weekend, as they help with registration, guide alumni through the homecoming pavilion, tell them about the day and answer any questions that the alumni might have about the events or the school, Lawrence said.
In addition to the new events, the Homecoming coordinators have included several annual traditions that will occur throughout the weekend.
Friday will see the arrival of alumni on campus and several events catered to them, including a back to the classroom program during which they will be invited to sit in on classes, several reunion events and a library database training seminar.
In addition to the five league athletic events on Saturday, students and alumni will come together in several other activities, including alumni sports games, homecoming village, nature hike, surfing lessons and the famed Fifth Quarter event at Duke’s Restaurant after the basketball game. During the men’s basketball game, the half-time show will include
To bring the Homecoming events to a close, students and alumni are invited to attend the University Church of Christ service at 8:30 a.m. in Stauffer Chapel and 11:00 a.m. in Elkins Auditorium, as well as a 1 p.m. baseball game to finish up the weekend.
Several events have been in progress in preparation for this weekend’s festivities. In anticipation of the hundreds of attendees of the event, students and alumni were encouraged to register on-line at the Homecoming Web site for the “Who’s Coming” list. The list was also offered last year, but this time around an addition to the information provided hopes to further allow students and alumni to connect.
“What’s new about it this year is that you can see what event someone is going to be at, rather than just that they will be there,” said Tara Lawrence, Homecoming and reunions manager for Seaver College. “People were able to see that their friends were going to be there, but weren’t able to find where their friends would be. This is an opportunity to actually find and see their friends while they are here.”
Another one of the most looked forward to events of the Homecoming festivities is the Greek Spirit Cup award. This competition, which ran throughout this week and concludes Sat. at 2 p.m. with the lip sync competition, carried the theme of “Spirit of Champions,” inspired by the Olympic games. Monday’s bake-off competition, as well as the Tuesday mini-games competition held at Alumni park, was won by the Sigma Phi Epsilon and Delta Gamma team. Wednesday’s dodgeball tournament was dominated by the Gamma Phi Beta, Beta Theta Phi and Pi Beta Phi team. Saturday’s lip sync contest includes an athletic wear costume competition in conjunction with the contest.
Students have found that there have been a multitude of things that are available for them to enjoy throughout the weekend, no matter how small the pleasure.
“I really liked the ice cream that they had in the homecoming village last year,” sophomore Joey Kennedy said. “It was really fun. I thought it was very cool, very well planned.”
Students are encouraged to take advantage of all of the activities and programs that are occurring throughout the weekend.
“The whole goal of the weekend is to create an environment in which students and alumni can reconnect, students can welcome alumni home to a place they spent 4 years at and everyone can enjoy the spirit of Pepperdine,” Lawrence said. “It’s important that students know we have a homecoming and that it’s for them as well as for the alumni.”
Submitted 02-16-2006
MALIBU, CA
