 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
 |
|
|||||||
|
||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||
|
||||||||
 |
|
|||||||
|
||||||||
  |
|
|||||||
|
||||||||
 |
|
|
||||||
All in the Family
New events, old favorites likely to spark Sun Devil pride at Homecoming
By Liz Massey
There is one force that relentlessly drives almost anyone who makes
it to a family reunion: curiosity. What is Aunt Wilma wearing this
season? Is Uncle Fester still an undertaker? Will all of Cousin Fred’s
kids turn out as handsome as he is?
Curiosity is as good a reason as any to attend ASU’s Homecoming
Week 2005, with its theme of “Sparky’s Family Reunion.” While
the week will be filled with plenty of old familiars — the coronation
of Homecoming royalty, the Lantern Walk, and the Homecoming parade — a
number of events are making their debut or coming fully into their
own for the first year. According to Alan Clifford, a junior majoring
in accountancy who is the Homecoming director for the Programming and
Activities Board, this year’s Homecoming will feature almost
half a dozen new events. Prominent among new alumni-themed events is
"Classes Without Quizzes,” a series of short, discussion-based sessions
slated for Friday, Oct. 28, led by members of ASU’s distinguished
faculty and staff. Other Homecoming events making their first appearance
on the calendar are Sparky’s Dash for Humanity, a 5K walk/run,
and Alumni Night in Tempe, in which alums who sign up for other Homecoming
events will be able to enjoy discounted drinks, appetizers and desserts
from restaurants along Mill Avenue.
Clifford, who is assisted by one other paid staff member and 18 volunteer
program coordinators, said that alumni seeking a one-day Homecoming
experience should attend on Saturday and take in the parade, the Block
party and the game. But he encouraged all Sun Devils to attend as many
events as they could.
"You need to understand the changes to ASU to be a better advocate for
it,” he said. “And students need to see that alums love
their alma mater and come back to it.”
The calendar in the article Sparky's Family Reunion details the mix
of student- and alumni-focused activities taking place throughout
the week. One
event
in particular
deserves a special mention: For alumni seeking to express their pride
in a buttoned-down atmosphere, the second annual FestDevil Homecoming
Gala will offer a chance to support the work of the Alumni Association
in style.
Pat Thielen, one of two operational chairs for the event, said that
the gala was conceived in 2004 as a way to bring ASU and the Phoenix
area business community together, as well as to create a “signature
event” for the Valley’s social calendar. ASU is the only
university Thielen knows of that presents a black-tie dinner in conjunction
with homecoming activities.
"We wanted to capture the exuberance of Homecoming, but provide something
very elegant and upscale,” she said.
The fun begins with a cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct.
28 on the grounds of the Arizona Historical Society Museum, 1300 N.
College, Tempe. Dinner and dancing follow, and a silent auction runs
throughout the evening. Attendees will groove to the music of Second
Shift, an award-winning corporate band comprised of Salt River Project
employees.
Tickets are $150 each and proceeds from the evening benefit programs
of the Alumni Association. With virtually no publicity last year, the
event drew 250 people to downtown Phoenix; this year, organizers hope
to attract 500.
Thielen, who is general manager of Tempe’s Twin Palms hotel,
was enthusiastic about the response from the business community to
the gala and expected the event to grow as the years pass.
"It’s great to be in on the ground floor of this,” she said.
To provide feedback on this article, click here.
Sparky's Family Reunion
Mascot's History
YOU CAN REGISTER FOR ALL ALUMNI EVENTS AT THE HOMECOMING 2005 WEB SITE:
|
||||||||||
