Campus & Community

Sesquicentennial homecoming celebration features expanded list of activities

The yearlong 150th anniversary celebration at the University of Denver has its final major event at the end of October: the annual Homecoming & Family Weekend, a celebration that takes on extra significance this year both because of the University’s sesquicentennial anniversary and because of the arrival of new Chancellor Rebecca Chopp. The event takes place Oct. 30–Nov. 2 on campus.

One of the weekend’s featured events is Pioneer Symposium, an annual showcase of the University’s rich academic tradition. This year’s symposium features notable alumni speakers in addition to the traditional classes led by DU faculty members.

Alumni taking part in the two-day lecture series include Roger Birnbaum (attd. 1968-71, H ’12)), co-chair and co-CEO of Spyglass Entertainment; Joe Saunders (BSBA ’67, MBA ’68), former chairman and CEO of Visa Inc.; Gale Norton ( BA ’75, JD ’78), former U.S. secretary of the interior (2001-2006) and current owner of Norton Regulatory Strategies; and former DU and Olympic gymnast Jessica Lopez (BA ’09), who will participate in panels on topics ranging from U.S. foreign policy to intercollegiate athletics..

Faculty members scheduled to share their expertise include Rachel Epstein, associate professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, who will speak on the European debt and currency crisis; Susan Schulten, professor in and chair of the history department, who will deliver a lecture titled “Born in Crisis: the Colorado Territory and the University of Denver”; Derigan Silver, an associate professor in the Department of Media, Film and Journalism Studies, who will talk about national security and civil rights; and David Patterson, professor and director of external relations at the Eleanor Roosevelt Institute in the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, who will discuss the biology of aging and longevity.

Chancellor Chopp will deliver a lecture, “Discerning the Future of Higher Education,” at noon Friday as part of the symposium; Chopp also is scheduled to speak at a special breakfast at 8 a.m. Saturday.

Also new to Homecoming & Family Weekend is Friday’s All-Class Reunion, which takes place before and after the Pioneers hockey game vs. Boston College. Pioneers from every decade will gather for a night of music, casino games and cuisine. The event also includes a photo booth and an early-evening children’s costume parade.

Two arts events take center stage during Homecoming & Family Weekend: The Lamont School of Music stages its fall musical, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific,” Thursday through Sunday; and the Vicki Myhren Gallery in the Shwayder Art Building opens the doors to its new exhibit, “Visual Trips: The Psychedelic Poster Movement in San Francisco,” throughout the homecoming celebration. The work of artists such as Stanley Mouse, Rick Griffin and Victor Moscoso are featured in the gallery’s exploration of iconic concert posters and flyers from 1965–71.

Homecoming & Family Weekend continues Saturday with PioneerFest, an outdoor carnival that includes an inflatable bounce house for kids, face painting, food trucks and live music from participants in the Lamont Alumni Jazz Jam.

Saturday night at Homecoming features a second Pioneers hockey game against Boston College. The match is preceded by Taste of DU, which features samples from alumni-owned restaurants and eateries near campus. The event includes the 15th Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which will honor seven individuals — including two-time national hockey champion John MacMillan (BS ’61) and Olympic skier Jim Shea (BS ’61) — and the 2004 NCAA national champion hockey team.

Other events at Homecoming & Family Weekend include a golf tournament, a lecture for parents on DU history and a gymnastics open house; visit the alumni website for a full schedule.

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