“Blue and Gold Forever Rising” theme for MC Homecoming activities

Special to The Clinton Courier

Mississippi College’s 2022 Homecoming promises a rich blend of exciting new elements and traditional favorites. “Blue and Gold Forever Rising” is the slogan for jam-packed Homecoming activities from October 27-29.

According to Lori Bobo, university events coordinator at MC, all of the events scheduled are designed to help MC alums, parents, students, family and friends get the most from their annual pilgrimage to the Clinton campus.

“Homecoming is our chief campus event designed to bring our students, alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends together to celebrate the Choctaw family’s past, present and future,” Bobo said. “It is such an amazing privilege to watch the awe, pride and wonder alit on the faces of our alumni as they bring their families to visit their alma mater, which is nearing its bicentennial.”

Homecoming kicks off at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 27, with a concert by MC alumnus and Mississippi Delta native Ezekiel Andrew (McCall ’11) in the Jean Pittman Williams Recital Hall. Andrew is currently in Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway, as the Mufasa cover and in the ensemble. During his solo concert, he will be joined by current Lyric Stage @ MC students in a medley of songs from The Lion King and collaborate with MC artist Tyler Kemp. Tickets can be purchased online.

Activities on Friday, October 28, begin at 11 a.m. with alums, students and guest linksters who will gather at Patrick Farms Golf Club at 300 Clubhouse Drive in Pearl to register for the annual Homecoming Golf Tournament. The four-person scramble with a shotgun start will tee off at noon, and the top three teams will receive prizes. The registration fee of $75 will cover green fees, cart rental, range balls and lunch. RSVP is required. For more information or to register, email Chad Phillips at cphillip@mc.edu.

At 3:30 p.m. on Friday, MC’s family and friends are invited to the dedication of the newly-renovated Baptist Student Union House featuring the hundreds of mission resources from Dr. Jerry A. Rankin, MC alumnus and president emeritus of the International Mission Board.

In conjunction with Homecoming, the MC Class of 1972 will celebrate its Golden Anniversary by hosting a class gathering from 6:30 until 10:30 p.m. in Alumni Gym on Friday. Attendees can become reacquainted with their classmates, families and guests during this informal social event.

Members of the MC Classes of 1970 through 1979 are invited to relive the best memories of their time at MC during the Decade of the ‘70s Reception at 6:30 p.m. in Alumni Gym on Friday. For more information or to register, call David Holloway, ’72, at 601-940-7900.

To cap Friday’s Homecoming activities, Follies promises to bring down the house again, as new members from MC’s social clubs and tribes display their creativity in hilarious ten-minute shows about Mississippi College and its traditions. Tickets to the annual event, scheduled for 7 p.m. in Swor Auditorium in Nelson Hall, cost $20 each and are available at mc.edu/follies.
On Saturday, October 29, early risers, fitness buffs and road runners will meet at Cockroft Hall at 8 a.m. for the 15th annual Coach “Hap” Hudson Homecoming 5K Run. The MC Department of Kinesiology hosts the fun-filled race, which winds through the historic district in downtown Clinton and surrounding neighborhoods before concluding on Parkman Track at Robinson-Hale Stadium. Registration costs $25 per person or $15 per student. For more information, call Suzanne McDonough, race director, at 601-940-8186. To register, visit mc.edu/hap-hudson-5k.

At 10 a.m. on Saturday, alums and guests are invited to attend a prayer dedication of the new Gore Arts Complex and celebrate the opportunities it will provide for all in the Clinton community.

MC’s 2022 distinguished alumni will be honored during the annual Homecoming Brunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Anderson Hall on the second floor of the B.C. Rogers Student Center. Plaques are to be presented to John and Mary Brock, recipients of the Award of Excellence; Dr. J. Mark Reed, ’85, and Dr. Harry Phillips, ’85, recipients of the Award of Service; Cyrus Ben, ’01, and Joy Dowdle, ’02, recipients of the Order of the Golden Arrow; Ezekiel Andrew (McCall ’11), recipient of the Young Alumnus of the Year Award; and Jane Hederman, ’67, recipient of the Alumna of the Year Award, during the ceremony hosted by the National Alumni Association. Tickets cost $25, and an RSVP is required.

Homecoming guests can pick up their nametags, reunion ribbons, lunch tickets and even a free gift at the Homecoming Welcome Table, the essential stop for all things MC, from noon to 3 p.m. at the Welcome Center in Alumni Hall.

“This is where people can register and purchase tickets to certain Homecoming events,” Bobo said. “We are excited about connecting with everyone who joins us for homecoming.”

The nationally-acclaimed Mississippi College Singers will perform a Homecoming concert under the direction of Dr. Beth Everett, director of choral activities, at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday in Provine Chapel.

Homecoming action shifts to the Quad at 2 p.m. that Saturday afternoon for stories and tailgating before the big game. Quinquennial tents will be set up on Reunion Row to celebrate the Classes of 1957, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017.

To celebrate the Choctaws spirit, MC students, faculty, staff, alums and friends are invited to participate in a Homecoming Parade down College Street at 3:30 p.m. The Homecoming cookout will begin at 4 p.m. in the Quad and Patio area. Tickets to the cookout cost $10 each, and an RSVP is required.

Mississippi College athletes of the past and the present will swap stories about their glory days during a reception scheduled for 4:30 p.m. in the Moody Adams Field House on Saturday.

Homecoming activities will culminate with the 6 p.m. kickoff of the Mississippi College-Delta State football game in Robinson-Hale Stadium. During halftime, the Homecoming Court, selected by the student body, will be presented, including one representative from each class, a maid of honor and the Homecoming queen.

For more information about MC’s 2022 Homecoming, visit mc.edu/homecoming.