Northwest Missourian Homecoming Guide 2023

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What Homecoming is for sorority members ANNA BAILEY News Reporter | @AmBailey16

I am a newly initiated member of the Sigma Kappa - Kappa Alpha Chapter.

For us, Homecoming preparation started late August.

As Homecoming starts, the members of my sorority have been held accountable for putting in 10-16 hours worth of work every two weeks.

In order to get these hours, we can work on or be a part of a variety of projects. People get most of their hours from working on the float.

Before any work for the float starts, every sorority is paired with a fraternity so the two groups can work together. For

the float, there needs to be pomps made, which is a flower-like, paper-folding technique. The float also has to be built, which is usually done by the partnered fraternity.

Homecoming is not all hard work, though. This time of year helps fraternities and sororities become united and spend time with each other.

Working on the float with Sigma Tau Gamma - Theta Chapter, I have been able to become friends with many other people involved.

All the work put in before the parade also has great pay off when you see the float and other activities that you have been working on for weeks.

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Class of 1973 celebrated at 50th-year reunion SIDNEY LOWRY Editor-in-Chief | @sidney_lowry

On Homecoming weekend, many Northwest alumni make their way back to campus for a weekend full of events.

Constituent and Alumni Relations Specialist Carma Kinman said Homecoming weekend is a great way for alumni to get reconnected with the University through multiple events.

The weekend kicks off with a board meeting for the Northwest Foundation, who work with many fundraising opportunities for

the University. Then, the 50th-year reunion honors the class of 1973 through the weekend. The event has 49 attendees registered.

“This year we are honoring the class of 1973, and they are registering now and looking forward to coming back home to Northwest and renewing some friendships with people that they may not have seen for the last 50 years,” Kinman said.

First there is a tour of campus and the community where alumni can see changes and improvements throughout Maryville. They will also spend time looking through

the archives from the years they were students. There will also be a lunch where the 1973 alumni can reconnect with each other.

Other alumni from the years 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008, 2013 and 2018 can stop by the Michael L. Faust Center for Alumni and Friends to pick up their commemorative Homecoming button and a reunion year ribbon.

Before the football game against Pittsburg State 2 p.m.

Oct. 21, the alumni office will have its usual alumni tent up for people coming back to Northwest to connect.

Kinman said many Northwest alumni are donors, so bringing people back to the University keeps them connected and involved. She also said alumni are great for recruiting new Bearcats.

“Everyone that’s an alum is, in a way, a recruiter, so we want to be able to help our University move forward,” Kinman said. “By doing that, is to have people that they can view and feel at home here and feel a passion for the University and the things that we stand for, what we do and to support the students that are coming to us.”

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Variety Show to showcase talents HANNAH CLAYWELL News Editor | @Hannah_9504

Homecoming traditions are continuing, like the Homecoming Variety Show. The Variety Show will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 19 in the Mary Linn Auditorium at the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts.

The Variety Show is one of the first events to kick off Homecoming weekend activities. Executive Chair for Royalty and Variety Show Riley Steele is the one who oversees this event and helped put everything together.

“The Variety Show not only brings organizations and individual students

together, but the whole Maryville community as well,” Steele said in an email to The Missourian. “People, even after graduating from Northwest Missouri State University, will travel back to see the Variety Show each year.”

The show includes a variety of performing skits and musical acts from individuals and student organizations, like fraternities and sororities, which are often big parts of the show. This year there are six skits, four olio acts and two emcees. An olio act is an individual act and an emcee is similar to the host of the show.

The acts in the show are supposed to represent this year’s Homecom-

ing theme, which is “Welcome to the ’Ville,” a jungle theme, while also showing Northwest pride.

There are also awards for the best acts, both solo and group, during the show, which have been selected by the audience in the past and will continue to do so.

The lineup for the show has already been selected by the Homecoming Committee. Tickets are being sold for $5 online. Last year, 500 tickets were sold, and Steele said he hopes to match or succeed that number this year.

At the conclusion of the show, the traditions of announcing the Homecoming King and Queen will continue, which students voted for prior to the show.

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Homecoming continues Walkout Day celebrations DAKOTA OSWALT News Reporter | @doswalt_NWMSRN

Walkout Day is a long-standing Homecoming tradition at Northwest and will kick-off this year’s Homecoming weekend.

The practice started Oct. 22, 1915, when students walked out of classes and participated in school picnics and hikes, according to the Office of Student Involvement. Today, however, Walkout Day is a staple on the Fri-

day of Homecoming week, complete with activities for all students to enjoy.

Natasha Metzger, the director of Northwest traditions on the Student Activities Council Executive Board, is responsible for keeping traditions alive at Northwest.

“Walkout Day is a day where everyone gets out of class,” Metzger said.

“That’s where we at SAC stepped in, and we were like, ‘Let’s find another way to celebrate students.’”

Previous activities like the Flag Ceremony, which Metzger said is to represent and honor international students coming from a different country who might not necessarily be able to go home or spend time with their family, inspired the Student Activities Council to become even more involved in Walkout Day activities.

Walkout Day also provides students with the opportunity to to get a free T-shirt.

She also said the free T-shirt custom

gets a positive response each year because it gets so many people out in the community. Plus, T-shirts can always get more than one use out of them.

Walkout Day is just one way students can get ready for Homecoming. Metzger said many Homecoming members who help with Walkout Day will also help in the parade this year. The parade also acts as an advertisement for the Student Activities Council.

“We can help advertise SAC and get more members through it,” Metzger said. “Last year, I think we got 15 members from walking in the parade.”

Walkout Day activity turnout is usually high, Metzger said.

Other ways to get involved with Homecoming traditions, like Walkout Day and the SAC program, include attending Homecoming meetings and getting involved with SAC to help plan future events. Metzger said getting to know people is an important part of keeping traditions alve at Northwest.

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FLAG RAISING

FILE

TANNER HUDNALL Missourian Reporter | @TheMissourian

The International Flag-Raising Ceremony will celebrate its 26th anniversary during Homecoming festivities. The ceremony has become a staple during Northwest’s Homecoming since its inception in 1998.

The ceremony will begin at 1:45 p.m.

Oct. 20 at the B.D. Owens Library. The students will parade under the Memo-

rial Bell Tower and end at the Joyce and Harvey White International Flag Plaza next to Martindale Hall.

The Joyce and Harvey White International Plaza was created in 1998 as a tribute to the University’s diverse enrollment spectrum. The plaza recognizes 54 nations and also five clocks that display time zones ranging from Asia to Maryville.

If inclement weather were to interrupt the original plan, the ceremony would be moved to the Charles Johnson Theater in the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building. The event takes place on Walkout Day, which allows all students who want to participate, to parade the flag of their home nations and represent their heritage.

The ceremony is a tribute to students and alumni from every corner of the world. Northwest’s diverse student body mainly comes from countries as far as India, Nepal and Ukraine, but also includes countries closer to the United States like Canada and Jamai-

ca. The plaza and the ceremony serve as reminders to the reach of the University and its diverse student body.

Erika Lees has been in charge of the International Involvement Center’s portion of the ceremony since 2019.

Lees is the assistant director of International Affairs for the University.

“My favorite part of the ceremony is how it brings the campus community together in support of all students,” Lees said. “A lot of the alumni come back as well, and it is always good to see them.”

Lees said this event is very important to the university because it showcases the University’s history and support of international students. Lees also said Lance Tatum, Northwest’s firstyear president, will speak at the event.

Northwest has at least 15 countries represented every year during the ceremony. Flags of other countries rotate through as needed for Northwest’s community. There have been upwards of 50 represented countries in a given year.

Student support food pantries ANDREW CLARK Missourian Reporter | @TheMissourian

Homecoming week at Northwest is almost here. Bearcats can participate in events around campus from Oct. 15-21. One of the events Northwest students and organizations on campus can take part in is Donation Creation. The Donation Creation is an opportunity for philanthropy to restock food for the Bearcat Food Pantry. Once the pantry is full, the rest of the food will be sent to the ministry.

Organizations will use a minimum of 150 nonperishable food items in order to create something that matches this year’s Homecoming theme. The event will start with approved entry ideas by Donation Creation Executive Chair Blake Leasure that were due Oct. 6.

After each organization gets the approval, it will create its idea from noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 15, on the second floor of the J.W. Jones Student Union. The winner will be decided from judges and people’s choice vote. Students will be able to participate in the people’s choice

vote by bringing in a nonperishable food item and leaving it in the organizations labeled bin.Each bin will be located next to the organization’s sculpture. One item of food will be recognized as one vote for that organization.

The outside judges will vote Oct. 16, and all people’s choice votes will be counted until the teardown date 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 22.

All votes will then be calculated, and the winner will be awarded a cash prize and a first place plaque. An award banquet will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 in Bearcat Arena.

Leasure said the food of the highest priority would be any form of pasta as it is the most requested choice from visitors of the pantry.

Other requested food includes peanut butter, boxed dinners, mac and cheese, ramen noodles, cereal, granola bars and any kind of soup.

Hygiene items are also accepted such as soap, deodorant, razors, toothbrush and toothpaste.

Although these are the highest priority, any donation is greatly appreciated.

Each organization’s Donation Creation will be on display all Homecoming week in the J.W. Jones Student Union.

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2023 PHILANTHROPY

Big Brothers Big Sisters Fundraising Events: ‘Garage Sale’

- Selling previous years T-shirts for $5

Blood Drive

- Held during the week of Homecoming

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WELCOME TO SPORTS

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Football to host Pittsburg State for Homecoming WESLEY MILLER Managing Editor | @wesleymiller360

For this year’s Homecoming, Northwest football will host the reigning MIAA champions, Pittsburg State at 2 p.m. Oct. 21 in Bearcat Stadium.

The Bearcats will be looking to avenge a narrow, 24-22 loss to the Gorillas a season ago. After being down 21-3 at halftime, the ’Cats went on a 19-3 scoring run in the second half — ultimately falling on a failed 2-point conversion attempt in the waning moments of the contest.

It wasn’t anything new for Northwest and Pittsburg, as the Bearcats did successfully complete a 16-point come-

back against the Gorillas the last time Pitt State came to town for a 20-19 Northwest win Oct. 9, 2021.

This year’s edition of the matchup is the finale for a week of Homecoming activities for Northwest. Fans will shift their focus from other events and pack the stands with green and white as the Bearcats take on the Gorillas.

This year’s Homecoming theme of “Welcome to the ’Ville,” — as a parody of “Welcome to the Jungle” — may give the Gorillas the comfort of home, too, as their stadium is nicknamed “The Jungle.”

The Bearcats have won 24 of the last 26 Homecoming games, including an active seven-game win streak.

The success at home goes past just Homecoming, though, as the team is 27-3 inside Bearcat Stadium since seventh-year coach Rich Wright took over the helm of the program prior to the 2017 season. The Gorillas haven’t defeated the Bearcats at home since 2014.

At the end of the game, the Don Black Award is given to the most valuable player on Homecoming. Last season’s award was given to Kashan Griffin — just the seventh receiver in program history to claim the honor.

Northwest’s M-Club Hall of Fame Class of 2023 will also be honored during the game.

This year’s class includes Bob Boerigter, athletic director

from 2001-10, Adam Dorrel, football player from 1994-97 and coach from 2011-16, Tom Funk, baseball athlete from 1981-83, Kelly Greenlee, volleyball athlete from 1982-85, Matt Longacre, football player from 2011-14, Jacshelle Sasser, track athlete from 1995-98, and Dave Tollefson, football player from 2004-05.

Two teams will be inducted in the hall of the fame.

The 2013-14 men’s tennis team will receive the honor after becoming the first team in program history to reach the NCAA quarterfinals. And, the 2013 football team, who claimed the program’s fourth of six national championships, will also be enshrined.

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Women’s basketball set for scrimmage DESTINY TAYLOR Sports Reporter | @destinytay04

Northwest women’s basketball will take to the court this Homecoming in preparation for the regular season with its Green and White Scrimmage Oct. 24. The team is looking to build off its first consecutive seasons of a .500 or better winning percentage since 2006-07 and 2007-08.

The Bearcats have 12 returning players and one new recruit, guard Anastyn Pettlon from Maryville. Coach Austin Meyer said next season’s incoming freshman class will consist of more recruiting options for the team.

The five-year coach said this season’s team is the most experienced he has worked with in his time at Northwest.

“We feel like our energy, and overall culture is in a good place,” Meyer said. “We feel like we have a good blend of experience and talent, and our new coaching staff has really helped us

here to start the season.”

The team added three new members to its coaching staff during the offseason. Assistant coach Chris Guess was the former Waukee (Iowa) girls’ basketball coach and was part of the Iowa Girls Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2021. Assistant coach Parker Ehrke is a former women’s basketball student assistant from Nebraska-Kearney (2020-23), and assistant coach Kaitlyn Everts is a former women’s basketball student assistant from State Fair Community College (2021-23).

Meyer said the team has made a lot of progress in the past few years but is now ready to take the next big step in the MIAA. Last season, the Bearcats finished eighth out of 14 teams in the MIAA with a conference record of 9-13. They won their first game in the MIAA Tournament against Newman 70-54, March 1 but lost their second against Kearney 65-43, March 2.

Meyer said it is the most compet-

itive conference in Division II. With the team’s roster being filled with returning athletes, Meyer said the preseason pace has accelerated from previous years, and conditioning is more important heading into the season.

“We have noticed a significant amount of growth with our returners,” Meyer said. “We had a large collection of kids that had a great offseason, and it has really shown in the preseason. It is easy to tell who put in the time over the offseason once you get into the start of preseason.”

Homecoming week is a big recruiting period for the team because the culture and creativity of the campus and community are shown in many different and diverse styles. Homecoming day is one of the most important for the team during the recruiting process because it shows the possible incoming athletes what a game-day atmosphere can be like as a Bearcat.

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