PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The University of Maine at Presque Isle will present Homecoming 2019: Alumni, Friends, and Family Weekend from Thursday to Sunday, Sept. 26-29, featuring everything from a show by fan favorite Star City Syndicate to an explosive fireworks display to multiple games for students and the public.
Festivities kick off on Thursday, Sept. 26 with the return of Voices in the North Country, UMPI’s writer’s symposium. The symposium will focus on the theme Writing What You Know, with readings by local students and published writers and a panel discussion and Q-and-A with Maine writers. The event concludes with a Distinguished Lecture at 7 p.m. by Dr. Ted Van Alst. An UMPI alumnus, he is the associate professor and director of indigenous Nations Studies at Portland State University in Oregon and author of the story collection Sacred Smokes.
From 5-6:30 p.m., the Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams will host a spaghetti supper fundraiser in the Campus Center Multi-Purpose Room. Tickets are available through the Athletics Department or at the door for $8. At 6 p.m., an art exhibit opening will be held in Campus Center Room 112 showcasing work from the Class of 2014.
Activities continue on Friday, Sept. 27 with an all-day Adapted PE Workshop in Gentile Hall. From 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. physical education teachers and college students will learn about strategies they can use in the classroom to provide meaningful movement experiences for children with disabilities. The workshop will feature a keynote address by Dr. Tim Davis, of the State University of New York at Cortland. To register, visit this link.
Those who want to enjoy some outdoor time can participate in a Walk on the UMPI Path at Noon (meet at the entrance to Gentile Hall) and Lawn Games at 1 p.m. on the Campus Center lawn. At 2 p.m., the campus will celebrate the dedication of the Zillman Family Greenhouse, located near Gentile Hall. The $935,000, 2,400-square-foot structure is a state-of-the-art, four-season teaching and research facility. For art lovers and those who want to try their hand at something new, a Sip-and-Solder event will be held from 2:30 to 4 p.m. at Glass with Class on Main St. Participants will create a stained glass owl. Cost is $40 per seat; seats are limited to 20 individuals.
All are invited to join in for Oktoberfest and Pints with Professors at the Campus Center from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.; cost is $9 for those without a meal plan and a cash bar will be available (proper ID required). From 5-7 p.m., participants can head to Wieden Gym for the Women’s Volleyball vs. Unity double-header. Don’t miss the Main Event during this year’s Homecoming Weekend—Star City Syndicate at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium at Wieden Hall. Donations will be accepted at the door for future Auditorium renovations. The evening ends with a student dance from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the Campus Center.
Weekend fun begins on Saturday, Sept. 28 with a new event, the Snowy Owl Marketplace, which will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Gentile Hall. The marketplace is a gathering of crafters, artisans, student organizations, and more. For questions about this event, email umpi-alumni@maine.edu or call 207-768-9425. The Campus Store will be open all day, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and there will be an Admissions Open House from 10 a.m. to Noon in the Campus Center. Those interested in joining the UMPI family can schedule a visit and RSVP at this link.
Car lovers won’t want to miss the Homecoming Car Show, which returns from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Gentile Hall parking lot. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Zillman Family Greenhouse will be open for tours. At 12 p.m., support the Owls men’s soccer team as they take on Northern Vermont University-Lyndon at the Park Family Field and continue the Owl spirit with the women’s soccer team as they battle Lyndon at 2:30 p.m. At noon and 1:30 p.m., Molly the Trolley guided tours will depart from Gentile Hall. These one-hour tours are $5 per rider.
At 4:30 p.m., the official dedication of the Owl Wings Mural will take place in the Owl’s Nest, in recognition of artist and alum Heather Harvell and mural sponsor UCU. The Alumni & Friends Blue & Gold Evening is next in the Campus Center Multi-Purpose Room. The program will include President Ray Rice’s State of the University Address, recognition of the classes represented, and presentations of alumni association awards. This is a ticketed dinner event and there will be a cash bar. Tickets are available online at this link through the Campus Store; select “walk-in for delivery” and retain your receipt.
The evening ends with a bang, complete with fireworks and a bonfire. Fireworks begin at 8:10 p.m. at the Park Family Fiel, with the bonfire with S’mores behind Merriman Hall at 8:45 p.m.
The festivities continue on Sunday, Sept. 29. There will be a co-ed alumni soccer game at 10 a.m. at the Park Family Field. All runners should make plans to take part in the UMPI Alumni and All-Comers XC 5K at the Park Family Field at 11 a.m. At 1 p.m., cheer on the Owls Baseball Team as they play Central Maine Community College at the Presque Isle High School baseball diamond. Owls Women’s Volleyball takes on Machias at 2 p.m. in Wieden Gym. Events close out with a final baseball game when the Owls take on CMCC again at 3 p.m. at the PIHS baseball diamond.
For more information, contact Craig Cormier at craig.cormier@maine.edu or 207-768-9425. To view the full Homecoming schedule, visit www.umpi.edu/alumni/homecoming. Register at this link.
Submitted by the Community and Media Relations Office of the University of Maine at Presque Isle.
