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Milligan University welcomes alumni and friends to campus on Oct. 25-26 for its annual Homecoming celebration.

This year’s Homecoming will be historic as the weekend will commence with the inauguration of Dr. Stephen Waers as Milligan’s 16th president on Friday at 2 p.m. in the Mary B. Martin Auditorium located in Seeger Chapel.

The university will also host several events that are open to the public – a parade, 5K run/walk, concert, theatre production, lectures and athletic events – in addition to various alumni-specific events.

“Homecoming at Milligan is a special time to reconnect, reminisce and make new memories,” said Rhajon Smith, vice president for institutional advancement. “It’s an exciting opportunity for parents, students, and alumni and their families to come together and enjoy our beautiful campus.”

On Friday evening, the annual “Celebrate Milligan” dinner will honor several Milligan alumni and friends for their achievements and contributions. The Distinguished Alumnus Award will go to Richard “Dick” Phillips (’74). Susan (Housholder ’89) Ashton-Lazaroae and Jeffrey Dykes (’79) will receive the Professional Excellence Award. The Athletics Hall of Fame inductees are Wesley Holly and Chelsea (Spivey ’13) Baker. The Spirit of Milligan Award will be presented to Bruce (’59) and Rosemarie (Klein ’59) Shields.

The theatre arts area will perform “Peter Pan & Wendy” on Oct. 24-26 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. in Milligan’s McGlothlin-Street Theatre located in the Gregory Center. Audiences can follow Wendy, Peter and their friends as they discover the power of standing up together for what’s right as they face down fairies, mermaids and Captain Hook. Tickets can be purchased in advance at milligan.tix.com.

Saturday morning begins with the Associated Ladies for Milligan’s annual Buffalo 5K Run/2.5K walk, sponsored by Workspace Interiors. The race starts at 8 a.m. at the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse and proceeds benefit student scholarships.

An art exhibit, “Murmuration,” features artwork by Milligan’s art and design faculty, students, and Sydney Reeder-Wood (’24), the university’s artist-in-residence. The exhibit opens with a reception at 11 a.m. in the Milligan Art Gallery located in Derthick Hall.

The weekend also includes two faculty lectures. Dr. Craig Farmer will present “Church History is a Dangerous Subject, But It’s Worth the Risk” at 11 a.m. in the McGlothlin-Street Theatre in the Gregory Center. At 2 p.m., Dr. Paul Blowers will discuss “The Difference Between Restoring the Church and Restoring Antiques,” also in the McGlothlin-Street Theatre.

The annual Homecoming parade will make its way down Blowers Boulevard at 1:30 p.m. and lead into the festival on Derthick lawn, which includes kettle corn and inflatables for kids of all ages.

A welcome reception for President Dr. Stephen Waers, First Lady Katie Waers and their children will be held in the Gregory Center Lobby at 3 p.m.

Milligan’s area of music will perform a short, family-friendly concert, “Back to the Future: Classic Hits of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s,” at 3:45 p.m. in Milligan’s Mary B. Martin Auditorium located in Seeger Chapel. The concert will be a trip down memory lane as top-charting hits from decades past will be performed by all of Milligan’s instrumental and vocal ensembles.

The weekend will also feature an intersquad swim meet for men’s and women’s swimming on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. and a men’s soccer match against the University of Pikeville on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Anglin Field.

All meal events, theatre performances and the walk/run are ticketed events. The remaining events are free and open to the public.