Alumni Reconnect with Campus Community During Homecoming 2016

Photo: Jim Russell ’83

Hundreds of alumni, students and campus members participated in a variety of events Nov. 4-5 to celebrate Homecoming Weekend.

Photo: Jennifer Broderick

Laker student-athletes did their part to amp up school pride, with the men’s and women’s ice hockey teams, men’s basketball team and women’s swimming and diving team all securing home wins over the weekend.

Members of the Future Alumni Network (FANs) hopped in a decorated golf buggy and handed out infraction “tickets” to any student who was not wearing school colors on Nov. 4, Green and Gold Day. Those who wore Oswego colors received a green- and gold-iced cookie with information about a group Green and Gold Day photo happening later that day.

Photo: Jennifer Broderick

In the afternoon, members of their Senior Class Planning Committee hosted “Class Cab”, playing off of the popular TV show, Cash Cab. Students who rode in the golf buggy were asked questions about campus traditions and college history by celebrity judges (Career Services Director Gary Morris ’88, Student Involvement Coordinator Maggie Rivera ’92 M’06 CAS’07 and Director of Campus Life Earnest Washington). Those who answered the questions correctly received prizes.

Many alumni leaders who serve on the Oswego Alumni Association, College Founda- tion and other college boards were on campus Nov. 4 for their fall meetings, which included a joint lunch that afternoon.

Photo: Nicole Lightfoot ’18

College community members gathered Friday evening for the “Oz-We-Go Back” kick- off party, which included the Green and Gold Day group photo in Hewitt Union. At the party, DJ Tumbo (Rufaro Matombo ’12, see story on page 40) played tunes that had students, alumni and staff on the dance floor together.

The party ended in time for Lakers fans to watch the women’s ice hockey team or the men’s basketball team beat their opponents.

Saturday’s festivities began with a Scholars Breakfast that brought together student scholarship recipients with the donors who established the awards.

A few other early-risers started the day off with an Alumni-Student Fun Run on campus. About a dozen Graduates Of the Last Decade (GOLD) gathered for a brunch and members of the 2017 Reunion Engagement and Planning Committee met in King Alumni Hall to begin planning for the annual June celebration.

The college inducted five alumni into the Oswego Athletic Hall of Fame Saturday after- noon. Read more on page 19.

Several alumni took advantage of HALL- coming, returning to their former student residence

Photo: Nicole Lightfoot ’18

halls for tours and a trip down memory lane. Others stopped by Hart Hall Global Living & Learning Center for the Global Awareness Conference—an annual daylong event that gives students, faculty, staff and members of the community the opportunity to learn about other cultures and global issues.

As crowds gathered for the women’s ice hockey game in the arena of the Marano Campus Center, members of FANs and the GOLD Leadership Council invited students and alumni to sign thank-you cards for SUNY Oswego veterans. The cards were mailed to the veterans the following week in honor of Veterans Day.

Meanwhile in the newly renovated Tyler Hall, members of the Oswego State Singers and other musical groups performed a free musical showcase for Homecoming guests.

Donors to the college were invited to a reception hosted by President Deborah F. and Michael Stanley on Saturday afternoon to recognize their loyalty and support.

Photo: Bob Clark ’78

By early evening the Marano Campus Center started to fill with Lakers fans wearing their favorite green and gold gear and jerseys—many of whom stopped by the Homecoming Tailgate in the Activity Court. Tailgate guests had a surprise visit from men’s ice hockey head coach Ed Gosek ’83 M’01 and women’s ice hockey head coach Diane Dillon who welcomed the alumni back for Homecoming, provided short updates on their teams and Lakers athletics and thanked the fans for their support.

The weekend ended with Laker pride soaring, as the men’s ice hockey team scored four goals in the third period to come from behind and defeat Geneseo.

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