Southeastern celebrates Homecoming Week Oct. 1-7
Thursday, September 28, 2017 
by: Tonya Lowentritt
HOMECOMING SPONSOR - Southeastern Louisiana University celebrates Homecoming Week, Oct. 1 – 7, with a theme of “Once Upon a Homecoming.” Hammond Square is sponsoring this year’s Homecoming festivities. From left are Charlotte Lyons with Stirling Properties/Hammond Square, Roomie the Lion, Claire Draper of Stirling Properties/Hammond Square and Executive Director of Alumni Relations Michelle Biggs.
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University will celebrate Homecoming Week Oct. 1
– 7 with a myriad of spirited activities capped by tailgating, reunions, a parade
and football action in Strawberry Stadium.
With a theme of “Once Upon a Homecoming,” Homecoming 2017 is being sponsored
by Hammond Square, with the Southeastern Student Government Association sponsoring
all student-related activities. The week culminates with Homecoming Day Saturday,
Oct. 7, when the Lions take on Incarnate Word at 4 p.m. in Strawberry Stadium.
Homecoming Week will offer a number of time-honored traditions, such as Gumbo
YaYa for students, campus and community decorating contests, an alumni art exhibit,
and the FeLions’ Homecoming luncheon. Also, there are several new additions to the
Homecoming calendar, including a student kick-ball tournament, campus landmark scavenger
hunt and a “construction” competition in which structures are built using non-perishable
food item donations.
The celebration begins on Monday with Business Week, Oct. 2-5, which features
a variety of lectures by specialists in numerous phases of business. The National
Pan-Hellenic Council Black Family Reunion will cap off the day on Oct. 2 at 7 p.m.
in the Student Union Mall.
On Tuesday, Oct. 3, the action begins at 2 p.m. when students and faculty battle
it out in the Phi Kappa Phi Quiz Bowl in the Student Union Theatre. Tuesday evening
is also “Give Back Night” at LaCarreta, where a portion of the sales generated from
loyal Lion fans from 5 – 9 p.m. will be donated to the Alumni Association.
On Wednesday, Oct. 4, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., students will enjoy free food and
fun on campus at Gumbo YaYa, where the 2017 Homecoming court will be introduced to
the student body.
Also on tap at 12 p.m. is the annual Lyceum Lights faculty lecture in the Student
Union Ballroom C, featuring Southeastern Associate Professor of Counseling June Williams.
Williams will present “Person to Person: Retaining the Personal in an Online Environment.”
Also at noon is an Alumni Art Lecture by Dillon Raborn of Baton Rouge in the Contemporary
Art Gallery.
At 7:30 p.m. that evening the student competition “Minute to Win It” will be
held in Strawberry Stadium.
On Thursday, Oct. 5, the FeLions will host their Homecoming luncheon at The Mezzanine
in downtown Hammond at 11:30 a.m.
Thursday evening kicks into gear at 6:30 p.m. at Cook Field on North Campus next
to the Alumni Center with a bonfire, pep rally and Roar Rally spirit competition sponsored
by SGA. Spectators can also enjoy music by the Spirit of the Southland Band, followed
by a Lip Sync contest for students at 8:30 p.m. in the University Center.
Thursday will also feature a Lady Lion Volleyball match scheduled at 6 p.m. in
the University Center.
The Southeastern Pennington Student Activity Center will be offering free workouts
for alumni all day Friday and Saturday.
Also, the Alumni Association will host its annual Alumni Awards Evening Friday
at 6 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom. Tickets for the event, sponsored by the Edwards
and Stevens Law Firm, are available at the Alumni Association, (985) 549-2150 or online
at www.southeastern.edu/RegisterAlumniAwards. William T. Cefalu, M.D., chief scientific, medical and mission officer for the American
Diabetes Association (ADA) and a 1975 zoology graduate of Southeastern, will be recognized
as Alumnus of the Year, while Chuck Toney, owner and operator of The Toney Law Office,
LLC in New Orleans, will be honored as the Young Alumnus of the Year. In addition,
the African-American Alumni Chapter will host its annual Homecoming mixer beginning
at 9 p.m. in the Alumni Center.
On Homecoming Day, Oct. 7, the focus shifts to Friendship Circle, where visitors
can enjoy tailgating, reunions and entertainment starting at 12 p.m. There will be
booths manned by area merchants and activities for children that include a variety
of crafts, face painting, mobile video game units and inflatables. Attendees are asked
to leave pets at home.
Southeastern donors who have endowed scholarships and professorships will be
honored at 10 a.m. in the President’s Residence. The campus bookstore will open at
11 a.m.
The annual Homecoming parade rolls at 12 p.m. Following the parade, Lion fans
can cheer on Head Coach Ron Roberts and his team during the “Lion Walk” as they make
their way through Friendship Circle to Strawberry Stadium at 1:30 p.m.
Reunions and tailgating will be hosted by many of the university’s colleges and
divisions, as well as by groups such as the Former Football Players, ROTC, and Greek
organizations. The Alumni Association tailgate will take place in Friendship Circle
from 12 – 3:30 p.m. and is sponsored by Hammond Square, with food and drink sponsored
by Fleur de Lis Title, Payment Solutions, Inc. and Gnarly Barley.
After pre-game activities, the Lions will kick off against Incarnate Word at
4 p.m. The 2017 Homecoming queen and king will be announced and crowned at halftime.
Immediately after the game, the Greater Hammond Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown
Development District will host “Railroad Roar,” an evening of dining and entertainment
with specials offered by participating area businesses. For more information, call
the Greater Hammond Chamber at (985) 345-4457.
For a complete schedule of Homecoming 2017 events, visit www.southeastern.edu/homecoming or call the Alumni Center, 1-800-SLU-ALUM or (985) 549-2150.
