Alumni Association hosts homecoming virtually throughout the month of October

Lewis & Clark’s homecoming is going to look a lot different in 2020. 

Beginning on Oct. 2 and continuing through the rest of the month, the Alumni Association will host a series of virtual events. They hope the events will allow students to interact with the LC community and engage with timely conversations surrounding societal issues.

With large public gatherings prohibited during the fall semester, the Alumni Association had to think outside the box to create this year’s homecoming schedule, which in the past spanned three days. The schedule is now more comprehensive, with a growing number of events outlined over the course of an entire month.

Tara McIrvin, associate director of alumni engagement and this year’s homecoming coordinator, said the expanded time frame means that they can cater to more specific interests.

“When we develop the homecoming schedule we are always looking for variety in our events,” McIrvin said. “Our events aim to showcase a variety of things that make Lewis & Clark special — outstanding faculty members, accomplished alumni and engaged, curious and intelligent students. We are hoping there is something for everyone on the schedule.”

Each of the events is accessible through Zoom and requires pre-registration. Sign-ups can be found on the event pages, which are located in the Virtual Events and Programming section of LC’s website, under the alumni section.

McIrvin said  Zoom’s accessibility will allow more members of the LC community to attend homecoming.

“The benefit of offering homecoming in a virtual format is accessibility,” McIrvin said. “We have alumni attending our virtual events who would otherwise not be able to. This provides a unique opportunity for students to engage with alumni from around the globe.”

LC Spirit Friday is set to begin the festivities on Oct. 2, where students will be encouraged to wear Pio gear or other orange and black attire. One student will win a prize at the end of the week. This event is recurring and will take place every Friday in October. 

Another recurring event is Mask Up Mondays, during which students can win prizes by showing off their face masks unique aesthetic. This event is scheduled for every Monday in October.

An additional event, the Lecture Series, will include presentations from various LC faculty members and visitors. As of Sept. 25, four lectures are scheduled. The first, “Mapping the Brain In Living Color” with Associate Professor of Biology and Co-Director, Neuroscience Program Tamily Weissman-Uni, is scheduled for Oct. 13.

The Alumni Film Festival will also begin on Sunday, Oct. 4. The documentary “I Am Maris: Portrait of a Young Yogi” (2018) from director Laura VanZee Taylor ’92 will be screened and followed by a Q&A. Taylor will be joined by Sarah Alexander, an adjunct instructor from the LC Graduate School of Education

The second and third nights of the festival will feature two more films from former LC graduates: “Blue” (2019) by Danial Afzal ’13 and “An Undeniable Voice” (2016) by Price Ariana ’84. A Q&A will follow the screenings, and Ariana will be joined by the star of their film, Sam Harris.

Interspersed throughout these homecoming activities are the Steve Hunt Classic and the LCpioneers.com Live Show. The Steve Hunt Classic, which is hosted by LC, is a speech and debate tournament that begins on Oct. 9 and concludes on Oct. 11. For interested students, there is a pre-session that begins nearly a week before the tournament on Oct. 3. 

The LCpioneers.com Live Show is the Hall of Fame induction ceremony for former LC athletes and coaches. Their achievements will be highlighted and honored on this three-night virtual ceremony.

McIrvin  said new events may be added to the schedule in the coming weeks.

“We are adding new events to the schedule as they come together,” McIrvin said. “I would encourage students to check back frequently.”