SEMO HOMECOMING NEXT WEEK

Southeast Missouri State University will hold its annual Homecoming celebration next week.

This year's Homecoming is part of the university's 125th anniversary celebration.

Highlights of the Homecoming weekend will be the presentation of the Faculty and Alumni Merit Awards, the Friend of the University Award, Homecoming parade and the football game.

The 1998 Faculty and Alumni Merit Award winners will be honored Friday, Oct. 30. The Merit Award winners and the academic college presenting the awards are: Eugene Munger, Donald L. Harrison College of Business; Dr. Sue Barry, College of Education; Michael Braun, College of Health and Human Services; Dr. Edward Janosik, College of Liberal Arts; Donald LaFerla, College of Science and Technology; and Dr. Arnold Bell, Polytechnic Institute.

Dr. Gary Miller, professor of music, is this year's recipient of the Faculty Merit Award. He will be honored at the Merit Award dinner, along with the award recipients, scholarship donors and scholarship recipients at 7 p.m. in the Show Me Center.

The festivities Saturday will begin at 7:30 a.m. with the Copper Dome Breakfast. The "Friend of the University" award will be presented to B.W. Harrison.

-- At 9:30 a.m., the Homecoming parade will begin at Capaha Park and proceed down Broadway to Main Street. Don McNeely, a 1948 Southeast alumnus and long-time KFVS-TV weather man, is the parade marshal this year.

-- After the parade, there will be a variety of receptions and tailgate parties prior to the football game.

-- At 1 p.m., the Homecoming football game will be held at Houck Stadium. This year, Southeast will play Middle Tennessee. The half-time ceremony will honor the late Donald "Diz" Anderson, one of Southeast's All-American athletes.

Following the football game on Oct. 31, several post-game parties will be held.

-- A celebration for the classes of 1958 and 1963 will be at 5 p.m. inthe Holiday Inn.

-- The 1970 and 1980 post-game reunion will be held at 5 p.m. at the Booster Corral at Houck Stadium.

-- At 6 p.m., "Abe's Boys" Dinner, honoring the late Diz Anderson, will be held in the Oak Room of the Holiday Inn.

-- At 7 p.m., the Depression Kids Party will be held at the former home of "Peggy" Johnson on Pacific Street, across the street from the Crisp Hall of Nursing.

-- At 8 p.m., a Big Band Dance will be held in the Show Me Center. Tickets are $10 per person and can be purchased through the music department at (573) 651-2141 or 651-2335. There is no reserved seating and tickets may be purchased the night of the event. Proceeds for this event will go toward assisting the Golden Eagles Marching Band on their July 1999 trip to Edinburgh, Scotland.

-- Also at 8 p.m., the African-American Alumni Association will hold its Semi-Formal Dance and Social at the Galleria Grill in the Plaza Galleria, 2001 Independence.

For a more information or to make reservations, contact the Southeast alumni office at (573) 651-2259. The alumni office web site at www2.semo.edu/alumni/homecome.html offers a complete schedule of Homecoming events.