SEMO homecoming: Parachutists to drop in before game; Southeast Heritage Plaza to be unveiled

Southeast Missouri State University has announced this year's schedule of Homecoming events to be held Oct. 21 and 22.

The Southeast Missouri State University Redhawks football team will face Austin Peay State Unversity. Kickoff is 1 p.m. Oct. 22.

New to pregame activities will be an appearance by U.S. Army paratroopers, according to Shad Burner, director of the university's alumni services. The Army Golden Knights Parachute Team will jump into Houck Stadium before kickoff.

Burner said fans should try to be in their seats early to have a good view of the paratroopers.

Also before the game will be an unveiling of the Southeast Heritage Plaza, a project that came about with the restructuring of membership for the alumni association. The plaza will be west of the Wehking Alumni Center on Broadway.

This year the association is moving toward a non-dues-based membership. The change allows for all alumni to automatically receive membership. During the change, members who were paying lifetime dues received a discounted brick to be placed in the plaza. Alumni who made a separate donation but were not already lifetime members received a free brick to be placed in the plaza, Burner said.

The association has been planning the plaza for more than a year. According to the university, proceeds from the brick campaign have been used to construct the plaza and to create an endowment through the university foundation to assist the newly reorganized alumni association.

During the unveiling, two presentations will be given.

Reggie Allen, an alumni member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, will speak on the life of Derek Hudson, the first African-American president of the Southeast Missouri State University student body. Also speaking will be Lewis Bock, whose family has a 100-year history with the university. Bock was on the committee that organized the planning of the plaza. The unveiling is scheduled for 11 a.m. Oct. 22.

According to the university, Homecoming events will begin with a Man and Woman of the Year recognition dinner at 6 p.m. Oct. 18 at Kem Statuary Hall. Scheduled events continue Oct. 21, when the Copper Dome Society and Merit Award Recognition Dinner will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Show Me Center.

This year's Alumni Merit Award recipients are Bill Black of Knoxville, Tenn., a professor and associate head of theater at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville; Dr. Maureen Clancy-May of St. Louis, superintendent of the Bayless School District; Kevin Govero of Cape Girardeau, president and owner of B.P. Financial Services Inc.; Daniel Mohorc of Arlington, Texas, president and chief executive officer of Galactic Ltd.; Anne Schroeppel of Hutchinson, Kan., co-owner and co-manager of Jackson Brothers LLC and Jackson Brothers, Joint Venture, and general partner of the Jackson Family LP; Dr. Mark Stacy of Durham, N.C., professor of medicine/neurology and associate dean of clinical research at Duke University Medical Center; and Charles Stamp Jr. of Atlanta and Cashiers, N.C., vice president of Public Affairs Worldwide at Deere and Co.

On Oct. 22, events will begin with the All-Alumni Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. in the Wehking Alumni Center, where Distinguished Service Award recipients will be honored. The recipients are Terry Benassi, Dwayne Hickman, Grace Hoover, Dan Jennings and Jon K. Rust, publisher of the Southeast Missourian.

The parade will begin at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 22 from Capaha Park and travel east on Broadway to Main Street. Tailgating celebrations will begin at 11 a.m.

A full list of events is available at www.semo.edu.

eragan@semissourian.com

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