Southeast Homecoming promises lots of fanfare

From the traditional parade and football game to a tailgate concert featuring The Brothers Walker, a large scholarship reception and alumni awards, Southeast Missouri State University celebrates Homecoming 2014 this weekend.

Some events began Monday, but many of them take place Friday and Saturday. This year's theme, "Paint the Town Red," incorporates Southeast's color scheme. Jay Wolz, director of alumni relations, said Homecoming is the highlight of the alumni year.

"Think of it as Christmas, New Year's and the Fourth of July all wrapped up into one event," Wolz said. "We'll have alumni from coast to coast coming back to campus this weekend. I don't have an exact total, but it's definitely in the thousands."

One of the biggest events is the Endowed Scholarship Reception set for 4 to 6 p.m. Friday in the Show Me Center. The event gives scholarship recipients and donors a chance to mingle, Wolz said. More than 500 people are expected to attend.

After the reception is a Copper Dome Society/Merit Recognition Program at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Show Me Center. The alumni merit awards are presented to Southeast graduates who have brought distinction to themselves and the university.

This year's alumni recipients are:

* Karla Bakersmith, Class of 1981, of Chesterfield, Missouri, president and chief executive officer of Scrubs & Beyond LLC;

* Cynthia Fleck, '87, of St. Louis, president of Cynthia Fleck & Associates LLC;

* Eric Levin, '84, of Edwardsville, Illinois, chief financial officer of The Boeing Co.'s Phantom Works division;

* Sam Park, '82, of Sherman Oaks, Calif., West Coast editor and part-owner of the transmedia company Monsterverse Entertainment and his new horror media company, Scratch Lightning Productions;

* James W. Riley Jr., '80, of Cape Girardeau, founder of Red Letter Communications;

* Dr. Cynthia Stone, '81, of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, chief academic officer for Northeast Maritime Institute in Fairhaven; and

* Dr. Chris Wright, '96, of Yardley, Pennsylvania, corporate strategic research downstream portfolio manager, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co.

Receiving the Faculty Merit Award will be Dr. Willie Redmond, professor of economics at Southeast.

On Saturday, festivities start at 7:30 a.m. with the All Alumni Breakfast and Distinguished Service Award presentations in Kem Statuary Hall in the Aleen Vogel Wehking Alumni Center.

All alumni, friends and their families are invited to attend. Cost is $10 per person. Space is limited, and reservations may be made by calling the Southeast Missouri State University Alumni Association at 651-2259 or emailing agrissom@semo.edu.

The parade Saturday starts at 9:30 a.m. from Capaha Park and travels east on Broadway to Main Street. It then will run south on Main. Michele Irby, director of Campus Life and Event Services, said the procession has 120 entries, with more possible.

University president Kenneth W. Dobbins and his wife, Jeanine Larson Dobbins, founder and director emeritus of the Missouri Statewide Early Literacy Intervention Program based at Southeast, will be this year's parade marshals. Also serving as parade marshals will be their son, Paul; his wife, Stacey; and their children, Lincoln Kenneth and Brady Larson.

Also Saturday, the Redhawks Walk begins at 11 a.m. The main gates of Houck Stadium open at 11 a.m. and kickoff of the Southeast vs. Tennessee State University game is set for 1 p.m. The Brothers Walker -- Coty and Clinton Walker, the Bernie, Missouri, twins featured on NBC's "The Voice" earlier this year -- will give a free concert from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Redhawks Club area along Bellevue Street.

At 12:30 p.m., the Golden Eagles Marching band will perform on the street as kind of a close to the tailgate, coordinator of marketing and promotions Phillip Lady said in an email. The Brothers Walker then will enter the stadium to perform the national anthem.

Visit semoalumni.com for a complete schedule of events.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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