HOMECOMING, MUSIC FESTIVAL TOP WEEKEND

Today is Southeast Missouri State University's time to shine in the spotlight as part of its annual Homecoming festivities.

Alumni and friends return to the campus for a long list of activities, which began Friday and continue through Sunday.

A highlight of the weekend will be the Homecoming parade. It begins this morning at 9:30 a.m. at Capaha Park. It will proceed east on Broadway to Main Street.

Area marching bands, floats and other entries will reflect the theme "Celebrating Southeast Around the World."

Typically, the community comes out in force for the Homecoming parade and hopefully this year will be no exception.

Homecoming kicked off with a bang Friday, and it wasn't just thunder. The Faculty and Alumni Merit Awards were presented Friday evening and country superstar Vince Gill rocked the Show Me Center.

It's also a chance for the university to show off new accomplishments. An open house was held at the newly remodeled Student Recreation Center Friday afternoon.

This morning, the university kicks off the day with its annual Copper Dome Breakfast, honoring Guy and Claudine Pinckley of Allardt, Tenn., with its "Friends of the University" award. They have been leaders in the development of the Harry L. Crisp Bootheel Education Center since it opened in Malden in 1988.

A wellness walk called the Broadway Mile will start just after 9 a.m. at the intersection of Broadway and West End Blvd. today.

The Southeast Indians are looking for their first win of the season this afternoon at Houck Stadium when they take on Tennessee Tech. Activities will continue through Sunday.

This marks the second weekend in a row that the spotlight has been on Southeast. Last weekend's Parents Weekend was extremely successful. An impressive 11,000-plus crowd packed Houck Stadium for an all-time record attendance to watch a close game with the Indians and hear the Beach Boys.

The concert was dynamite, with all ages rocking and rolling to some well-known tunes. It was one of the few occasions that the audience was just as hoarse as the band, singing every song.

Family Weekend and Homecoming provide a good reminder of the wonderful opportunities that the university brings to Cape Girardeau and the entire region.