Homecoming 2003 celebrates Buckeye pride, tradition
COLUMBUS –Past and present members of The Ohio State University community will come together to celebrate Buckeye pride, traditions and history during Homecoming 2003.
Homecoming, which honors the 2002 undefeated Buckeye football team with its theme “A Celebration of Champions,” is from Tuesday (10/14) to Sunday (10/19) across Ohio State’s campus.
“We want to highlight the academic elements of the university as well as the prestige and success of our football team,” said Kai Landis, student involvement coordinator for the Ohio Union & Student Activities. “What better way to feel connected to Ohio State than by celebrating the university’s greatness and accomplishments through the longstanding tradition of homecoming.”
During the planning stages, the committee tried to cater this year’s homecoming events to the various interests in the Ohio State community, said Alysia Baker, undergraduate chair of the homecoming committee.
Along with new events such as “Football 101” with Chris Spielman and “Diva Diction: The Power of the Spoken Word,” the week’s festivities also include the traditional pep rally and homecoming parade, which will feature the 1968 Ohio State football championship team.
“ The parade is a great way to build relationships between Ohio State and the Columbus community,” said Brent Turner, graduate administrative associate for the Ohio Union & Student Activities and coordinator of the homecoming parade. “The parade will set the tone for the whole weekend by energizing all Buckeye fans in preparation for the football game against Iowa.”
Events during Homecoming 2003 include:
Tuesday (10/14)
• Football 101, 6 p.m. in the Ohio Stadium Recruiting Room. Former Ohio State football player Chris Spielman will provide a lesson on the rules and strategies of American football. Following the presentation will be a tour of Ohio Stadium.
• Fireside Chat with an Academic Champion “Gathered Moss: Gravity, Science and Fate in Space,” 7 p.m. in Kuhn Honors & Scholars House, 220 W. 12th Avenue. Fred Sack, a professor in plant biotechnology, will discuss his internationally-recognized research in plant biology.
Wednesday (10/15)
• Parade Float Construction and Registration, 5 p.m. to midnight at gate 33 in the Ohio Stadium. Members of student organizations will be building their homecoming floats. The first 20 student organizations to register to be in the parade will receive $100 worth of free supplies. Float construction will continue from 5 p.m. to midnight Thursday (10/16).
Thursday (10/16)
• Diva Diction: Power of the Spoken Word, 8 p.m. in the Ohio Union East Ballroom, 1739 N. High St. Poets Lynne Procope, Ishle Park and Amalia Ortiz, who have competed in the National Poetry Slam and have appeared on Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry on HBO, will share the “spoken word” with the Ohio State community.
Friday (10/17)
• Habitat for Humanity: Construction on the West Lawn, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Ohio Union’s West lawn, 1739 N. High St. Students can help build sections of homes that will be used by families in Columbus.
• Homecoming Parade, 6 p.m. Ohio Stadium. As the Homecoming Parade grand marshals, the 1968 Ohio State football champions will lead more than 100 student organization floats, the 2003 Homecoming Court, President Karen A. Holbrook, the Ohio State Marching Band and Brutus the Buckeye to the South Oval. The parade will start at Ohio Stadium and then travel east on Woodruff Avenue, south on High Street and west on 12th Avenue.
• Pep Rally, 7:30 p.m. on the South Oval. The Buckeye Dance Force, 2003 Homecoming Court and members of the Ohio State Football team will rally Buckeye spirit in preparation for the football game against the University of Iowa.
Sunday (10/19)
• Stephanie Spielman Breast Cancer Awareness Walk. Registration begins at 2:30 p.m. followed by the walk at 3 p.m. at Fred Beekman Park, corner of Lane Avenue and Kenny Road. Proceeds of the walk will be donated to Ohio State’s Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.
For more information about additional events, see Ohio State’s Homecoming 2003 Web site at http://ohiounion.com/homecoming/.
