By Bridget Seelinger | For The Duquesne Duke
Homecoming weekend kicked off last Thursday as alumni came from near and far to connect with old classmates and share one important thing: a love for Duquesne.
Despite the cold weather, students, faculty and alumni crowded Rooney Field Saturday afternoon to watch the Dukes beat West Liberty.
The football game was just one of the many events held over the weekend to celebrate homecoming. On Friday there was a welcome Mass held in the University chapel, a memorial service for all of the alumni veterans, a poetry reading and receptions for student leaders and members of several graduated classes.
The Red Masquers performed I am a Camera Friday evening, a play by John Van Druten that follows a young writer in 1930 Berlin. According to John Lane, director of theater arts, the play was a real challenge for students to perform. Lane also said there were more faculty and alumni in attendance than typical shows.
Autumnfest, one of the year’s most anticipated events, was held right before the football game at 11 a.m. Student organizations crowded A-Walk for games, food and free T-shirts. Several student organizations raised money for charity, including the newest sorority on campus, Alpha Omicron Pi. To raise money for breast cancer research, the sorority sponsored a pie-throwing booth.
The Red and Blue Crew was also out in force with lemonade, cotton candy, T-shirts and a photo booth.
Autumnfest was cut short when the weather turned for the worst as the winds picked up, the sky darkened and it started to hail.
Marc Grandillo, faculty adviser for the Duquesne Program Council and associate director of programs and leadership, said that even though he was disappointed with the weather on Saturday, Autumnfest had a great turnout.
Grandillo said the DPC handed out more than 800 free shirts.
“In that respect, the event was successful,” Grandillo said. “We wish the weather would have cooperated with us.”
Due to last year’s success Homecoming weekend brought back Battle of the Bands, which gave Duquesne students a chance to show off their musical skills Saturday night. Traditionally, Duquesne has done a fall concert series, named Bluffstock in the past, but this was the second year that the concert took place during Homecoming weekend.
The event went “extremely well,” as more than 300 people attended, according to Grandillo.
“I was really happy that we just didn’t get students at Battle of the Bands, but that alumni stuck around as well,” Grandillo said. “I thought that was great. We are absolutely planning on doing it next year and we are hoping for a bigger crowd.”
Sunday wrapped up the weekend with a farewell Mass, a brunch and a performance by the newly independent Tamburitzans, a crowd favorite.
