Schedule

Homecoming Spirit Week
Monday, September 30 – Friday, October 4

Campus offices and departments will be encouraged to decorate their spaces in purple and white by Monday. There will be coordinated dress-up days all week, ending with Purple Day on Friday.

There will be opportunities for high school students to attend classes, tour campus and interact with a student panel of current students.

Registration required at goshen.edu/visit.

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9:30 – 9:45 a.m.
Meet and Greet
Welcome Center, Union Lobby

Meet and greet for prospective students, grandparents, parents and siblings of current students. Coffee available.

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10 a.m.
Homecoming Convocation
Church-Chapel, Sanctuary

This special convocation will feature 2024 alumni award recipients.

Culture for Service Awards

Charles Hostetter ’63, San Francisco, California
Adam Tice ’02, Goshen, Indiana

Young Alumni Servant Leadership Award

Samita Thapa ’13, Turin, Italy

Champions of Character Awards

To be announced

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10:45 a.m.
Reception for Alumni Award Recipients
Church-Chapel, Fellowship Hall

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12 – 1 p.m.
Student Music Recital
Music Center, Rieth Recital Hall

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1 p.m.
Alumni and Family Bicycle Ride
Meet at Schrock Plaza fountain

Ride Goshen’s Pumpkinvine Bike Trail with other alumni, friends and families. Choose rides from a few miles to up to 35 miles. Groups will form going different speeds and distances. Registration encouraged.

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1 – 4 p.m.
Attend Class

Parents and grandparents may choose to attend a class with your current student during this time. As a courtesy to professors and to ensure there is room for visitors, your student will need to speak with the professor about your classroom visit ahead of time or you can connect with the admissions office to see a list of available classes.

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1 and 2 p.m.
Campus Tours
Welcome Center

New to campus or just want to see what has changed? Join us for a 40-minute walking tour of campus, which leave at 1 and 2 p.m.

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1 – 5 p.m.
Road Trip to Goshen College’s Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center
Welcome Center, leaving from the South end of the Union Building

Ride in a GC bus to Merry Lea and tour some of the Merry Lea facilities and learn more about all of the amazing programs that are part of this GC gem. Bus will leave from campus at 1 p.m. and return by 5 p.m. or you can drive on your own, if you’d prefer.

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3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Nyai Oyer Gamelan Demonstration
Union building, Gamelan Room

Marcia Yost, director of the arts, will provide an introduction to our Indonesian gamelan. This beautiful set of instruments was gifted to the college in memory of Duane Gingerich ‘69 and in honor of Dr. Mary Oyer ‘45. Come learn more about the journey that brought this gift to Goshen, the instruments, and GC’s plans for it. You will even have a chance to play it.

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4:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Class of 1974 – 50th Anniversary Dinner
Church-Chapel, Fellowship Hall
Cost: $25, Registration required

Celebrate 50 golden years! We will be taking your class photo at 4:45 p.m., so come in time for that. This is a chance to connect with your classmates over dinner and a short program. President Stoltzfus will be there to welcome you.

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5 – 10 p.m.
Goshen First Friday
Downtown Goshen

Stroll the streets of Downtown Goshen and visit shops, restaurants and art galleries at this monthly celebration of all that is good about Goshen. Learn more: downtowngoshen.org

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6 – 9 p.m. (special announcement at 7 p.m.)
Goshen College Night
Downtown Goshen, Goshen Theater

Join us for an evening of fun and celebration with musical group performances (TBA), snacks and GC giveaways. A very special announcement that you will not want to miss will be made at 7 p.m.

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8 p.m.
One Act Play — Songs and Scenes from a new original musical by students Victor Vegas and Fatima Zahara
Umble Center 

Cost: No tickets needed, free and open to the public

Five young, lost strangers find themselves searching for meaning, struggling with identity, and figuring out their emotions, while living under the same roof.

Restored GC Labyrinth
North of East Hall

We invite you to explore our recently restored GC labyrinth during the weekend. Constructed in 2003, it is a replica of an ancient labyrinth in the stone floor of the Chartres Cathedral in France. The Class of 1962 and 2012 each donated the landscaping around the labyrinth. Come walk the labyrinth — using it as a place for prayer, meditation and solitude.

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9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Free Time

Opportunity for parents and grandparents to spend time with your college student.

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9:15 – 11:30 a.m.
Preschool childcare (3-5 yrs.)
Church-Chapel, Nursery Rooms 124

Snack provided. Pick up your children by at least 11:45 a.m. Registration required.

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9:15 – 11:30 a.m.
K-6th Grade Activities
Rec-Fitness Center, Lobby

A variety of age-appropriate activities are planned, including a chance to learn about and play GC’s gamelan. Snack provided. Mark Daniels ’00 will be here to draw caricatures for interested children.

Please pick up your children by 11:45 a.m. No fee. Registration required.

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9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Alumni Class Reunions

Baked goods, coffee and tea will be served at 9 a.m. in the College Mennonite Fellowship Hall and the Newcomer and Music Center Lobbies. We will not be holding 5th or 15th year class reunions (class of 2019 and 2009) in 2024.

• 65th — Class of 1959: Location TBD
• 60th — Class of 1964: Location TBD
• 55th — Class of 1969: Location TBD
• 50th — Class of 1974: Location TBD
• 45th — Class of 1979: Location TBD
• 40th — Class of 1984: Location TBD
• 35th — Class of 1989: Location TBD
• 30th — Class of 1994: Location TBD
• 25th — Class of 1999: Location TBD
• 20th — Class of 2004: Location TBD
• 10th — Class of 2014: Location TBD

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11 a.m.
Alumni Baseball Game
Ingold Athletic Complex, Sarge Yoder Field

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11:30 a.m.
Lunch: Food Trucks
Parking lot South of the Union Building

Enjoy lunch from local food trucks (Mexican, Chinese with a S.E. Asian twist, and hot dogs). No registration required, food can be purchased directly from the vendors. Mark Daniels ’00 will be available in the Welcome Center lobby to draw caricatures for children and the young at heart.

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12 – 1 p.m.
Champions of Character Reception
Church-Chapel,  Fellowship Hall

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1 p.m.
Intramural Soccer Tournament
Kratz-Miller-Yoder Lawn

Do you want to relive your intramural glory days or make new athletic memories? Now’s your chance to see how you stack up against those whippersnapper GC students. If you would like to enter a co-ed alumni team, please contact alumni@goshen.edu.

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1 – 2 p.m.
State of the College Presentation
Location TBD

President Becky Stoltzfus ’83 will give an update on the college, focusing on more details about the special announcement that was made the previous evening at the Goshen Theater during First Friday.

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1 – 3 p.m.
Alumni Book Signing
Hunsberger Commons, The Union Building

If you are an alumni author and would like to sell a recent book, you are welcome to reserve a table in the Union. You will need to bring your own books and sell them yourself. Email alumni@goshen.edu if interested or with questions.

Participating authors, to date, include:

Adam Fleming ’97. The Legacy Way: Walking Into Purpose

Britt Kaufmann ’96. Midlife Calculus (poetry)

Fran Martens Friesen ’83, Mary Ann Zehr ’84. Doors Cracked Open: Teaching in a Chinese Closed City.

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1 – 3 p.m.
GC Thrift Fair!
Union Building, Hunsberger Commons

Alumni, current students and GC friends are invited to bring their well-loved GC gear — old or new — to share with other generations! T-shirts, jackets, hats, sweatshirts, mugs or other memorabilia in any condition are welcome. For a small donation to the GC Fund, anybody can score a piece of GC history!

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2 p.m.
Women’s Soccer Game vs. Indiana Wesleyan University
Ingold Athletics Complex, GC Soccer Field

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2 p.m.
Men’s Alumni & Intra-squad Basketball Game
Recreation-Fitness Center, Gunden Gymnasium

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2 – 3 p.m.
Homecoming Hymn Sing
Church-Chapel, Sanctuary

Led by Dr. Scott Hochstetler ’97, professor of music, and H. Roz Woll, assistant professor of music. This year we will feature some of the hymns of Adam Tice ’02, one of this year’s Culture for Service awardees. There will also be time for your requests.

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2 – 3 p.m.
Tour of the Center for Communication Studies
Northwest end of Newcomer Center

Jason Samuel ’93, WGCS general manager and assistant professor of communication, and student leaders will guide you through the new center.

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3 p.m.
Latinx Reception
Location: TBD

Join students from the Latino Student Union, members of the Latino Advisory Council and GC’s HSI Committee for an informal reception. There will be short remarks at 3:30 p.m. from Dr. Gilberto Perez, Jr, vice president for student life and Hispanic serving initiatives.

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3 p.m.
Black Student Union Reception
Location: TBD

Join students from the Black Student Union, their advisor, Aja Ellington, and other Black faculty and staff for members for an informal reception.

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3 p.m.
Advocates Reception
Location: TBD

Join students from the Advocates affinity group and their advisor, Jewel Lehman, for an informal reception. Advocates seeks to educate and promote communication between LGBTQIA+ and straight students, faculty and communities on campus.

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3 p.m.
Demonstration of the Nyai Oyer Gamelan
East end of Union Building

Marcia Yost, director of the arts, will give a brief introduction to the instrument and you may even have a chance to play it.

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3 – 4 p.m.
Presentation about the Planning and Construction of the Goshen College Music Center
Location: TBD

Join John Nyce ’59 and Glenn Gilbert, former director of facilities, for an in-depth look at the design and construction of our world class music center. An optional tour of the center will follow the presentation.

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3 – 4 p.m.
Art Exhibit: “God’s Eye Paintings by Chad Friesen 1967-2013”
Good Library Gallery (basement)

Ervin Beck ’59, professor emeritus of English, will comment on the exhibit.

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3:30 p.m.
Alumni Softball Game
Ingold Athletic Complex, GC Softball Complex

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4 p.m.
Women’s Alumni Basketball Game
Rec-Fitness Center, Gunden Gymnasium

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4 – 5:30 p.m.
The Record – its History and Future
Location TBD

Join Duane Stoltzfus ’81 , outgoing Record adviser and Anna Groff ’06, incoming Record advisor, for a time of reflection and discussion about and imagining the future of the Record. Guests will include former Record editors and John D. Roth ’81 and Susan Fisher Miller ’79, who will share about how they used Record archives in their writing and research, and its significant impact over the years for GC. Don’t miss this interactive session.

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4 p.m.
Tour of the Goshen Printmakers Guild
213 S. Main Street, Goshen (enter in the back, off public parking lot B, next to Fables Books)

Meet the owners of Goshen’s new Printmakers Guild, learn about the old-school presses and other equipment, and see the English Department’s Vandercook press in action! Join us on location or catch a ride at the south end of the Union in a GC van at 3:45 p.m.

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4 p.m.
One Act Play — Songs and Scenes from a new original musical by students Victor Vegas and Fatima Zahara
Umble Center       

Cost: No tickets needed, free and open to the public

Five young, lost strangers find themselves searching for meaning, struggling with identity, and figuring out their emotions, while living under the same roof.

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5:30 – 7 p.m.
Art Exhibit Reception, “Fear and Connection”                                          Music Center, Hershberger Gallery

Come see an exhibit of work by Merrill Krabill ’79, recently retired professor of art. There will be an artist talk at 6:15 p.m.

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7:30 p.m.
Homecoming Music Gala
Music Center, Sauder Concert Hall
Cost: $10, $8 for seniors/youth and free for GC students/faculty/staff

The Music Department presents its annual showcase of student and faculty musicians.

Tickets can be purchased at goshen.edu/tickets or by calling 574.535.7566. Ticket window will open at 6:30 p.m. for ticket purchase or will call.

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9 p.m.
Homecoming Trivia Night for Students and Alumni                                                                Location TBD 

Bring your friends and your thinking caps for a chance to win some prizes and the honor of schooling the other teams. You can bring a team of up to six participants or you can come alone and we’ll add you to a team. Special call out for any alumni team willing to take on current students and stay up past your bed time! Time to relive those sleep deprived college years. Snacks will be served. For questions or to enter a team, contact alumni@goshen.edu.

9:30 a.m.
Worship at College Mennonite Church
Church-Chapel, Sanctuary

Join us for worship. President Rebecca Stoltzfus ’83 will be preaching. Pre-service singing starts at 9:15 a.m.

Other local churches will also warmly welcome you back. For a complete list of local congregations, visit: goshen.edu/faith/church-directory

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2 p.m.
One Act Play — Songs and Scenes from a new original musical by students Victor Vegas and Fatima Zahara
Umble Center   

Cost: No tickets needed, free and open to the public

Five young, lost strangers find themselves searching for meaning, struggling with identity, and figuring out their emotions, while living under the same roof.