This past weekend was Homecoming Weekend, and the University welcomed back alumni with many fun events and activities to participate in. Events officially kicked off on Oct. 18 with the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble performance at the Weis Center for the Performing Arts. On Oct. 19, the traditional festivities began, with Fall Friday, an admissions event for alumni families with high school students. The event allowed for the students to make connections and learn more about the admissions process.

The Homecoming Welcome Reception was held at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium on Oct. 19 to officially welcome back alumni to the University. Following the reception was the Black Student Union Showcase and the 40th Annual Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

There were also many fun activities for alumni to participate in on Oct. 20. The football game had an Alumni Tailgate, which included a kids’ zone for children. Multiple athletic events were held during the afternoon, including alumni softball, baseball, and men’s lacrosse games. The night ended with the celebration of 125 years of engineering education at the University.

The Samek Art Museum exhibition “Mystic Detectives” opened on Oct. 23. This exhibition explores the influences of Surrealism in contemporary art. At the Samek’s downtown gallery, the exhibition “Women’s Work,” which reexamined the traditional power structures found in classic stories is also on view.

A discussion on Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome also took place on Oct. 23. Dr. Joy DeGruy spoke on how centuries of slavery and oppression have caused multigenerational adaptive behavior, both positive and negative. DeGruy noted how Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome lays the groundwork for understanding how the past has influenced the present. She also discussed how African American people can use the strengths they have gained to sustain healing and ensure advancement of their culture. The talk was co-sponsored by the Dean of Students Office, Counseling and Student Development Center, the Griot Institute for Africana Studies, and the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender.

On Oct. 23, Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences Rich Robbins held an event called “Ghosts and Hauntings: Decide for Yourself” at the MacDonald Commons. Robbins discussed ghosts and the theories surrounding their existence, as well as their presence on campus. The event was sponsored by the Office of Campus Activities and Programs.