The parade will take place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, beginning at 12th Street and 4th Avenue in downtown Huntington. The homecoming football game will feature the Thundering Herd taking on Florida Atlantic University, and kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15.
Dawson missed the flight back to Huntington from Greenville, North Carolina, due to a recruiting trip.
“I’ve never left Huntington, West Virginia,” Dawson said. “I have been here since January 1968. I am a part of the Marshall family and I know that in my heart. That is an honor for me as part of this Marshall family, just like being this year’s grand marshal is an honor.”
Dawson said he was “very excited” – and surprised – when Marshall President Jerome Gilbert asked him to be the grand marshal.
“I am very excited because I have continued to follow the football program and I know all of the coaches, and I will always love Marshall football,” he said. “When When Dr. Gilbert called me and asked me to be the grand marshal, I kept asking him, ‘are you sure? Did you clear this with everybody?’ He assured me that they wanted me and it’s unbelievable.
“I didn’t think we would get another leader like President Kopp but by golly, we did. I think the world of the new president. I assured him I would do anything they want me to do for the university and the homecoming parade. I always feel very welcome when I come back to Marshall.”
Here is a list of events scheduled for homecoming week (Oct. 10-15), the theme of which is Thundering 20s:
MONDAY, OCT. 10
OFFICE DECORATION
WHEN: All week
WHERE: Marshall University’s Huntington campus
WHAT: All campus offices are asked to decorate using the Thundering 20s theme. The offices will be judged on Thursday and prizes will be awarded at the Friday, Oct. 14, Picnic on the Plaza. Prizes will be awarded in multiple categories.
THUNDERING POMP COMPETITION
WHEN: All week
WHERE: Marshall University’s Huntington campus
WHAT: Student organizations will be asked to create a “pomp”’ piece to be used in the homecoming parade. Judging will take place on Thursday, Oct. 13.
PENNY WARS
WHEN: All week
WHERE: Marshall University’s Huntington campus
WHAT: Student organizations with the most pennies in their jars will win their respective categories. The winning organization will receive half of the money collected, and the other half will be donated to the philanthropy of their choosing.
TUESDAY, OCT. 11
CANNED FOOD ART
WHEN: Noon
WHERE: Marshall University’s Huntington campus
WHAT: Student organizations will be tasked with building a self-sustaining structure out of canned food related to the Thundering 20s theme. All food items collected will be donated to the Huntington City Mission.
UNITY WALK
WHEN: 5 p.m.
WHERE: Marshall University’s Huntington campus
WHAT: All students, teams, organizations, residence halls, faculty, staff and community members are invited to walk the campus perimeter and show their Marshall pride.
MEET THE COURT
WHEN: 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Memorial Student Center Plaza on the Huntington campus
WHAT: Meet the candidates for Mr. and Miss Marshall. Voting begins immediately following the Unity Walk.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 12
SO MU THINK YOU CAN DANCE?
WHEN: Noon
WHERE: Memorial Student Center Plaza on the Huntington campus
WHAT: Show off your sweet 1920s dance moves on the Memorial Student Center Plaza.
THURSDAY, OCT. 13
HOMECOMING PARADE
WHEN: 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Downtown Huntington
WHAT: Join us in a celebration of Marshall University during the annual homecoming parade. Floats, marching bands and everything you love about parades will fill the air, this time under the lights on a Thursday evening.
YELL LIKE HELL
WHEN: 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Huntington
WHAT: Student organizations participating in the parade show their pride and see which group has the most spirit.
PEP RALLY & BONFIRE
WHEN: 8 p.m.
WHERE: Harless Field
WHAT: For the second consecutive year, students and alums can enjoy a massive bonfire with plenty of entertainment and activities featuring university coaches and team members!
ROCK THE REC
WHEN: 9:30 p.m.
WHERE: Rec Center
WHAT: Join Marshall as we fill the Rec Center following the pep rally for the first night of Thundering Herd basketball practice.
FRIDAY, OCT. 14
PICNIC ON THE PLAZA
WHEN: 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: Memorial Student Center Plaza on the Huntington campus
WHAT: Marshall’s largest and most exciting on-campus homecoming party returns. The Marshall University Alumni Association will be throwing a party with free food, drinks, music, games and lots of fun.
WEISBERG ENGINEERING COMPLEX TOURS
WHEN: 1 p.m.
WHERE: Weisberg Engineering Complex on the Huntington campus
WHAT: Take a tour of the new Arthur Weisberg Family Applied Engineering Complex at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. or 3 p.m.
PARENTS & FAMILY WEEKEND WINE RECEPTION
WHEN: 4 p.m.
WHERE: Brad D. Smith Foundation Hall on the Huntington campus
WHAT: Post-registration wine reception and family photos in the rotunda of the Brad D. Smith Foundation Hall, home of the Erickson Alumni Center.
BLACK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION RECEPTION
WHEN: 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Pullman Plaza Hotel in downtown Huntington
WHAT: Meet and greet reception at the Pullman Plaza Hotel followed by a comedy show and dance party.
SATURDAY, OCT. 15
ALUM RUN
WHEN: 8 a.m.
WHERE: Pullman Square in downtown Huntington
WHAT: Join your fellow alums on a run from Pullman Square to campus with multiple age groups and prizes
SIGMA SIGMA SIGMA HOMECOMING BREAKFAST
WHEN: 8 a.m.
WHERE: Sigma Sigma Sigma House on the Huntington campus
WHAT: The Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority will be hosting a breakfast and silent auction in the Sigma house for alumni and friends of the sorority.
MU ALUMNI TAILGATE
WHEN: Noon
WHERE: Harless Field on MU’s Huntington campus
WHAT: Tailgate with the Marshall University Alumni Association. Food, drinks, music and fun on the field beside Harless Dining Hall with a number of special guests all leading up to the big game.
Tickets to the 2016 Marshall University Alumni Tailgate are only $10.
HOMECOMING GAME VS. FAU
WHEN: 7 p.m.
WHERE: Joan C. Edwards Stadium
WHAT: Watch as the Thundering Herd battles FAU in a crucial Conference USA showdown.
HALFTIME ACTIVITIES
WHEN: Halftime
WHERE: Joan C. Edwards Stadium
WHAT: Watch as we crown Mr. and Miss Marshall and award student organizations following a busy week of activities.
BLACK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CASINO NIGHT
WHEN: 9:30 p.m.
WHERE: Pullman Plaza Hotel in downtown Huntington
WHAT: Casino Night with dinner and dancing at the Pullman Plaza Hotel.