“We’re thrilled to welcome our Herd alumni back to campus for a week filled with tradition and pride,” said Matt James, executive director of the Marshall University Alumni Association. “After multiple years navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re thankful to finally get back to normal with this year’s schedule of events and truly celebrate what it means to be a member of the Marshall family.”
Activities begin at 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24, with the Unity Walk, an annual event celebrating unity, inclusion and oneness on campus with music, fellowship and fun. Community members are invited and encouraged to participate. The walk begins at the Marshall Rec Center and ends at the Memorial Student Center Plaza. Marshall’s Homecoming Court will also be announced at the event.
At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, Marshall’s Homecoming parade will march down the streets of Huntington, featuring Jim Datin as grand marshal. Datin recently retired as president and chief executive officer of BioAgilytix, a leading global bioanalytical contract research organization. Datin graduated from Marshall in 1985 with a degree in marketing and was inducted into Marshall’s Lewis College of Business and Brad D. Smith Schools of Business Hall of Fame in 2018.
This year, the parade will begin on Fourth Avenue at 10th Street and travel east to Hal Greer Boulevard, where it will move up to Fifth Avenue and continue east to 17th Street at Harless Dining Hall. For those who are unable to attend the Homecoming parade in person, a livestream of the event may be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/marshallu.
The annual bonfire is scheduled to take place immediately following the parade on Harless Field (located between Harless Dining Hall and City National Bank). Music will be played on site by Kindred Communications. There will be special appearances by coaches, players, cheerleaders and more.
On Friday, Oct. 28, Picnic on the Plaza returns from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. The event features free food, music, a pep rally and photo booth, presented by the Marshall University Alumni Association. The event is free and open to students, alumni and the university community.
From 5:30 to 10 p.m. the Marshall University Alumni Association Board of Directors will host the Homecoming StamFEED. Alumni, family and friends will experience downtown Huntington and the city’s best drinks and eats. Locations include Summit Beer Station, Sip Downtown Brasserie, Marshall Hall of Fame Café and the Cellar Door. Tickets are $60 and include a commemorative Homecoming 2022 glass. To purchase tickets, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/424121206947.
At 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, the Homecoming Stampede 5K, presented by the Alumni Association, will feature a campus-focused run/walk with awards for multiple age groups. Registration and the start of the race both take place on the Memorial Student Center Plaza.
At 4 p.m., three hours before kickoff, the annual Marshall Alumni and Family Tailgate will take place in the Joan C. Edwards Stadium East Lot, beside the Chris Cline Indoor Athletic Complex. The tailgate features food, drinks, music and special guest appearances. Tickets to attend are $15.
The Thundering Herd will take on Coastal Carolina University at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. During halftime, the Homecoming Court will be crowned on the field.
To learn more about the week’s calendar of events, visit https://www.herdalum.com/calendar-of-events.
Other student-focused events taking place can be found by visiting https://www.marshall.edu/homecoming/events/.