IUP alumni returned to Indiana for Homecoming festivities yesterday, and while Mother Nature may have tried to put a damper on things early, hundreds of people were still out for the Annual Homecoming Parade.
Alumni got a chance to network and share their pride for their university at the Crimson Huddle at the KCAC. Mary Morgan of the Alumni and Friends association said about 900 people attended this year’s Crimson Huddle. She added that the group is about much more than events:
“We are actually reaching out to not only the alumni of the university, but everybody at the university, because everybody’s committed to making sure that we are doing a good job and excelling as a university. So, we invite everybody to come together for events that we do, but we’re doing more than events. We’re all about engaging people, and keeping them committed to the university so they’re helping students to find jobs, to find opportunities. And just, even mentor to students to make sure that they know what it’s like to be a graduate and move on into a career.”
In attendance was IUP grad and Indiana County Commissioner Rodney Ruddock, who said that he felt a lot of pride in the room, and that it was important for grads to maintain the connection with IUP.
“It’s been very exciting here just to see some faces that I recall, and we were here over the years ago. But, it’s really a special opportunity just to say thanks to the people who’ve got me through the university, and they’re here as well. There’s a lot of pride in this room today. We are certainly a university that stands proud. I owe my heart and soul to Indiana County, IUP was a large part of that because, first of all, I met my wife here. And, my career really blossomed because of IUP. How could I not want to give back to my university?”
Homecoming festivities wrap up today with student clean up in the morning and a Homecoming Band concert at Fisher Auditorium this afternoon.
