By Jo Ann Mitchell Brasington ’89 and Dr. Phillip Stone ’94

Wofford College has been welcoming alumni back to campus for Homecoming celebrations almost since the college’s first alumni association was established in 1859. The first Homecomings usually centered around Commencement, and Wofford still welcomes the 50-year class back each year to celebrate the milestone with the college’s newest graduates.

Homecomings became a focus of the fall semester in the 1950s and 1960s. While traditions have evolved through the years, the important things — reconnecting with friends, sharing Wofford with family and celebrating common bonds and community — never go out of style.

REUNIONS

Until the 1960s, reunions were held during Commencement. Now, in addition to class reunions held each fall, the college supports affinity reunions. This year there was a Homecoming muster for alumni veterans and current ROTC students and an Orientation staff reunion as well. Classes are given the opportunity to support the college in tangible ways leading up to their reunion, and the college recognizes those efforts with the Old Main Cup reunion competition. This year the Class of 2004 won the Bellringer Bucket with the highest reunion attendance percentage. The Class of 1994 was awarded the Papadopoulos Platter for the most dollars raised, and the Class of 1999 was presented with the Beneficent Bowl for the greatest donor participation.

ATHLETICS EVENTS AND TAILGATING

This year the Terriers competed at home in football and women’s soccer during Homecoming weekend. Win or lose, the games give alumni a chance to gather in their old gold and black and cheer as a community for the college’s student-athletes.

It’s also a good time to introduce children, friends, pets and extended families to Wofford’s people, campus and beloved traditions.

HOMECOMING QUEEN AND MR. WOFFORD

An annual presidential duty in the era of Dr. Charles Marsh was the crowning of the Homecoming Queen. Because Wofford was an all-male institution, the Homecoming Queen was usually a student from another South Carolina college such as Converse, Columbia, Winthrop or Limestone. The Homecoming court usually represented social fraternities. Today, many campus organizations nominate a representative for Homecoming Queen and Mr. Wofford. This year’s Homecoming Queen is Marga Van Der Linde ’25, the college’s Campus Union president and a biology and English major from Bellville, South Africa. Mr. Wofford is Hayden Pendergrass ’26, a psychology and Spanish major from Columbia, S.C.

CELEBRATIONS

In 1958, a Homecoming dance was held on Friday night at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium, featuring Tony Torre and his orchestra from Columbia, S.C. Over the years, the college has held street parties, band parties, dances and the Terrier Ball auction and gala. For the past few years, an All-Alumni Band Party on the lawn of Main Building has capped off reunions.

Spending time at “the Row,” now the Stewart H. Johnson Greek Village, has been another option, with alumni bands playing at different fraternity houses. For decades Greek-letter organizations created floats and burned them before the football game. Today the college sponsors a Homecoming carnival for students.

Every year, people share tales of past parties: “Remember when we took over Morgan Square in Spartanburg for the Homecoming party?” “Remember the time the Terrier Ball had circus performers?” “Remember when faculty tended bar during the band party?”

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MEETING AND AWARDS

The Alumni Association meets during Homecoming and each year honors alumni for leadership, service and professional achievement. This year the alumni association recognized:

  • Foster McLane ’69 and Dr. Bill Riley ’69 with the Distinguished Citizen Awards.
  • Johnny Linton ’70 and Robert Barber ’71 with the Charles H. Gray ’72 Distinguished Service Award.
  • Coker Gamble Powell ’00 with the Pride of Wofford Award.
  • Nathan Patnam ’19 with the Rising Star Award.

BLACK ALUMNI SUMMIT AND BIPOC GATHERINGS

A decade ago, Black alumni and friends began the Black Alumni Summit to engage more authentically and fully with the college. The intent was to create sustainable connections and a thriving network of advocates and mentors for current Black students. Since then, the group has established several scholarships, inspired the establishment of other affinity groups and built a framework for future gatherings. For the past few years, the Career Center has sponsored a BIPOC brunch to foster professional connections, and the Office for Civil Rights, Compliance and Community Initiatives has sponsored research presentations, Minorities in STEM events and other inclusive Homecoming celebrations.

SIP & STROLL

A new and incredibly popular event for Homecoming has been the history Sip & Stroll. Organized by Dr. Phillip Stone ’94, college archivist, with support from the alumni office, the event is held on the Friday afternoon of Homecoming. It starts under the Richardson Family Pavilion in the Stewart H. Johnson Greek Village and continues to various stops on campus where participants enjoy beverages, a light history lesson and some fun Wofford trivia. Nayef and Prema Samhat now have a stop — including a signature beverage — on the Sip & Stroll path.

BOOKS, BOURBON AND ART

Through the years, alumni authors have held book signings during Homecoming, but the tradition has been on hold for more than a decade … until this year. Following the Sip & Stroll, alumni walked to the Rosalind Sallenger Richardson Center for the Arts, where they found alumni authors and their books and alumni art in an inaugural exhibition. Garrett Steck ’24 brought samples of 1854 Reserve (Old Main edition) for alumni to taste while they browsed.