We are thrilled to welcome alumni and friends back to campus for Graceland’s 2023 Homecoming festivities. Join fellow alumni and friends in Lamoni for a weekend of food, fellowship and fun.
We will share more details about this exciting event early this fall.
1963 | 1973 | 1983 | 1988 | 1993 | 1998 | 2003 | 2013
In addition to a special dinner for these honor classes, we will have activities, events and meals planned for all alumni regardless of class year.
Every Homecoming, Graceland honors distinguished alumni and friends at its annual alumni awards banquet. It recognizes three awards: the Graceland Award of Recognition, the Honorary Alumni Award, and the Distinguished Service Award and new this year, we are happy to recognize our Wall of Fame and Hall of Fame inductees.
This year’s award winners included:
Each year, Graceland inducts distinguished alumni into its athletic program’s hall of fame and wall of fame. Since they were established, Graceland has honored those alumni each Homecoming with a presentation at halftime of the Homecoming football game. This year, we are also honoring these alumni at the Friday night Alumni and Friends Awards Banquet to be held in the Shaw Center Lobby.
In the meantime, below are all the fun and exciting events we hosted during the 2022 Homecoming weekend.
Indicates a ticketed event.
| TIME | EVENT | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30 p.m. |
Homecoming Production: The Play That Goes Wrong
The Cornley Drama Society are putting on a 1920s murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong… does! The accident-prone thespians battle against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call, with hilarious consequences! |
Shaw Center/Shaw Family Auditorium |
| TIME | EVENT | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Alumni Board Meeting | Newcom Student Union/CETL, Room 18 |
| 11:30 a.m. | Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament
Registration opens at 11:30 a.m., tournament starts at Noon |
Lamoni Municipal Golf Course |
| 3 – 6 p.m. | Softball Home Run Derby | North Park |
| 4 p.m. | Baseball Alumni Game | North Park |
| 5 p.m. |
Alumni and Friends Awards Banquet ($30/person) | Shaw Center Lobby |
| 7 p.m. | Art Show and Reception: Collage by Jim Murray
Jim Murray (b.1951) originally from Clinton, Iowa, graduated from Graceland University with a BA in Elementary Education and Art in 1997. Murray studied with Bette Sellars and Steve Greenquist in the old art building of Kelley Hall. Prior to his Graceland experience, Murray underwent extensive world travel that later informed his body of work in Collage. Since Graduating from Graceland Murray has been teaching Studio Art at Seymour Community School for the past 25 years. Murray hopes that by sharing his work with the community it will inspire others to start making their own collages. Murray currently lives and works in Humeston, Iowa. |
Helene Center/Constance Art Gallery |
| 7:30 p.m. |
Homecoming Production: The Play That Goes Wrong
The Cornley Drama Society are putting on a 1920s murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong… does! The accident-prone thespians battle against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call, with hilarious consequences! |
Shaw Center/Shaw Family Auditorium |
| 10 p.m. | Air Band | Morden Center |
| TIME | EVENT | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30-10 a.m. | Women’s Volleyball Intersquad Scrimmage | Morden Center |
| 9-10:30 a.m. | Gadets Alumni Event | Shaw Center/Movement Room |
| 9-10:30 a.m. | Harmony & SAGE Reception | Resch Science and Technology Hall #106 |
| 9:30 a.m. |
Ergo and Friends Recital (tickets required, no charge) |
Shaw Center/Carol Hall |
| 9:30-10:30 a.m. | Resch Open House
Student demonstrations along with robotics, gaming and more. Former CS, CE, CIS, IT, CSIT, Biology and Chemistry majors are encouraged to stop by. |
Resch Science and Technology Hall #130 |
| 9:30-11 a.m. | Agape Pastry Reception | Gunsolley Hall/Dan B. Kelley Lounge |
| 10 a.m. | Men’s and Women’s Soccer vs Alumni | Training Pitch |
| 10-10:30 a.m. | Alumni Endowed Scholarship presentation | Shaw Center Lobby |
| 10-11 a.m. | Women’s Varsity Volleyball vs Alumni | Morden Center |
| 10 a.m.-1 p.m. | International Club Silent Auction | Campus Quad (In case of rain, location will be moved to Newcom Student Union/Great Room.) |
| 10 a.m. | Future Student Campus Tours | Higdon Administration Building/Lobby |
| 11 a.m. | Pep Rally (In case of rain, location will be moved to Shaw Center Lobby.) |
Shaw Center Amphitheatre |
| 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Yellowjacket Tailgate Party ($8.25/person credit/debit card only at the event) Hamburgers, hotdogs, walking tacos, potato salad, coleslaw, chips, cookies and a drink. |
Campus Quad (In case of rain, lunch will be available in the Commons or The Swarm.) |
| 12-2 p.m. | Men’s Basketball Open Practice/Scrimmage | Morden Center |
| 12-2 p.m. | Sustainability Garden Open House | Hoop House (east of the water tower) |
| 1:35 p.m. | Freeman Awards Presentation
Tom ’55 and Terry Moore ’56 Freeman present medals to the top scholar-athletes in each sport. |
Huntsman Field (In case of rain, location will be moved to Morden Center.) |
| 2 p.m. |
Homecoming Football Game vs Baker University
Half-time: Hall of Fame Inductions. |
Huntsman Field |
| 2 p.m. |
Homecoming Production: The Play That Goes Wrong
The Cornley Drama Society are putting on a 1920s murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong… does! The accident-prone thespians battle against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call, with hilarious consequences! |
Shaw Center/Shaw Family Auditorium |
| 5 p.m. | 10, 20, and 25 Honor Class Dinners ($10.50/person credit/debit card only at the door) |
Floyd M. McDowell Commons (east side) |
| 5 p.m. |
50-year Honor Class Dinner ($30/person) |
Newcom Student Union/Great Room |
| 5 p.m. |
30, 35, 40, and 60 Honor Class Dinners ($30/person) | Shaw Center Lobby |
| 6 p.m. |
Women’s Soccer vs. Central Methodist University
Online tickets with a valid ID are required for entrance. |
“The Razz” Soccer Facility |
| 6 p.m. | Softball vs Alumni | North Park |
| 7:30 p.m. |
Music Showcase Grand concert featuring the Graceland University Symphonic Band, Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Harmonium, and Orchestra. Entrance is free but tickets are required. |
Shaw Center/Shaw Family Auditorium |
| 8:30 p.m. |
Men’s Soccer vs. Central Methodist University
Online tickets with a valid ID are required for entrance. |
“The Razz” Soccer Facility |
| 9 – 11 p.m. | Food Trucks and Music (Accepting cash and credit/debit card payments) Food trucks will be parked in the circle drive on Saturday night and music will be playing throughout the campus. Gather with your friends for food and fun! |
Campus Quad / Circle Drive |
| TIME | EVENT | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| 8 a.m. | Crescent Breakfast | Helene E101 |
| 8:30 a.m. | Communion Service | Cheville Chapel |
| 10:30 a.m. | Homecoming Worship Service | Shaw Center/Shaw Family Auditorium |
| 11:30 a.m. | The President’s Brunch
This “invitation only” event salutes Presidential Society members and Heritage Club inductees. |
Newcom Student Union/Great Room |
| 2 p.m. |
Homecoming Production: The Play That Goes Wrong
The Cornley Drama Society are putting on a 1920s murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong… does! The accident-prone thespians battle against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call, with hilarious consequences! |
Shaw Center/Shaw Family Auditorium |
Looking for a place to stay near Lamoni? We’ve got you covered.
| BUSINESS | DISTANCE | PHONE | WEBSITE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cobblestone Inn & Suites
Lamoni, IA | 2.4 miles | 641.784.4000 | Website |
| Rodeway Inn Lamoni, IA | 2.1 miles | 319.315.0080 | Website |
| Eagles Landing Eagleville, MO | 14 miles | 660.867.5228 | |
| Little River Inn Motel Leon, IA | 16.1 miles | 641.446.4884 | Website |
| Lesanville Inn at Ramsey Farms Mt. Ayr, IA | 17.8 miles | 641.414.8550 | |
| Charlie-Jane's B&B Mt. Ayr, IA | 22.8 miles | 641.464.2564 | |
| Mount Ayr Inn Mt. Ayr, IA | 21.5 miles | 641.464.3500 | Website |
| Armstrong Guest house Mt. Ayr, IA | 24 miles | 641.344.5553 | Website |
| Quality Inn & Suites Bethany, MO | 25.8 miles | 660.425.8006 | Website |
| Family Budget Motel Bethany, MO | 25.8 miles | 660.425.7915 | Website |
| Super 8 Bethany, MO | 25.9 miles | 660.240.0597 | Website |
| Relax Inn Osceola, IA | 32.2 miles | 641.342.2123 | Website |
| AmericInn of Osceola Osceola, IA | 32.5 miles | 641.342.9400 | Website |
| Quality Inn Osceola, IA | 32.2 miles | 641.342.6666 | Website |
| Super 8 Osceola, IA | 32.2 miles | 641.638.6475 | Website |
| Evergreen Inn Osceola, IA | 33.2 miles | 641.342.3162 | Website |
| Blue Haven Motel Osceola, IA | 33.4 miles | 641.342.2115 | |
| Lakeside Hotel & Casino Osceola, IA *Ask for the Graceland Rate* | 34 miles | 641.342.9511 | Website |
| Hotel Rea Corydon, IA | 39.3 miles | 641.895.6074 | Website |
| Nodyroc Motel Corydon, IA | 39.4 miles | 641.872.2533 | Website |
| Inn of the Six-Toed Cat Allerton, IA | 40.2 miles | 641.873.4900 | Website |
The Lamoni area has a few Airbnb options, though Graceland cannot verify their quality. Search for locations here.
Graceland has several RV camping spots on campus, located in the parking lot southwest of Resch Science and Technology Hall. No reservations are accepted – all camping spots are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Suggested rate: $15 per camper, per night. Please deposit RV fees in the drop box located at the northwest corner of the west events parking lot.
There are three campgrounds with 68 campsites (28 with electrical hookups), modern showers, restrooms and a trailer dump station just 12 miles from Graceland at Iowa’s Nine Eagles State Park. Find out more information and make reservations.
