Celebrating 100 Years of Homecoming

This past weekend reminded me, once again, why Graceland is such a remarkable place. As we celebrated 100 years of Homecoming and 130 years of belonging, our campus came alive with laughter, meaningful conversations, and stories that spanned generations. Whether it was seeing alumni reconnect under the trees on the Quad, watching students cheer at Air Band, or dedicating new spaces that honor the people who built this university, the sense of community was unmistakable.

Some of the weekend’s highlights included:

• Air Band, the student-favorite spectacle that filled Morden Center with energy and creativity — and which I had the honor of hosting for the first time.
• The Alumni Awards Dinner, where we celebrated Diana Jones with the Graceland Award of Recognition and honored late nursing faculty member and former dean Patricia Trachsel with the Distinguished Service Award, alongside our Hall of Fame and Wall of Fame inductees.
• Dedications of new spaces, including the Henson Strength & Conditioning Center, the new women’s wrestling facility, the labyrinth, and the court dedications in Morden Center honoring legendary coaches and leaders.
• And, of course, a full weekend of athletic competitions, where alumni and students stood side by side in a sea of blue and gold, cheering on our Yellowjackets.

All these moments, regardless of size, captured the best of who we are. Graceland isn’t just a university, it’s a community of people who belong to one another.

I want to extend my deepest thanks to everyone who made this milestone Homecoming possible. To our Advancement team, who orchestrated every detail with care, ensuring that our alumni and friends felt welcomed and appreciated — thank you. To our faculty, staff, students, and volunteers, who opened their hearts and their time to make visitors feel at home — you embodied what it means to live out radical belonging.

But our celebration isn’t just about looking back. It’s about building forward.

Graceland is launching a two-year, $20 million campaign focused on enhancing the student experience through investment in scholarships, academic programs, and recruiting efforts to ensure we build a 21^st-century business model that will sustain our beloved university for the future. The same spirit of generosity that brought our alumni home this weekend will propel us into the future. Together, we can carry the legacy of belonging into the next century of Graceland’s story.

Join us in supporting this important effort by visiting graceland.edu/give.

Thank you for being part of a community that continues to believe in what Graceland stands for — a place where every student can discover who they are, who they can become, and where they belong.