Emory Homecoming focuses on building community

By Michelle Ricker Oct. 12, 2023

From concerts and games to trips down memory lane, Emory’s Homecoming 2023 will be a crowd-pleaser for all.

Emory Homecoming 2023 is just around the corner and is chock-full of events happening on both the Atlanta and Oxford campuses. Student events start on Saturday, Oct. 14, with activities for students, families and alumni continuing through Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, Oct. 18-22.

The entire Emory community is invited to catch the annual Homecoming Parade on Saturday, Oct. 21, at noon. Bring your family or friends and get a great view from the Emory Student Center or from the Quadrangle.

After the parade, stick around for the Homecoming Food and Music Festival on the Quadrangle. Festivities start at noon and include delicious food, eclectic live music, nostalgia and family fun.

Chelsea Cutler, whose third studio album will be released on Friday, and genre-bending artist Bryce Vine are the headline performers for this year’s concert. The show kicks off by sailing back in time with Yacht Rock Schooner, then transitions to singer and rapper Anees for the opening act.

You can check out the entire schedule and snag a festival map online.

Building community

With events perfect for celebrating the theme of “Emory Heart + Atlanta Soul,” Homecoming is full of must-see events.

On Thursday, Oct. 19, Atlanta artist and activist Charmaine Minniefield, who spent a year as artist-in-residence at the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, returns to campus for an evening celebration of the Praise House Project at Emory University. The public art installation opens with an evening of reflection and performance at Glenn Memorial Church on Emory's Atlanta campus. The program starts at 7 p.m. and will feature performances by the inaugural hip-hop ambassador to the U.S. State Department Toni Blackman and Salah Ananse. Additionally, Atlanta’s own all-women contemporary African dance and drumming ensemble, Giwayen Mata, will perform with accompaniment by Mausiki Scales and Common Ground Collective. The Emory Praise House will also be open for tours on Friday, Oct. 20, and remain open through Homecoming Weekend from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. The Praise House Project is the culmination of Minniefield’s multi-year engagement with the Emory community and will remain on campus through Dec. 15.

On Friday, Oct. 20, enjoy “Adventures in the Archives: A Creativity Conversation with Rosemary M. Magee and Clint Fluker” at 5:30 p.m. in the Jones Room of Woodruff Library. Hear Magee and Fluker share tales about their adventures in the archives, including what discoveries they've made and new understandings they’ve experienced as archival researchers and exhibit curators. After the program, enjoy a reception and explore the newly opened exhibit: “At the Crossroads with Benny Andrews, Flannery O’Connor and Alice Walker.”

Join the Unity Block Party at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Amphitheater Staircase, Asbury Circle and Cox Hall Bridge. The party commemorates the opening of Emory’s new identity spaces in Cox Hall and celebrates diversity, inclusion, community and belonging at Emory. Then, at 1 p.m., join President Gregory L. Fenves and other university leaders at the ribbon cutting and opening celebration of the Belonging and Community Justice identity spaces on the third floor of Cox Hall. Come eat, drink, play games, dance, socialize and commemorate the spaces for the Emory Black Student Union, Centro Latinx, Asian Student Center, Center for Women, Emory First and LGBT Life.

Then, attend the Emory Interfaith Center Opening Celebration, starting at 3 p.m. The new Interfaith Center reflects the increasing religious diversity at Emory and will serve as a place to encourage dialogue, understanding and peacemaking across faiths. Join President Fenves, other university leaders and the Emory Office of Spiritual and Religious Life for brief remarks and refreshments as well as tours of the center.

You can bring your questions to the Michael C. Carlos Museum on Saturday afternoon for talks with docents in the galleries. They will offer information on the permanent collection and special exhibitions from 12-2 p.m. Special exhibitions include a collection of artwork by Benny Andrews in the Howett Works on Paper Gallery, and “You Belong Here: Place, People, and Purpose in Latinx Photography,” celebrating the dynamic photography of Latinx artists across the United States.

Also happening Saturday is the Emory Jazz Reunion Performance, starting at 2 p.m. in the Performing Arts Studio of the Burlington Road Building. After celebrating its 20-year anniversary in February, Emory Jazz alumni welcome former members of the Big Band to join them for a reunion performance.

Even more events for students

This year’s student-focused theme is Swoop’s Cinema, with the fun kicking off Saturday, Oct. 14, at 4:30 p.m. on the First Year Quad near Kaldi’s Depot. All first-year students are invited to gather for some Ethiopian food and great conversations with members of the Interfraternity Council. Then, at 6 p.m. on McDonough Field, Student Programming Council (SPC) presents the annual Homecoming Concert, complete with food and activity vendors.

At 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 16, head to McDonough Field for a sci-fi adventure with Swoopin’ Out of This World and compete against friends in glow-in-the-dark laser tag, virtual reality games and more. Plus, enjoy delicious food from Blaxican food truck and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.

Live out the rom-com of your dreams on Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. with Swoop’s First Date. Visit the Student Center for a roller rink and arcade games, then grab some sweet and savory treats from Holy Crepe and Smallcakes.

Head to the Quad on Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 6 p.m. for the annual HocoFest: Student Talent Show. Watch student performers and groups while enjoying free food, drinks, activities and student organization tables for an unforgettable evening.

On Thursday, Oct. 19, at 6 p.m., stop by McDonough Field to enjoy Emory Screen on the Green movie night with a showing of “Top Gun: Maverick.” In addition to the movie, the event will feature games, prizes, free food and fun.

Family Weekend activities

Homecoming is a time to celebrate with family, friends and loved ones — and there are plenty of events perfect for doing just that. Family Weekend for families of current Emory students coincides with Homecoming Week, from Oct. 20-22.

On the Atlanta campus, stop by the Family Weekend Welcome Table in the Emory Student Center on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 9-11 a.m. for Emory swag and wristbands for the Food and Music Festival. Then, at 10 a.m., head to the Dooley Statue at Asbury Circle for the Alumni, Family and Friends Campus Tour. Led by student guides from the Office of Undergraduate Admission, re-connect with Emory and see how it’s grown.

Also happening at 10 a.m. on Saturday is the Emory Young Alumni Panel, Admission and Financial Aid Overview Campus Tour. Hear from young alumni who will share their Emory experiences and how Emory provided them with the necessary tools to be successful in their personal and professional lives. This tour is geared towards high school-aged students and their parents and supporters.

At 11 a.m., parents and families are encouraged to join President Fenves, Provost Ravi Bellamkonda and Senior Vice President Enku Gelaye from Campus Life for a Family Town Hall in the Emory Student Center Multipurpose Room. This is the perfect opportunity to hear more about the exciting things happening at Emory and ask questions about the university and student resources.

On Saturday evening, families are invited to the Emory Choirs Family Weekend Concert at 8 p.m. at Schwartz Center for Performing Arts: Emerson Concert Hall. Under the direction of Eric Nelson, the Emory Concert Choir and the University Chorus represent long-standing traditions in the Emory community. Reserve your tickets online at the link provided in your Homecoming registration confirmation email or in person at the Emerson Box Office.

Meanwhile, families will have plenty of activities on the Oxford College campus, too. On Friday, Oct. 20, check in at the Oxford Student Center between 3-6 p.m. Then, at 7:30 p.m., head to the fall play, “Snowflakes, or Rare White People,” but be sure to purchase tickets in advance. In addition to the play, Library Game Night starts at the Oxford Library at 8 p.m. The event includes board games, food and drinks, and costumes are encouraged.

On Saturday, Oct. 21, the Oxford College 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run start at 8 a.m., and participants must register online in advance. For families arriving on Saturday, there will be another check-in at the Oxford Student Center from 9-10 a.m., followed by the Family Weekend Welcome Program from 10-10:30 a.m. Interest sessions with Oxford faculty and staff start at 10:35 a.m., followed by the annual lunch picnic on the quad. Registration is required for the picnic.

The Oxford Family Weekend concludes at 7:30 p.m. Saturday with the Family Weekend Student Showcase. More information and the registration link can be found on the Oxford College page within the Parent Portal.

Alumni events

No matter what year you graduated, Emory loves welcoming alumni back home. Be sure to check out the special alumni Homecoming events planned for Oct. 18-22.

Here is a sampling of events for alumni. View the full schedule and register for events online.

Golden Alumni Brunch (Thursday, Oct. 19, at 11:30 a.m.): The Emory Alumni Association invites members of the Society of Corpus Cordis Aureum — alumni who graduated 50 or more years ago —to a brunch with President Gregory L. Fenves at the Miller-Ward Alumni House.
Graduate Alumni Mixer (Thursday at 6 p.m.): Stop by Dr. Scofflaw Brewing to catch up with alumni from the Goizeuta Business School, Emory University School of Law, Emory University School of Medicine, Rollins School of Public Health, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Laney Graduate School and Candler School of Theology.
Alumni Homecoming Kickoff Party (Friday, Oct. 20, at 7:30 p.m.): Enjoy the ultimate Emory party while reconnecting during the biggest alumni social event of the year. Head to the Quad for delicious food, drinks and live entertainment.
Down Memory Lane: 1983 Campus Tour (Saturday, Oct. 21, at 1 p.m.): Led by Class of 1983 member and Emory instructor D. Patton White, this tour will explore how things have changed around campus over the past 40 years. Those joining the tour will be encouraged to share their memories of specific places around the campus — a memorable course, a favorite professor, a meaningful extracurricular experience — with the group, giving voice to the power of story and place. This event is open to the Class of 1983, friends and family.
Emory Glee Club and Women’s Chorale Reunion (Saturday at 6 p.m.): Set against the backdrop of the Emory Choirs Family Weekend Concert in the upper level of Schwartz Center, enjoy an evening of nostalgia, music and camaraderie before the alumni ensemble takes the stage as the concert’s opening act.
Residence, Sorority and Fraternity Life Homecoming Reception (Saturday at 6 p.m.): All former student (SRA, RA, SA or CA) and professional staff members in Housing Operations or the Office of Residence, Sorority & Fraternity Life are invited to the Starvine Ballroom at the Emory Conference Center Hotel to reconnect, reminisce and enjoy refreshments.
Class of 1983 and Friends Brunch (Sunday, Oct. 22, at 10:30 a.m.): Before returning home, members of the Class of 1983 are invited to gather at the home of classmate Becky Farmer Evans. Friends and family members are welcome to join in.

Cheer on the Eagles

Enjoy a Homecoming tailgate for Emory soccer on Friday, Oct. 20, before the teams face Brandeis University. The women’s team kicks off at 5 p.m., followed by senior night for the men’s team at 7:30 p.m. The tailgate will feature delicious local barbeque, desserts, drinks, a $500 Delta gift card raffle, special performances, giveaways and more. Athletics events are open to students, families, alumni and the rest of the Emory community.

On the Oxford campus, the men’s soccer team will kick off at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20, for sophomore night.

Then, at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, catch the ribbon-cutting of The Nest at the Woodruff PE Center on the Atlanta campus. The newly designed Emory Athletics space, formerly the Doc Partin Historical Timeline, celebrates the history of athletics at Emory and recognizes outstanding student-athletes. After the ribbon-cutting, the eight newest members of the Emory Athletics Hall of Fame will be inducted at 6 p.m. in the Emory Student Center.

Finally, on Sunday, Oct. 22, cheer on the Eagles against New York University. The women’s soccer team match, which is also senior day, starts at 11 a.m., followed by the men’s match at 1:30 p.m.

Photos by Emory Photo/Video

Recent News

By downloading Emory news media, you agree to the following terms of use:

Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License

By exercising the Licensed Rights (defined below), You accept and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License ("Public License"). To the extent this Public License may be interpreted as a contract, You are granted the Licensed Rights in consideration of Your acceptance of these terms and conditions, and the Licensor grants You such rights in consideration of benefits the Licensor receives from making the Licensed Material available under these terms and conditions.

Section 1 – Definitions.

Adapted Material means material subject to Copyright and Similar Rights that is derived from or based upon the Licensed Material and in which the Licensed Material is translated, altered, arranged, transformed, or otherwise modified in a manner requiring permission under the Copyright and Similar Rights held by the Licensor. For purposes of this Public License, where the Licensed Material is a musical work, performance, or sound recording, Adapted Material is always produced where the Licensed Material is synched in timed relation with a moving image.
Copyright and Similar Rights means copyright and/or similar rights closely related to copyright including, without limitation, performance, broadcast, sound recording, and Sui Generis Database Rights, without regard to how the rights are labeled or categorized. For purposes of this Public License, the rights specified in Section 2(b)(1)-(2) are not Copyright and Similar Rights.
Effective Technological Measures means those measures that, in the absence of proper authority, may not be circumvented under laws fulfilling obligations under Article 11 of the WIPO Copyright Treaty adopted on December 20, 1996, and/or similar international agreements.
Exceptions and Limitations means fair use, fair dealing, and/or any other exception or limitation to Copyright and Similar Rights that applies to Your use of the Licensed Material.
Licensed Material means the artistic or literary work, database, or other material to which the Licensor applied this Public License.
Licensed Rights means the rights granted to You subject to the terms and conditions of this Public License, which are limited to all Copyright and Similar Rights that apply to Your use of the Licensed Material and that the Licensor has authority to license.
Licensor means the individual(s) or entity(ies) granting rights under this Public License.
Share means to provide material to the public by any means or process that requires permission under the Licensed Rights, such as reproduction, public display, public performance, distribution, dissemination, communication, or importation, and to make material available to the public including in ways that members of the public may access the material from a place and at a time individually chosen by them.
Sui Generis Database Rights means rights other than copyright resulting from Directive 96/9/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 1996 on the legal protection of databases, as amended and/or succeeded, as well as other essentially equivalent rights anywhere in the world.
You means the individual or entity exercising the Licensed Rights under this Public License. Your has a corresponding meaning.

Section 2 – Scope.

License grant.
1. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Public License, the Licensor hereby grants You a worldwide, royalty-free, non-sublicensable, non-exclusive, irrevocable license to exercise the Licensed Rights in the Licensed Material to:
  1. reproduce and Share the Licensed Material, in whole or in part; and
  2. produce and reproduce, but not Share, Adapted Material.
2. Exceptions and Limitations. For the avoidance of doubt, where Exceptions and Limitations apply to Your use, this Public License does not apply, and You do not need to comply with its terms and conditions.
3. Term. The term of this Public License is specified in Section 6(a).
4. Media and formats; technical modifications allowed. The Licensor authorizes You to exercise the Licensed Rights in all media and formats whether now known or hereafter created, and to make technical modifications necessary to do so. The Licensor waives and/or agrees not to assert any right or authority to forbid You from making technical modifications necessary to exercise the Licensed Rights, including technical modifications necessary to circumvent Effective Technological Measures. For purposes of this Public License, simply making modifications authorized by this Section 2(a)(4) never produces Adapted Material.
5. Downstream recipients.
  1. Offer from the Licensor – Licensed Material. Every recipient of the Licensed Material automatically receives an offer from the Licensor to exercise the Licensed Rights under the terms and conditions of this Public License.
  2. No downstream restrictions. You may not offer or impose any additional or different terms or conditions on, or apply any Effective Technological Measures to, the Licensed Material if doing so restricts exercise of the Licensed Rights by any recipient of the Licensed Material.
6. No endorsement. Nothing in this Public License constitutes or may be construed as permission to assert or imply that You are, or that Your use of the Licensed Material is, connected with, or sponsored, endorsed, or granted official status by, the Licensor or others designated to receive attribution as provided in Section 3(a)(1)(A)(i).
Other rights.
1. Moral rights, such as the right of integrity, are not licensed under this Public License, nor are publicity, privacy, and/or other similar personality rights; however, to the extent possible, the Licensor waives and/or agrees not to assert any such rights held by the Licensor to the limited extent necessary to allow You to exercise the Licensed Rights, but not otherwise.
2. Patent and trademark rights are not licensed under this Public License.
3. To the extent possible, the Licensor waives any right to collect royalties from You for the exercise of the Licensed Rights, whether directly or through a collecting society under any voluntary or waivable statutory or compulsory licensing scheme. In all other cases the Licensor expressly reserves any right to collect such royalties.

Section 3 – License Conditions.

Your exercise of the Licensed Rights is expressly made subject to the following conditions.

Attribution.
1. If You Share the Licensed Material, You must:
  1. retain the following if it is supplied by the Licensor with the Licensed Material:
    1. identification of the creator(s) of the Licensed Material and any others designated to receive attribution, in any reasonable manner requested by the Licensor (including by pseudonym if designated);
    2. a copyright notice;
    3. a notice that refers to this Public License;
    4. a notice that refers to the disclaimer of warranties;
    5. a URI or hyperlink to the Licensed Material to the extent reasonably practicable;
  2. indicate if You modified the Licensed Material and retain an indication of any previous modifications; and
  3. indicate the Licensed Material is licensed under this Public License, and include the text of, or the URI or hyperlink to, this Public License.
  For the avoidance of doubt, You do not have permission under this Public License to Share Adapted Material.
2. You may satisfy the conditions in Section 3(a)(1) in any reasonable manner based on the medium, means, and context in which You Share the Licensed Material. For example, it may be reasonable to satisfy the conditions by providing a URI or hyperlink to a resource that includes the required information.
3. If requested by the Licensor, You must remove any of the information required by Section 3(a)(1)(A) to the extent reasonably practicable.

Section 4 – Sui Generis Database Rights.

Where the Licensed Rights include Sui Generis Database Rights that apply to Your use of the Licensed Material:

for the avoidance of doubt, Section 2(a)(1) grants You the right to extract, reuse, reproduce, and Share all or a substantial portion of the contents of the database, provided You do not Share Adapted Material;
if You include all or a substantial portion of the database contents in a database in which You have Sui Generis Database Rights, then the database in which You have Sui Generis Database Rights (but not its individual contents) is Adapted Material; and
You must comply with the conditions in Section 3(a) if You Share all or a substantial portion of the contents of the database.

For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 4 supplements and does not replace Your obligations under this Public License where the Licensed Rights include other Copyright and Similar Rights.

Section 5 – Disclaimer of Warranties and Limitation of Liability.

Unless otherwise separately undertaken by the Licensor, to the extent possible, the Licensor offers the Licensed Material as-is and as-available, and makes no representations or warranties of any kind concerning the Licensed Material, whether express, implied, statutory, or other. This includes, without limitation, warranties of title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, absence of latent or other defects, accuracy, or the presence or absence of errors, whether or not known or discoverable. Where disclaimers of warranties are not allowed in full or in part, this disclaimer may not apply to You.
To the extent possible, in no event will the Licensor be liable to You on any legal theory (including, without limitation, negligence) or otherwise for any direct, special, indirect, incidental, consequential, punitive, exemplary, or other losses, costs, expenses, or damages arising out of this Public License or use of the Licensed Material, even if the Licensor has been advised of the possibility of such losses, costs, expenses, or damages. Where a limitation of liability is not allowed in full or in part, this limitation may not apply to You.

The disclaimer of warranties and limitation of liability provided above shall be interpreted in a manner that, to the extent possible, most closely approximates an absolute disclaimer and waiver of all liability.

Section 6 – Term and Termination.

This Public License applies for the term of the Copyright and Similar Rights licensed here. However, if You fail to comply with this Public License, then Your rights under this Public License terminate automatically.
Where Your right to use the Licensed Material has terminated under Section 6(a), it reinstates:
1. automatically as of the date the violation is cured, provided it is cured within 30 days of Your discovery of the violation; or
2. upon express reinstatement by the Licensor.
For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 6(b) does not affect any right the Licensor may have to seek remedies for Your violations of this Public License.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Licensor may also offer the Licensed Material under separate terms or conditions or stop distributing the Licensed Material at any time; however, doing so will not terminate this Public License.
Sections 1, 5, 6, 7, and 8 survive termination of this Public License.

Section 7 – Other Terms and Conditions.

The Licensor shall not be bound by any additional or different terms or conditions communicated by You unless expressly agreed.
Any arrangements, understandings, or agreements regarding the Licensed Material not stated herein are separate from and independent of the terms and conditions of this Public License.

Section 8 – Interpretation.

For the avoidance of doubt, this Public License does not, and shall not be interpreted to, reduce, limit, restrict, or impose conditions on any use of the Licensed Material that could lawfully be made without permission under this Public License.
To the extent possible, if any provision of this Public License is deemed unenforceable, it shall be automatically reformed to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable. If the provision cannot be reformed, it shall be severed from this Public License without affecting the enforceability of the remaining terms and conditions.
No term or condition of this Public License will be waived and no failure to comply consented to unless expressly agreed to by the Licensor.
Nothing in this Public License constitutes or may be interpreted as a limitation upon, or waiver of, any privileges and immunities that apply to the Licensor or You, including from the legal processes of any jurisdiction or authority.

Creative Commons is not a party to its public licenses. Notwithstanding, Creative Commons may elect to apply one of its public licenses to material it publishes and in those instances will be considered the “Licensor.” The text of the Creative Commons public licenses is dedicated to the public domain under the CC0 Public Domain Dedication. Except for the limited purpose of indicating that material is shared under a Creative Commons public license or as otherwise permitted by the Creative Commons policies published at creativecommons.org/policies, Creative Commons does not authorize the use of the trademark “Creative Commons” or any other trademark or logo of Creative Commons without its prior written consent including, without limitation, in connection with any unauthorized modifications to any of its public licenses or any other arrangements, understandings, or agreements concerning use of licensed material. For the avoidance of doubt, this paragraph does not form part of the public licenses.