INSTITUTE, W.Va. — It’s that time of year again when college reunions start happening across the board, and one local campus in the Charleston community is celebrating its own this weekend.
Annual homecoming activities kicked off Thursday at West Virginia State University with the crowning ceremony of its king and queen, among other events to kick off the occasion.
WVSU President Ericke Cage discussed the rest of what’s going to happen throughout the weekend on WCHS Radio’s 580 LIVE show Friday. He said they became particularly known for doing their homecoming celebrations well.
“Listen, what makes us so special here at West Virginia State University is that when you come to be a part of the WVSU community, you become part of a family, and we’re really, really proud of that,” said Cage.
An ROTC Hall of Fame induction ceremony was scheduled to take place Friday on campus. The university’s ROTC Hall of Fame was established in 1980 to recognize the achievements of its graduates excelling in their fields of study.
This year, retired U.S. Army Maj. Kimberly Stevenson earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from WVSU in 1988 before going on to many accomplishments during her 21 years of military service.
This was to be followed by a Greek unit barbecue and alumni dinner.
However, Cage said Saturday was the big day of celebration. Activities begin Saturday with a homecoming parade beginning at noon on the WVSU campus, which Cage said the entire community is welcome to attend.
Following the parade will be the football game starting at 6 p.m. against Glenville State University. A fireworks display is planned immediately after the match.
Cage said that throughout the day Saturday, the university will also host a family entertainment zone on campus along Earl Loyd Way. It’s free and open to the public, and will feature games and activities for children of all ages as well as food from local vendors.
Cage said the reunion events only highlight the importance of WVSU and the impact it has on everyone who has attended over the years it has been a part of the community.
“We are a small community where everyone knows your name, and I marvel when I talk to our alumni when they come to campus, because they have so many fond memories of what happened on this campus, and these memories are deeply rooted in our history, in our heritage,” Cage said.
West Virginia Route 25, or Fairlawn Avenue, will be closed around 11:50 a.m. Saturday for 45 to 60 minutes for the parade. It will be closed from the King Street traffic light near Shawnee Park to the Interstate 64 interchange at Institute.
The parade will proceed from Shawnee Park to the WVSU campus where it will proceed down Campus Walk near the clock tower through the middle of campus and end near the football field.
The football game will take place at Dickerson Stadium. Admission for the game is $20.
Cage encourages everyone to come watch the celebration.
“Homecoming is a very special time for us at the university, I invite everyone in the community to come join us here for this very, very special occasion for us here at West Virginia State.”
