A grand tradition gets even grander
A grand tradition gets even grander
I first attended Homecoming as a child. My father, Alan Roberts '22, would bring me to campus to see the football game. I'm not sure when this began, but I remember watching a Cornell team coached by Lefty James take on Navy at Schoellkopf. The football media guide tells me this was in 1956, so I was seven years old at the time. As I recall, Big Red halfback Bo Roberson '58 had a good game, but Cornell lost to the Middies.
After graduating, I didn't return to campus for many years—but since I moved back to Ithaca in 1999, Home-coming has been a regular event on my fall calendar. It's mostly been about alumni association meetings and tailgating, but in recent years I've seen the weekend take on new dimensions. It's not just about the football game anymore.
This year, thanks to the efforts of Chris Marshall and his hardworking staff in Alumni Affairs, Homecoming reached new heights. The festivities kicked off on Friday, highlighted by an "A Cappella United" concert in Bailey Hall. On Saturday, the game was moved to 6 p.m. to allow alumni to participate in daytime activities like guided bird walks at the Lab of O, a tour of Milstein Hall, and the first-ever Homecoming Speed Networking Event. There were also student showcases, films, lectures, plays, concerts, and even a grape stomping. The events wrapped up with the "Judy's Day" celebration at the Plantations on Sunday afternoon. The weather was good, the Big Red won the football game, and the entire weekend was a grand celebration of Cornelliana. If you were there, you know how much fun it was—if not, then plan to come next year.
— Jim Roberts '71