Some schools have homecoming. We have Alumni & Family Weekend, during which alumni and their families as well as the families of current students flock to campus to revel in a weekend of companionship and our unique UD community. This year, that’s this weekend: Oct. 13-16, 2016.

1. Join current students in showing your appreciation for Thursday at the Welcome Back TGIT Thursday night in the Rat.
2. Kiss some puppies. A puppy-kissing booth will be on the Mall starting at noon on Friday.
3. Let your kids be entertained by bounce houses, which will be on the Mall from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.
4. Climb the Tower. It will be open between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. both Friday and Saturday.
5. Get a quick taste or refresher of a UD course or two on Friday afternoon. Here’s what we’ve got, with the first three at 2 p.m. and the second three at 3 p.m.:
   • “Principles of American Politics” with Adjunct Professor of Politics Chris Wolfe, BA ’09
   • “Catholic Social Teaching” with Adjunct Instructor of Theology John Medaille, BA ’73 MA ’07
   • a printmaking class with Assistant Professor of Printmaking and Drawing Steven Foutch
   • “Homer’s Iliad, Book I: Reading Home Again: How Core Texts Change with Our Age” with Professor of English Scott Crider
   • “The Search for Other Worlds at UD” with Professor of Physics Richard Olenick
   • “Genesis 1-3” with Associate Professor of Theology John Norris, BA ’84
6. Get some advice on planning your estate with Jennifer Chandler, MBA ’04, at 4 p.m. on Friday in upstairs Haggar.
7. Chill out and eat dinner on the Mall Friday night with faculty and friends. The cookout is complimentary; bring the whole family!
8. Commemorate the Braniff Graduate School’s 50th birthday with three sessions (Friday night, Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon) of “The Legacy & Future of a Liberal Arts Education.” Thirteen Braniff alumni will serve as panelists:
   • Seemee Ali, PhD ’01
   • Jeffrey Bishop, PhD ’09
   • Patrick Coby, PhD ’78
   • Kathryn Davis, PhD ’13
   • Sr. Jane Dominic Laurel, MA ’95
   • Cynthia Nielsen, PhD ’11
   • Mackubin Owens, PhD ’82
   • Eric Salem, PhD ’89
   • Ronald Schenk, PhD ’89
   • Daniel Silvermintz, PhD ’06
   • Stephen W. Smith, PhD ’01
   • Sean Sutton, PhD ’01
   • David Upham, PhD ’02
9. Listen to the Paul Spring Band, led by UD’s own singer-songwriter Paul Spring, BA ’11, on Friday night.
10. Star-gaze with Professor of Physics Rich Olenick (probably better known as “Dr. O.").
11. Pray the rosary at the Shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe on Saturday morning.
12. Reunite with your class if your graduation year ends in 1 or 6 (full schedule of reunions available here).
13. Listen to the State of the University address by President Thomas W. Keefe while you eat lunch on Saturday.
14. Tour the University Archives Saturday afternoon with University Historian Sybil and Professor Emeritus of Art Lyle Novinski.
15. Support the Crusaders (and Groundhogs): there's a track and field meet Saturday morning, a softball reunion cookout Saturday afternoon, and a rugby match between current student players and rugby alumni later Saturday afternoon. Food, beverages and a Steel City Pops truck will be available at the rugby match.
16. Attend professional panels on Saturday afternoon to learn what alumni are doing in the fields of law, medicine and education.
17. Attend the Braniff 50th Anniversary Reception at 4 p.m. Saturday in Braniff Foyer.
18. See student artwork during the Haggerty Art Village’s Open Studio Night.
19. If you’re a parent of a current student, go to the Parents’ Reception on the Cap Bar patio Saturday evening.
20. Watch Mary Poppins on the Tower lawn Saturday night.
21. Attend the Memorial Mass, honoring the souls of departed alumni and family members, at the Church of the Incarnation on Sunday morning.
22. Eat brunch and celebrate your UD heritage before you head home Sunday. Some of our esteemed professors will give a presentation on exactly what “UD heritage” means, then alumni, parents and families will come together to welcome the freshmen and their families into our community and honor them as they take on this heritage as their own.

We hope to see you! You can get more information about the weekend and its various events here.

And remember, as T.S. Eliot said: “And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”