Virtual Homecoming

Schedule of Events

All scheduled events are in the Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) zone.

Wednesday, October 14

• 7:30 p.m. - Web Series

  Everyone's invited to the 2020 Chem/Comm tailgate with professors Cliff Harris, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Karen Erlandson, Chair and Professor of Communications. Hear what is new at HOME and get the insider's view of the Serra Fitness Center at the Dow and the first module of classes.

  *Advanced registration required

  Watch the recording here.

Thursday, October 15

• 7 p.m. - Battle of the Bubbles with co-hosts Brittany Carroll and Kymberlee Strozier-Ball

  During the last 6 months, you may have felt like you were living in a bubble at your HOME. Join co-hosts Brittany Carroll, ’19 and current student Kymberlee Strozier-Ball to virtually bust out of your bubble and play an interactive game while meeting other Brits as if you ran into them on campus.

  Battle of the Bubbles is a virtual scavenger hunt for Albion College-related items. Teams in breakout rooms will compete against other teams to get the most amount of (and most interesting/unique) items! This activity will allow participants to share and reflect on different AC items throughout time, while having FUN!!!

  *Advanced registration required

Friday, October 16

• 12 p.m. - BRITx - Faculty Edition

  This TEDx style talk features three current Albion College faculty members talking about a passion of theirs! Join this zoom or listen later to get a firsthand look at some of the interests our faculty members are bringing into their classrooms and sharing with our students.

  *Advanced registration required for live event 

  Watch the recording here!

  Finding the hidden in plain sight

  Vanessa McCaffrey, Professor of Chemistry, Director of FURSCA

  Geocaching: Using multi-billion dollar satellites to find Tupperware in the woods

  The Jazz Collective: New Variations on an Old Theme

  Sam McIlhagga, Professor of Music, Director of Bands

  The traditional understanding of a jazz band has long been that of a "Big Band" with sections of saxophones, trombones, trumpets, and rhythm. But this model has always limited the opportunity of playing jazz music to only a select few students with the ability to play these instruments. In 2018, I developed a new model for exploring contemporary popular music — of which jazz is just one of many different components. Students from all musical areas are now invited to participate and create in our "Jazz Collective."

  To the Moon! Michigan's Contributions to the Apollo Program and Beyond

  Dr. Nicolle Zellner, Chair of Physics and the Herbert and Grace Dow Endowed Professor in the Sciences

  Thousands of people contributed to the success of the Apollo missions, and famous or not, they were celebrated throughout 2019. This year, I will talk about some of the contributions of the people who call (or called) Michigan home, including two with Albion College connections. Forward to the Moon! #AstroBrits

• 7:30 p.m. - Live with President Johnson

  While we may not be able to welcome you HOME to Albion in person this year, join President Mathew Johnson live to see and hear about the changes happening on campus! Learn about President Johnson’s three pillars for Albion College, Purpose, Belonging and Action, and hear about how our students, faculty, staff and alumni put these pillars to work on a daily basis, both on and off campus.

  Watch here

• 8:30 p.m. - Class Reunions

  Have a virtual reunion! Class Reunions will be every 5 years, similar to what they would be if on campus. 2020, 2015, 2010, 2005, 2000, 1995, 1990, 1985, and 1980. If your class isn't listed above, but you would like to gather with other alumni, register for a class gathering above that you may be close to, or let us know how we can help you get in touch with your class.

  *Advanced registration required

• 8:30 p.m. - Milestone Reunion Gathering

  Your multi-day, Milestone Reunion experience is on the horizon for May 2021. But until then, how about gathering with classmates from 1975, 1970, 1965 and 1960, online during HOMEcoming weekend to let us know what you hope will be included next spring?

  *Advanced registration required

Saturday, October 17

• 9 – 9:30 a.m. - Whitehouse Nature Center Trail Walk

  Join Jason Raddatz, '91, Director of the Whitehouse Nature Center, for a virtual morning stroll in the Whitehouse Nature Center. Raddatz is known for his colorful description of the trails and its inhabitants. He will also announce details regarding the Prairie Trail Commemoration event on Earth Day 2021.

  Tune in on the Whitehouse Nature Center Facebook at this time to watch the live video. https://www.facebook.com/WNCalbion/

• 9:30 – 10 a.m. - Alumni Tailgate

  Join members of the Alumni Board and Black Alumni Chapter for a casual meet and greet.

  *Advanced registration required

• 10 – 11:30 a.m. - Open Houses

  The following departments and groups will host open houses during this time. Please jump in and visit as many as you would like. We have suggested that they restart the conversation every 30 minutes so you can plan to be in three open houses/conversations. 

  Albion Pleiad

  Choir alumni - featuring Briton Singers performance

  Downtown Albion - What's new?!

  EMS Club

  Ford Institute

  Gerstacker Institute for Business & Management

  LGBriTs

  Lisa and James Wilson Institute for Medicine

  Physics and Math Departments

  Student Senate

  Student Volunteer Bureau

  Union Board

• 1 – 2 p.m. - Hall of Fame - Flashback

  Athletics build Briton pride! During an on-campus Homecoming, this time on Saturday would bring us together for the Homecoming football game, one day after celebrating the new Athletics Hall of Fame inductees.

  In this live Zoom Hall of Fame Flashback, Coach Mike Turner, '69, will facilitate a conversation with select former Hall of Fame inductees. Tune in to hear stories about their time as student athletes and what it means to them to be recognized in the Albion Britons Athletic Hall of Fame.

  *Advanced registration required for live event 

  Watch the recording here. 

• 2 – 3 p.m. - Fraternity and Sorority Open Houses

  Come hang out with the fraternity and sorority community at Albion! Whether you're an alumni wanting to reconnect with your chapter or someone who's curious about fraternity and sorority life, this is a place you can visit, talk, and ask questions. Albion College has recently extended the opportunity to become an on-campus chapter to Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha Incorporada, so the ladies of SIA will also be present and ready to meet you!

  *Advanced registration required

• 3:30 p.m. - Live Royalty Court Announcement

  Tune in for the all virtual introduction of the court and announcement of the three Royal Britons!

  Watch now

• 5 p.m. - Video Premiere - Brits, Beethoven and Black Lives Matter

  In an effort to bring something resembling normalcy to campus this fall, Professor of Piano David Abbott and adjunct professor Anna Khalikova performed pieces from Beethoven as well as several African American spirituals on Oct. 8 in an event dubbed "Brits, Beethoven and Black Lives Matter" at Sprankle-Sprandel Stadium. Though the stadium was empty due to COVID-19, Abbott on piano and Khalikova on violin performed for 45 minutes and the event was taped for all to see. "With all the issues we see," Abbott says simply, "we need to communicate through music."

  Watch here!

• 6 p.m. - Black Alumni Chapter Gathering

  Come hang out with Black Alumni and current students.

  Register in the Homecoming registration to receive the link.

Activities/pre-recordings

• Homecoming from the Archives 2020 Digital Exhibit

  View photos from past Homecoming football games, Royal Britons over the years, Homecoming traditions, and more in this digital archive exhibit!

  Start browsing

• Briton Conversations

  Alumni Board member Ted Everingham, '61, hosts conversations with alumni and students, discussing their Albion liberal arts experiences and applications to their lives.

  Ted worked at a radio station in Jackson during high school and at WALM, the now defunct commercial radio station in Albion throughout his time at the college and for two summers thereafter. More recently, he hosted a weekly half-hour program on the community access TV station in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, for ten years and does special reports about sailing on WJR in Detroit.

  Featuring:

  • Zahra Ahmed, '22 - Student Senate President
  • Latrell Crenshaw, '21 - Political Science, History, Economics, & Ford Institute
  • Gregg Colburn, '95 - Assistant Professor of Real Estate Studies at University of Washington
  • Caryn Ryan, '79 - Missionwell LLC
  • Jenny Risner-Wade, '98, and Ben Wade, '99 - Albion Malleable Brewing Company and Yellow Bird Chocolate Shop
  • Forrest Heaton, '60, Beau Brockett, '19, and Patrick McLean (Director, Ford Institute) - Class of 1960 Albion Community Intern Endowment
  • Que Langston, '18 - City Year, Boys & Girls Club

  Know someone who you would like to see featured in similar future opportunities?

  • Submit a "Brag About a Brit" form
  • Nominate alumni for the Distinguished or Young Alumni Awards (due Oct 30)

• British Eighth Homecoming Show

  Watch the British Eighth perform in front of Kresge steps. Songs include Sweet Caroline, Hey Jude, and Margaritaville, and of course the Fight Song and Albion, Dear Albion!

  Watch now on Facebook

• Io Triumphe Video

  Be a part of the "Io Triumphe" virtual video remake! Submit a video of you (and maybe other alumni, a roommate or family members) saying the "Io Triumphe" chant. A unique Albion College tradition since 1900 and revered by many alumni — let's show our collective Albion College pride from our various "at home" locations!

  Wear your most festive Briton gear, and please make sure your video is recorded horizontally to help with the production and compilation of the final video. Send your video to by October 23.

  Io Triumphe! Io Triumphe!
  Haben Swaben Rebecca le animor
  Whoop te whoop te sheller de-vere
  De-boom de ral de-i de-pa-
  Hooneka Henaka whack a whack
  A-hob dob balde bora bolde bara
  Con slomade hob dob Rah!
  Al-bi-on Rah!

• Social Media

  • Follow our Facebook and Instagram for photos and updates during the week!
  • Download a zoom background to add to your next zoom meeting!
    • My Albion
    • Albion College Ferguson

• Shopping

  Albion College Bookstore - Get your Albion gear to wear from HOME from the bookstore online! Use the special discount code: HOME20 to enjoy a 20% off discount.

  Start Shopping

• Virtual 5k

  Join the HOMEcoming fun by signing up to run this virtual 5k in your choice of location. A great way to bring HOMEcoming to your home! If you are in Albion or across the world, put on your albion gear and run a 5k between October 14 – 18, 2020.

  All you have to do is sign up here, run a 5k between these dates, and enter your time on the website. The first 200 runners to enter their run times are guaranteed a medal and swag item.