Announcing Sesquicentennial Homecoming 2018

Interim President Ashish Vaidya announces Homecoming 2018 at the Huskies Football game halftime. Photo by Anna Kurth

Planning is underway for Homecoming on Oct. 17-21, 2018 during the university’s sesquicentennial year of events September 2018-2019. St. Cloud State turns 150 on Sept. 15, 2019.

The University announced the plan along with the dates of its sesquicentennial celebration year during its annual fall Celebrate football game today at Husky Stadium.

“As the university reflects on its nearly 150 year history, Homecoming 2018 will better position the university to engage and reconnect with alumni, campus and the community,” said Interim President Ashish Vaidya.

Started in 2010, Fall Celebrate St. Cloud State has garnered strongly attended football games, programming for students and families through Family Weekend, and the creation of events that engaged alumni with the campus and the community. This includes the SCSU Foundation’s Annual Gala and Alumni Association Awards, and reunion activities.

Celebrate has helped the university envision what a fall celebration should be for the campus and community. Using Celebrate St. Cloud State as a base, Homecoming 2018 will be the launch of new traditions and events along with the continuation of successful Celebrate programming to welcome alumni back to campus and celebrate the university with students, families and community members.

Celebrate programming occurs twice per year – fall and winter. The university will continue with its Winter Celebrate programming this year Jan. 16-21 to align with Hockey Day Minnesota.

The rebranding for fall 2018 comes at the request of the Alumni Association, which approached the late President Earl H. Potter III in 2015 about considering a plan for homecoming.

Potter worked with the association to create a homecoming plan that works for both campus and the community, and that continues the traditions built up through Celebrate. That planning continued under Interim President Vaidya following Potter’s passing.

“A lot has changed at St. Cloud State since Celebrate began in 2010. The university’s partnership with the City of St. Cloud, Celebrate programming efforts and continued good work by Alumni Relations, faculty, staff and students all impacted the decision to have Homecoming as our premier 2018 fall event,” Vaidya said. “I am very proud of the great work that has positioned the university to build on existing traditions and create new ones as we celebrate our Sesquicentennial.”