Ship Homecoming 2024

Athletic Hall of Fame Awards Luncheon
12:30PM, Tuscarora Room, Reisner Dining Hall

The Hall of Fame recognizes former student-athletes who were the epitome of athletic excellence and who continue to exemplify the Raider spirit as proud alumni. We’ll be recognizing Ashley Watt Cush ’07 (field hockey), Herman Kirkland ’13, (men’s track & field), Amy Sokalski LaNoue ’85, (women’s track & field), Lee McClintock ’05, (baseball), Jill Edwards Restino ’14, (volleyball), and Sidney L. Wells Jr. ’60 (posthumous), (football, men’s track & field). Tickets are $27.99. Child's menu of chicken fingers $13.50. To secure tickets, please email taswop@ship.edu or call 717-477-1711.

Alumni Awards of Distinction Reception & Dinner
5:00PM reception, 5:30PM dinner; Tuscarora Room, Reisner Dining Hall
With over 70,000 alumni living across the country and living internationally, one can imagine the successes achieved and the impacts being made by graduates of Shippensburg University every day in their professional fields, in their lives, and in their communities. The Shippensburg University Alumni Awards of Distinction are presented annually to alumni in the categories of Distinguished Alumni, Outstanding Young Alumni, Lifetime Achievement, Cultural Impact and Exceptional Service. The 2024 Alumni Awards of Distinction will be presented to:

• Recipients of the Jesse. S. Heiges Distinguished Alumni Award: Dr. Lisa Colapietro '99, Anne Deeter Gallaher '81, James Saxton '79
• Outstanding Young Alumni: Christopher Gray '10, Bryan Hickman '12, Lauren (Messich) Rose '08 
• Cultural Impact: Sophia (Carabba) Hendry '20 
• Lifetime Achievement: William Rodruan '76
• Exceptional Service: Charles Nebel '84-'88M

Please join us in celebrating our 2024 award recipients. Purchase tickets on-line or call the Office of Alumni Relations at 717-477-1218.

Neil Berg’s 50 Years of Rock and Roll
7:30PM, Luhrs Performing Arts Center
With a cast consisting of both stars from Broadway’s greatest rock musicals, as well as incredible Rock and Roll singers, Neil Berg shares the often unknown stories from the fifty-year history of the music that changed the world forever! From the progenitors of Rock and Roll in the 1940s, through the glory years of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, up until MTV in the early ’80s, Neil Berg’s 50 Years of Rock and Roll uses fascinating stories and groundbreaking music, with tributes to such important and iconic rock stars/groups/genres as Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Buddy Holly, Bob Dylan, Frankie Valli, The Beatles, Beach Boys, Motown, Aretha Franklin, The Who, Janis Joplin, Woodstock, Simon and Garfunkel, Carole King, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Aerosmith, Linda Ronstadt, Bruce Springsteen, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Disco, New Wave, Journey, and others! Tickets $29 - $49. Purchase tickets at luhrscenter.com or call the box office at 717-477-7469.

MSA Alumni Friday Flow in the AM, 9:00PM, Gilbert Hall
Stop by Gilbert Hall beginning at 9PM and reminisce with Miss Di, Kapri, and friends while enjoying good music, food, and conversation in a relaxed atmosphere.

HOCO Casino Night, 9:00PM - 11:30PM, CUB
Casino Night is open to SU students and alumni. Please note: alumni may participate in casino night, but may not win prizes.

Homecoming Party: 10:00PM - 2:00AM, Henderson
Students and Alumni. “The AM” is hosting a “Silent Party”. Stop by, pick up your headsets, and tune in to one of 3 DJ’s playing R&B, Latino/Caribbean & Hip Hop. $5/SU students, $10/alumni. Payable at the door.

45th Annual SU ROTC 5K or 10K Run
8:30AM, Starts across from ShipRec
Proceeds benefit the SU Military Science Department and the Boulder Crest Retreat for Military and Veteran Wellness. Race Information.

President's Pregame Brunch
Open 9:30AM – 12NOON, Tuscarora Room, Reisner Dining Hall
$10/ages 7 and up; $5/ages 2-6 years
Join President Charles and Colleen Patterson to start your day with our pregame brunch. Come in anytime between 9:30-noon. The parade arrives on campus around 10:30AM, so come eat before or after the parade, or watch the parade from the windows inside Reisner Dining Hall. REGISTRATION REQUIRED.  Register to attend.

Homecoming Parade
10:00AM, on-campus @10:30AM
The parade steps off in town at 10:00am on King Street and enters campus from Prince Street at approximately 10:30am. The parade will travel on Adams Drive to Cumberland Drive and disband after passing the Ceddia Union Building (CUB). Bring a blanket or chair and grab a seat to watch.

Join one of two parade viewing parties (outside the Clarion Inn & Suites/University Grille on King St. and outside the Ceddia Union Building). Judging takes place in front of the Clarion Inn & Suites/University Grille.

SEEKING parade entries! Alumni, students, and departments are encouraged to enter! Get your friend group together, clubs and organizations too! Enter a walking unit or decorate a vehicle. Don’t miss the fun and prizes! Complete the parade entry registration form.

Raider Fan Zone- SU Tailgate
Tailgate lots open at 10:00AM | Behind Seth Grove Stadium
Beginning at 10:30AM, pick up your Ship alumni giveaways (while supplies last) & register for door prizes. Then at 11AM, enjoy a hamburger or a hot dog (while supplies last) at the Alumni Tent.

In the pedestrian tailgate lot, reconnect with academic departments, faculty, and student organizations in this tent only tailgate area. Be prepared - Review the tailgate policy online. Tailgating must conclude and lots vacated two hours after the football game ends.

• Arcade-style Photo Booth 11AM - 2PM
• Face painting 11AM - 1PM
• Tailgate lunch of burgers & dogs at 11AM while supply lasts
• Dunk Tank 11AM - 2:30PM
  • Donate for a cause and purchase your ball to try to dunk the brothers of Kappa Sigma fraternity. Dunk Tank located in the pedestrian tailgate lot. Near the end goal post closest to Route 696.

**Register your academic dept or student/alumni organization for the pedestrian tailgate lot, click on Tailgate Information below to get all the info. 

Football Game 1:00PM vs. Kutztown

Half-time Programming

• SU Marching Band Performance
• Homecoming royalty crowning
• Raiders Club Tuition Raffle

Post-Game Programming
Stay immediately after the game to catch the full postgame SU Marching Band Performance.

Men's Soccer Game 4:00PM vs. Lock Haven

Homecoming Step Show 
Memorial Auditorium. Doors open at 6:30PM.Show at 7:30PM
Join the Multicultural Student Affairs team as student stepping groups take to the stage. Stepping is an expression of African American (NPHC) and Multicultural Greeks (MGC) culture. It is synchronized movements and chants reminiscent of drill teams. It is a demonstration of tradition and pride for each sorority and fraternity. $5/SU students & Greeks, $10/alumni & guests. Payable at the door.

HOCO Bingo, 9:00PM - 11:00PM, CUB MPR
Bingo is open to SU students and alumni. Please note: alumni may participate in Bingo, but may not win prizes.

Harmonic Voices of Truth Worship Service - 11:00AM
St. Peter’s A.M.E. Church, 38 Stewart Place, Shippensburg

Saturday, October 19
SUMB alumni, please REGISTER for activities below. Pre-registration is required for these activities.

PARADE: Join SUMB in leading the parade (no instruments). Parade starts at 10AM downtown and arrives on campus approx. 10:20am.  Alumni can walk the full parade route by joining the band at 10AM, or join the SUMB once it reaches campus (at Memorial Auditorium ~10:20AM), register to march.

PRE-GAME: Meet at 12 noon to participate in pre-game by meeting at the Luhrs Performing Arts Center loading dock and march together to Seth Grove Stadium. 

GAME TIME: Enjoy a reserved seating section for SUMB alumni & guests immediately behind SUMB in the grandstands OR join the band with your instrument and play along with the band. Game starts at 1PM.

CELEBRATION: Attend the 100th Anniversary Celebration at Stewart Hall from 5PM – 8PM. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for ages 6-12, and free for 5 & under. Includes food, soft beverages, beer & wine.

Keep up to date with SUMB. Follow SUMB Alumni on Facebook and @shipuband on Instagram.

Saturday, October 19

Reunion Celebration Activities start at 9AM

Meet at the Milton and Doreen Morgan School of Engineering building (former steam plant) at 9AM. Reconnect with students, alumni, current faculty, and retired faculty/staff who are planning to attend include Drs. John Arch, Howard Bell, Tom Briggs, Winston Crawley, William Gould, Bill McArthur, David Mooney, Rick Ruth, and Mark Schroeder, as well as Pam McLaughlin. Be sure to take a tour of the engineering labs and view some of the student projects.

• Welcome Reception, 9AM
• Morgan School of Engineering Labs Open House & Guided Tours, 9AM - 11AM
• Special Guest Remarks, 9:45AM - 10:15AM
• Math & Computing Technology (MCT) Tour, 10:30AM - 12Noon
• Tailgate behind Seth Grove Stadium

Parade Viewing Party and Tailgate:

The reunion celebration includes a parade viewing party on Prince Street, right out front of the School of Engineering. After the parade, plan to stop by the MCT building and see how the computer facilities have changed before making your way to the School of Engineering tailgate area behind the stadium at the football game. Look for the tent and flag in the pedestrian Raider Zone tailgate to continue the anniversary reunion and enjoy tailgating.

Tips to a Successful Day

1. Help us prepare and REGISTER to attend the welcome reception. 
2. View the full schedule of Homecoming activities and register for any other activities you plan to attend that require registration.
3. Order your Shippensburg University School of Engineering apparel.
4. Review the campus parking map. Limited parking on-site at the School of Engineering. Consider parking at Stewart Hall, Roland Hall, or Memorial Auditorium.
5. Review the Directions and Lodging information for road closures.

Directions

Homecoming is held on Ship's campus, located at:

Shippensburg University
1871 Old Main Dr., 
Shippensburg, PA 17257

Driving Directions (Google Maps)

Parking

Campus parking map

Getting Here (Items to note)

Saturday - King Street (from Fayette St. to Prince St.) and Prince Street to campus will be closed beginning at 10AM for the Homecoming parade. The parade travels along King Street turning left onto Prince Street, right onto Adams Drive, and left onto Cumberland Dr. making its way to the Ceddia Union Building (CUB). Adams Drive and Cumberland Drive will close while the parade passes starting at approx. 10:30AM. Parade will disband after passing the CUB. King and Prince Streets will reopen as the parade passes thru. Parade arrives on campus at approx. 10:30AM

Tailgate parking directions: Due to road closures on campus, if you are arriving to tailgate from your vehicle and you wish to park in the vehicular tailgate lot, please use Britton Road to Fogelsanger Road to Burd Run Dr. and turn right on Adams Dr. to reach the tailgate lot. (See campus map above.)

Parade Viewing

View the parade starting on Fayette St. near Maxie's, along King Street between Fayette St (Arooga's) and Prince St., and Prince Street and onto campus up to the Ceddia Union Building (CUB). Grab your friend group and complete the parade entry form to register to be in the parade!

Parking Lot Rules for behind Seth Grove Stadium

• One parking space per vehicle
• No saving of parking spaces. Wish to tailgate together? - Arrive together.
• Parking behind Seth Grove is for cars only - no trailers or pull behinds. Refer to the tailgate policy for RV parking information.
• Lot opens to vehicles at 10AM. Access to the Raider Zone for tailgating is via the Baseball Access Road. Prior to 10AM, vehicles arriving will be directed/stage in the storage parking lot (Lot L-1). At 10AM, vehicles staged in Lot L-1 will be directed into the Raider Zone for parking- this includes Raider Club parking.
• Only lawful consumption of alcohol is permitted.
• Tailgating ends two hours after the game.
  
  

Lodging

For your convenience, area-lodging options may be found at ship.edu/visit/lodging, including the Courtyard by Marriott Shippensburg, which is adjacent to campus. For answers to your questions, contact us at alumni@ship.edu or 717-477-1218 to speak to an alumni representative.

Know the Tailgate Policy

The Alumni Relations Office sponsors hot dogs, hamburgers and soft beverages (while supplies last) in the Raider Fan Zone (pedestrian tailgate area). Stop by to pick up your Shippensburg University alumni giveaways, register for door prizes, and update your alumni information. All-ages fun - face painting, an arcade-style photo booth, and dunk tank all behind Seth Grove Stadium in our Alumni Tailgate Raider Fan Zone. Fit your friends in the photo booth and print out your keepsake photostrip. 

Register your Academic Dept or Student Club Pedestrian only tailgate spots may be requested by university departments, student clubs, and alumni clubs/organizations. These spots are located behind Seth Grove Stadium in the Raider Fan Zone. This is a pedestrian lot. You are requesting a reserved space suitable for you to bring your own pop-up tent. One table is provided per group. Large groups and/or two or more groups that combine will be given two or more reserved spaces.

Registered Tailgate Groups: Check out the clubs, organizations, and departments that will be hosting tailgate spots behind Seth Grove Stadium. Locate them behind the stadium to say Hi!

Parking

Campus parking map

• One parking space per vehicle
• No saving of parking spaces. Wish to tailgate together? - Arrive together.
• Parking behind Seth Grove is for cars only - no trailers or pull behinds. Refer to the tailgate policy for RV parking information.
• Lot opens to vehicles at 10AM. Access to the Raider Zone for tailgating is via the Baseball Access Road. Prior to 10AM, vehicles arriving will be directed/stage in the storage parking lot (Lot L-1). At 10AM, vehicles staged in Lot L-1 will be directed into the Raider Zone for parking- this includes Raider Club parking.
• Only lawful consumption of alcohol is permitted.
• Tailgating ends two hours after the game.