Defiance College Homecoming nears; honorees are announced

September 19, 2018

DEFIANCE, Ohio - Defiance College will celebrate 2018 Homecoming activities Oct. 5-6 with reunions, award presentations, and an alumni dinner.

Friday events start with a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the unveiling of the eSports Arena in the Pilgrim Library at 12:40 p.m. Another ribbon cutting follows at 1:20 p.m. for the renovated athletics facilities at the Weaner Center.

An archive exhibit will be available to browse in the Women’s Commission Gallery from 3:30 – 5 p.m. Special tours of the renovated Steelcase classroom in Defiance Hall and the Mikula-Frey Science Center in Schauffler Hall will begin at 4:15 p.m.

Friday’s alumni awards dinner begins at 5 p.m. in the Weaner Center with awards presented at 7:15 p.m.

The Alumni Citation for Academic Excellence will be presented to Alice Busson Rote, Doylestown, class of 1972. Alumni Achievement Award recipients are Karl Ideman, Hebron, Conn., class of 1967; and Joseph Lynch, Wapakoneta, class of 1985. Rachel Baker, Pittsburgh, Pa., class of 2008, will receive the Emerging Alumni Leadership Award. The Schauffler Legacy Award will be presented to Darnell Parker, Findlay, class of 1979.

Also on Friday, there will be a Homecoming party for the TKE fraternity at Kissner’s, downtown Defiance, starting at 8 p.m.

Saturday’s events kick off with the annual Alumni Varsity D breakfast to honor 2018 Hall of Fame inductees and Coaches of the Year. Hall of Fame inductees include Jerome Floyd, Antioch, Tenn., class of 1985; Norman Gladieux, Toledo, class of 1978; Robin Groves, Kettering, class of 1989; Darnell Parker, Findlay, class of 1979; and the 1964, 1965, and 1966 baseball teams. Following breakfast, honorees will have their photo taken with their engraved bricks placed in the Hall of Fame walkway by the stadium. Honorees will receive their plaques during the football halftime program.

Coaches of the Year for the 2017-2018 season are Garry Rodenberger, Defiance, class of 1984; and Tim Shock, Hicksville, class of 2008.

Baseball and softball alumni reunions, the class of 1968 golden reunion, and TKE dinner are all scheduled on Saturday.

Coronation of this year’s Homecoming queen and king and their court will take place at 1 p.m., prior to the Yellow Jackets football game with Franklin College. Before the game, all are welcome to a Yellow Jacket tailgate at the stadium.

For a full list of Homecoming events and registration information, visit the Defiance College alumni website.

Defiance College, chartered in 1850, is an independent, liberal arts-based institution in Northwest Ohio offering more than 40 undergraduate programs of study as well as graduate programs in education and business. Defiance College has received national recognition for its educational experience of service and engagement. The college website is www.defiance.edu.