Soil Stories & Homecoming 2025
A View of GU – APRIL 2025
"In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.” – James 1:19 MSG
“Parched ground that soaks up the rain and then produces an abundance of carrots and corn for its gardener gets God’s “Well done!” – Hebrews 6:7 MSG
Soil stories. We all have them, beginning with the soil of our Family of Origin (FOO) and continuing with various other sorts of formational places and spaces in which God positions us. If you’re reading this right now, you’ve probably encountered the soil story of Greenville University, one place and one Family-of-God (FOG) opportunity to be formed (and hopefully transformed) by the rich nutrients found in a Christ-centered education for character and service.
In the March edition of “A View of GU,” I shared a little more about our Alumni Relations goal of “watering” the extended community planted at GU in support of God’s work of making things grow. Here at GU, our alumni continue to respond to His invitation to “Rise Up” as an embodied, flourishing “net that works” of transplanted green ivy in every place that God positions our alumni throughout the world.
“Planted” by faculty and staff during those early years as a student at GU ... I see our role in GU Alumni Relations as “watering,” overflowing our unique brand of nourishment to our extended GU community.
It’s these GU soil nutrients—the situational setting of faith and learning in which God forms us as students—for which we seek to foster engagement for our alumni network. We want to continue to provide a place for you—a secure sense of HOME base—where you can remember how God showed up for you here and wonder about how God may be showing up for you there … where He has positioned (“transplanted” 🌿) you now.
Always employing GU’s “Rise Up” strategies of innovation, immersion and interconnectedness, we invite you to come home this October 23–26, 2025 🪴 … RECONNECT, RENEW & REVIVE at Homecoming & Family Weekend 2025. Sink back into the encouraging encounters with God and the Family of God offered only in the unique soil of Greenville University.
If you are members of the reunion classes of 1975, 1985, 2000 and 2025, it’s your time for 50, 40, 25 and 10-year reunions, respectively. We are also planning COVID-thwarted gatherings for reunion classes of 1970, 1995 and 2020 (stay tuned ☺️). And, as always, we want everyone to come back every year! 🎉 The more the merrier, especially if you have an affinity for other classes in addition to your own. (We’ll announce additional affinity gatherings soon!)
A Glimpse of Homecoming & Family Weekend 2025 (Tentative Schedule)
Make plans to be with us this fall! New opportunities to gather at this year’s celebration include:
- Thursday evening alumni gatherings for 40th, 50th and 55th Class Reunions,
- Sunday Songs & Stories in Whitlock Music Center,
- As well as the return of Panther Palooza family activities Friday evening and Saturday evening Alumni Banquet.
THURSDAY, October 23
- 11:30 a.m. “Almost Alumni” Senior Class Lunch & Learn w/ Alumni
- 5 p.m. Class Reunion Gatherings (40th@ Tidball House, 50th@ Knights House, 55th@ SMART Center)
- 6 p.m. GU Concert & Jazz Band Concert
- 7:30 p.m. GU Choir Concert
- 9:30 p.m. Vespers
FRIDAY, October 24
- 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Admissions Legacy Preview Day
- 9:30 a.m. Community Café with Students
- 10:30 a.m. Off-Campus Tour (Shuttlers to Bock Museum, Factory Theatre, Athletic Facilities, Equine Center, Ayers Environmental Center)
- 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Lunch in Dining Commons or in Greenville
- 1 p.m. Building Dedication
- 1:45 p.m. Bock Museum 50th Anniversary Open House
- 2:30 p.m. On-Campus Tour & Tour of Gullies
- 4 p.m. Homecoming Parade
- 5–8 p.m. Panther Palooza (food trucks, entertainment, games, kids activities and more)
Plus Alumni & Intercollegiate Athletic Events and Other Student Activities
SATURDAY, October 25
- 8–9:30 a.m. Panther 5K & Kids Fun Run
- 9:30–11 a.m. Affinity Reunions
- 11 a.m. "Ish" Smith Museum Open House, Altopp Clubhouse Dedication & Baseball Reunion
- 11 a.m. Homecoming Tailgate Lunch
- 5–6:15 p.m. Alumni Banquet
- 6:30–8:30 p.m. Homecoming Honors Awards
- 8:30 p.m. Alumni Men’s Basketball
Plus Alumni & Intercollegiate Athletic Events and Other Student Activities
SUNDAY, October 26
- 9:30 a.m. Sunday Songs & Stories in Whiltlock Music Center
- 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Homecoming Brunch
👟 YOUR NEXT STEPS: Mark your calendars! Like our “GU Alumni Association” Facebook page and join your class reunion group! Reserve your hotel rooms! Follow "Greenville University Alumni on Instagram! Get your plane tickets! Share Homecoming social posts with classmates! (You get the picture. 😇)
In May, we will lay out the final phase of the Rise Up campaign with “Rise Up 2030” goals and objectives; in particular, how these university priorities inform alumni priorities. In June, we’ll celebrate “The Storied Legacy” that is our Greenville University alumni.
Keep praying. Keep watching. And keep thanking God with us for the good work He continues to do on campus in the lives of GU students, faculty and staff and in you, our GU alumni and friends. 🧡🐾🌿
