UIS Homecoming 2024 Alumni and Community Events
The University of Illinois Springfield Alumni Association hopes you'll join us for several fun events planned for homecoming. It's a great time to come back to campus and remember your time as Prairie Star!
Tuesday, Sept. 24 & Wednesday, Sept. 25
Homecoming Window Painting
Window painting on the Student Union has become a traditional student activity to build excitement for homecoming week. This year, we are looking to get alumni involved! Contact the UIS Alumni Association if you would like to join in the fun!
Friday, Sept. 27
Back to Class for a Day
Sponsored by the UIS Alumni SAGE Society, Back to Class for a Day offers three 45-minute mini-classes for alumni led by subject matter experts, covering topics such as the Great Migration, cyber threats and the evolution of freedom of speech. After the classes, attendees can enjoy a "stellar" luncheon presentation on asteroids, comets and meteors. The day concludes with an opportunity to explore the campus through tours, including a visit to the new observation deck at the UIS Observatory. Registration is required for the free classes and tours, with a $40 fee for the luncheon presentation. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. for socializing over coffee and tea.
Pep Rally Block Party
Join us at 3pm for a homecoming pep rally block party south of the Student Union on Richard Wright Drive.
Prairie Star Soccer at Kiwanis Stadium
- 5:00 p.m. - Women's Soccer vs. Southwest Baptist University
- 7:30 p.m. - Men's Soccer vs. Southwest Baptist University
Volleyball at TRAC
- 6 p.m. - Women's Volleyball vs. Missouri S&T
Friday Night Star Party
The UIS Astronomy-Physics program will host in-person Friday Night Star Party at the UIS Campus Observatory on Friday 8-10 pm.
Star Parties are free and open for everyone. Walk-ups are encouraged and welcome.
Homecoming Fireworks
Join fellow alumni, faculty, staff and students for a post-game bonfire with fireworks following the Men's Soccer Game. This tradition is sure to ignite your nostalgia!
Saturday, Sept. 28
Prairie Stars 5K
Come out and enjoy the ninth annual Prairie Stars 5K with a flat, easy run/walk through the UIS campus. Grab a friend or your dog to get a T-shirt and have a chance to win a door prize. Register by Sept. 20 to be guaranteed a shirt. The cost is $10 for UIS students and $20 for everyone else.
Volleyball at TRAC
- 3 p.m. - Women's Volleyball vs. Maryville University
Other Ways to Engage During Homecoming Week
UIS Performing Arts Center
The Lifespan of a Fact
A critically acclaimed 2018 Broadway play, this fast-paced story explodes with blistering comedy and timely relevance. Facts become blurry when they’re twisted into fiction in the high-stakes world of publishing. Emily Penrose, the demanding editor-in-chief of a high-end magazine, hires a determined millennial fact-checker named Jim Fingal to work on a groundbreaking essay written by the famous author John D’Agata. The deadline is tight, the essay is dense, and everyone must make a good faith effort in telling the story honestly. But the overly eager Jim perhaps takes his fact-checking way too far, creating the ultimate showdown of fact versus fiction.
Showtimes:
- Thursday, September 26 @ 7:30pm
- Friday, September 27 @ 7:30pm
- Saturday, September 28 @ 7:30pm
- Sunday, September 29 @ 2:00pm
Visual Arts Gallery
Continuum
September 26 – October 17, 2024
Reception: Thursday, September 26, 6:30 – 8:00pm