ST. LEO, FL – Homecoming is returning to Saint Leo University. After many years of celebrating Alumni Weekend in the spring, 2017 marks a return to celebrating the university’s alumni at Homecoming in the fall. Events will take place at 33701 State Road 52, St. Leo, FL 33574.
Green & Gold, Traditions New & Old is the theme for the event to be held November 2 through November 5.
An information center will be open 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, November 3, and Saturday, November 4 in the Student Activities Building. Campus tours will be available on the half hour of each hour.
Homecoming events include:
Thursday, November 2
● Founders Society Gala will be held at 7 p.m. in the Student Community Center, Greenfelder-Denlinger Boardrooms. The event features food and cocktails, and the cost is $40. Registration for this event closes Friday, October 20.
Friday, November 3
● Leo Lounge will be open from 1 to 6 p.m. in Room 117 of the Student Activities Building. Alumni and family members may meet friends, hang out between events, look through yearbooks and photos, and enjoy refreshments. Campus tours will be available on the half hour of each hour. This event is free.
● Super Hero 5K begins at 5:30 p.m. with check-in at the Turf Stadium next to the Marion Bowman Activities Center. Dress as a favorite super hero and walk or run a 5K through campus. Cost is $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and younger. This event is a fundraiser for Saint Leo University’s cross country team. A Homecoming T-shirt is included with registration.
● Saint Leo Prep and Holy Name Academy reunion dinner is a private event for alumni of those schools. It will be at 6 p.m. in the boardrooms. Cost is $15.
● Volleyball game begins at 7 p.m. in the Marion Bowman Activities Center. The event is free and no registration is required.
● Sip & Socialize, hosted by the Alumni Association, will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Dempsey Plaza outside of the Student Activities Building. Cost is $10 and includes food and two drink tickets.
Saturday, November 4
● Brunch with the President allows alumni to meet Dr. William J. Lennox Jr. and ask questions about the university. The event will be at 11 a.m. in the Student Community Center, Greenfelder-Denlinger Boardrooms, and cost is $10.
● Leo Lounge will be open from 1 to 6 p.m. in Room 117 of the Student Activities Building, so alumni may meet friends new and old. This event is free.
● Mass of Remembrance will be celebrated at 3 p.m. in the Abbey Church.
● Volleyball game begins at 4 p.m. in the Marion Bowman Activities Center. The event is free.
● Lions’ Tailgate will take place at 3:30 p.m. in The Bowl, behind the Student Community Center. Alumni can enjoy Tampa Bay area food trucks, drinks, games, and more.
Registration fee of $15 includes one food truck ticket and open bar with beer, wine, soft drinks, and water.
● Saint Leo Prep and Holy Name dinner for alumni of those schools and their guests will be at 4 p.m. at The Abbey Tavern, following Mass. Cost is $10.
● Homecoming concert and fireworks are free. The concert begins at 4:30 p.m. in The Bowl, behind the Student Community Center. Stay at the Lions’ Tailgate and enjoy the concert and then fireworks over Lake Jovita at 7 p.m.
● Homecoming basketball game encourages alumni to cheer on the Lions as they face off against Trinity at 7:30 p.m. There will be fun contests and prizes, and the 2017 King and Queen of Saint Leo will be crowned at halftime. This event is free.
Sunday, November 5
● Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. at the Abbey Church.
● Brunch will be served 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Dining Hall in the Student Community Center. Cost is $10 and include brunch buffet and mimosas and bloody Mary bar.
To register, go online to your.saintleo.edu/homecoming or call the Office of Alumni Engagement and Sustained Giving at (352) 588-8667 and pay by credit card. Also, let the office know if you need special accommodations.
About Saint Leo University
Saint Leo University (www.saintleo.edu) is a modern Catholic teaching university that is firmly grounded in the liberal arts tradition and the timeless Benedictine wisdom that seeks balanced growth of mind, body, and spirit. The Saint Leo University of today is a private, nonprofit institution that creates hospitable learning communities wherever students want to be or need to be, whether that is a campus classroom, a web-based environment, an employer’s worksite, a military base, or an office park. Saint Leo welcomes people of all faiths and of no religious affiliation, and encourages learners of all generations. The university is committed to providing educational opportunities to the nation’s armed forces, veterans, and their families. Saint Leo is regionally accredited to award degrees ranging from the associate to the doctorate, and the faculty and staff guide all students to develop their capacities for critical thinking, moral reflection, and lifelong learning and leadership.
The university remains the faithful steward of the beautiful lakeside University Campus in the Tampa Bay region of Florida, where its founding monks created the first Catholic college in the state in 1889. Serving more than 13,000 students, Saint Leo has expanded to downtown Tampa, to other sites in Florida and beyond, and maintains a physical presence in seven states. The university provides highly respected online learning programs to students nationally and internationally. More than 90,000 alumni reside in all 50 states, in Washington, DC, in three U.S. territories, and in 76 countries.
Media Contact: Mary McCoy, University Writer & Media Relations, mary.mccoy02@saintleo.edu, (352) 588-7118 or cell (813) 610-8416