2025 Grand marshals
Recognizing the McGuirk Family
Homecoming
2025 CMU Homecoming
Thursday, Oct. 23 - Sunday, Oct. 26Homecoming is a perfect time to return to Central Michigan University, relive your favorite memories, and make new ones. (Plus, there’s no better time on campus than the fall!) From the parade to the big game, homecoming offers everyone fun, connection, and fired-up experiences.
Schedule of events
Homecoming weekend brings a lot of activity across campus and in Mt. Pleasant. The schedule includes college and alumni chapter events, Rock Rally, the cardboard boat races, and multiple CMU Chippewa athletic events. And that’s just for starters.
CMU's 2025 homecoming celebration schedule is posted below and updated regularly throughout the summer. Check back often for updates!
Thursday, Oct. 23
7 p.m. | Football Coaches Show
For the third straight year, the hour-long show will be broadcast live at Ascend Sports Bar & Lounge (located at the back of the main floor) and will generally take place on Thursdays or two days prior to game day at 7 p.m. ET. Admission is free for all. Fans who are not able to make it out to see the show live can listen live on WUPS 98.5-FM or through the CMU Athletics app.
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When: 7 p.m. |Where:Ascend Sports Bar & Lounge
Cost:Complimentary | RSVP:No RSVP needed
Friday, Oct. 24
1 p.m. | Annual Career Awareness Session with the CMU Latine Alumni Chapter
Come join the CMU Latine Alumni Chapter for an inspiring program as accomplished individuals share their personal stories, highlighting their journeys and impact in their respective fields.
Networking and refreshments start at 1 p.m. with the program beginning promptly at 2 p.m.
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When: 1 p.m. |Where:UC Auditorium & UC 303 Lake MI Room
Cost:Complimentary | RSVP:https://go.cmualum.com/latinehomecoming25
2 p.m. | Coming Home Middle Michigan
Looking for an awesome career in Middle Michigan? Connect with world-class employers from the region and learn more about what makes Middle Michigan a wonderful place to call home.
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When: 2-5 p.m. | Where: Courtyard Marriott
Cost: Complimentary | RSVP:https://go.cmualum.com/ComingHome25
4 p.m. - Men's Basketball Alumni Game
Cheer on Central Michigan Men's Basketball alumni as they squre off in an alumni game at McGuirk Arena! Then at 7 p.m., be sure to check out the current men's hoops team exhibition against SVSU, coached by former CMU basketball standout Chris Fowler.
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When:4 p.m. |Where: McGuirk Arena
Cost: Complimentary |Contact: Greg Hotchkiss, hotch1ga@cmich.edu
5 p.m. | Fraternity and Sorority Alumni Pre-Game at the Cabin
Celebrate Homecoming with CMU Greek alumni at The Cabin!
Join us Oct. 24 from 5–7 p.m. - your registration includes light bites and reconnection with fellow fraternity/sorority alumni!
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When: 4-5 p.m. | Where: The Cabin
Cost: $5 per person | RSVP:https://go.cmualum.com/FSAcabin25
6 p.m. | Welcome Mixer with the CMU Black Alumni Chapter
Mix and mingle with old friends and new connections. Enjoy games, light hors d’oeuvres & networking!
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When: 6-9 p.m. | Where: 3rd Floor UC
Cost: Included in weekend package registration | RSVP:https://go.cmualum.com/BACHomecoming25
6 p.m. | Alumni Takeover: Wayside Edition
Mix and mingle with old friends and new connections while celebrating Wayside's 50th year!
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When: 6-9 p.m. | Where: Wayside
Cost: Complimentary | RSVP:go.cmualum.com/wayside2025
7 p.m. | Rock Rally
Follow the Maroon and Gold Brick Road to CMU’s Homecoming Rock Rally! Join us for an unforgettable night of music, spirit, and tradition as student organizations light up the stage in a traditional mock-rock, acapella style performance. We also will crown the 2025 CMU Homecoming Gold Ambassador!
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When:7 p.m. | Where: Plachta Auditorium
Cost: Complimentary | Contact: https://go.cmualum.com/RockRally25
7 p.m. | Men's Basketball Exhibition vs. SVSU
Join fellow alumni and friends to get a first look at this year's Central Michigan Men's Basketball team as they square off in an exhibition against SVSU, coached by former CMU basketball standout Chris Fowler.
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When:7 p.m. |Where: McGuirk Arena
Cost: Complimentary |Contact: Greg Hotchkiss, hotch1ga@cmich.edu
7:30 p.m. | Theater on the Side
Students in Elaine Daugherty’s advanced directing class will present five one-act plays. This event is free and open to the public.
Thin Places | Written by Darius Buckley | Directed by Jarrod Kimble
This play explores the process of grieving and how much it can hold a person back when they refuse to let go.
The Dreaming | Written by Richard James | Directed by Erika Thorson
Two men with no recollection of who they are or how they got here must work together to understand their situation.
The Big Dog | Written by William Cane | Directed by Mackenna Kofahl
A man tries to sneak away to a cabin in the woods with his mistress and young daughter. He disregards a local’s warnings of a bloodthirsty dog living in the woods, but the dog soon proves difficult to ignore. The Big Dog is a tense horror play that explores how love destroys us.
About Life | Written by Robert Ricards | Directed by Jace DeBoer
After the death of Amy’s husband, she and her longtime friend Gladys talk about grief and how to spend her new-found freedom.
I Dream Before I Take the Stand | Written by Arlene Hutton | Directed by Nora Bielmeier
A woman who has experienced a sexual assault in the park is defending herself in court against a defense attorney who is trying to find any way to belittle her experience and make it her fault.
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When: 7:30 p.m. | Where: Bush Theatre
Cost: Complimentary | Contact: Elaine Daugherty daugh1ed@cmich.edu
10:30 p.m. - 2 a.m. | Black Alumni Chapter Encore Nightclub Party
Keep the Homecoming energy going at Encore Nightclub for the Forever Fired Up after-party! Featuring the Detroit Lions DJ Ray, this will be a night of celebration, music and memories. You won’t want to miss this event!
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When: 10:30 p.m. - 2 a.m. | Where: Encore Nightclub
Cost: Included in weekend package or $15 taken at door by Encore staff | RSVP:https://go.cmualum.com/BACHomecoming25
Saturday, Oct. 25
8 a.m. | Special Olympics Michigan 5k Race
Join us for the CMU Homecoming 5K Run/Walk, a tradition cherished for more than 35 years! The event kicks off at historic Finch Fieldhouse and winds through the beautiful campus of Central Michigan University, offering the perfect way to start your Homecoming morning. Whether you run or walk, participate solo or as part of a team, you’ll be creating lasting memories while supporting children and adults with intellectual disabilities. With more than 250 participants expected, this event is the perfect blend of community, tradition, and purpose.
When: 8 a.m. | Where: Finch Fieldhouse
Cost: $35 for runners/walker. $10 for your furry friend | RSVP:https://www.classy.org/event/2025-cmu-homecoming-5k/e719954
8 a.m. | Band Alumni Coffee Hour
Join the Marching Chips Alumni for a coffee hour at Kelly/Shorts Stadium West Concourse.
When: 8 a.m. | Where: Kelly/Shorts Stadium West Concourse
Cost: Complimentary | RSVP: https://forms.office.com/r/qFkx5ypGDZ
9 a.m. | Rehearsal on the Stadium Field with the Marching Chips
Join current and former Marching Chips on the stadium field for halftime rehearsal.
When: 9 a.m. | Where: Jack Saunders Field
RSVP:https://forms.office.com/r/qFkx5ypGDZ
9 a.m. | Homecoming Breakfast for Art and Design Alumni
Join CMU Art and Design alumni for breakfast in Wightman Hall.
When: 9-11 a.m. | Where: Wightman Hall
RSVP: https://www.cmich.edu/academics/colleges/college-arts-media/departments-schools/art-design/rsvp-to-the-department-of-art-and-design-homecoming-events-for-alumni
9:30 a.m. | Community Coffee & Donuts
Start your day with alumni camaraderie and donuts! Join CMU alumni, students, faculty/staff and community members in the Powers Hall lobby before the parade begins.
When: 9:30 a.m. |Where: Powers Hall Lobby
Contact: Alumni Relations: 989-774-3312 |RSVP:Complimentary
9:30 a.m. | Alumni Breakfast - Celebrating the Class of 1975
Enjoy breakfast, parade viewing, and the football game with fellow alumni and friends. This event is open to ALL alumni and friends and celebrates the 50-year reunion of the class of 1975.
When: 9:30 a.m. |Where: Powers Ballroom
Cost: $15 |RSVP:https://go.cmualum.com/alumbreakfast25
Contact: Alumni Relations 989-774-3312
9:30 a.m. | Open House with the Honors Alumni Chapter
Join the Honors Alumni Chapter in Powers Hall to enjoy donuts and coffee while connecting with fellow program alumni and students.
When: 9:30 - 11 a.m. | Where: Powers Lobby
Contact: Honors Program: 989-774-3902 |RSVP: Complimentary.
10 a.m. | College of Business Administration Open House & Parade Viewing
Join the College of Business Administration for an Open House & Parade Viewing at the Grawn Atrium. Enjoy snacks, beverages and a photo booth.
When: 10 a.m. | Where: Grawn Atrium
Cost: Complimentary | RSVP: Not required
Contact: College of Business Administration | 989-774-3124
11 a.m. - Noon | CSE Chili Cookoff
Bring family and friends to vote on what they think is the tastiest; and then after having great chili, move on to the ponds and cheer on the Cardboard Boat Racers followed by Football!
When: 11 a.m. - Noon |Where:Engineering & Technology Building, 1st Floor Atrium
Cost: Complimentary |RSVP: Not required |Contact: SE@cmich.edu
11 a.m. | Homecoming Parade
Be part of the tradition! The annual Homecoming Parade steps off in Lot 22 and winds through campus before heading to downtown Mount Pleasant. Gather your fellow alumni, student org or community group and showcase your CMU pride with a custom float!
Looking to register a float/marching group? Fill out this form.
When: 11 a.m.|Where: Mount Pleasant, MI
Cost: Complimentary |RSVP: Not required
11 a.m. | Department of Art and Design Open House
Join the Department of Art and Design for an open house at Wightman Hall. Around the building, faculty and students will be creating art, doing demos and popups, and showing off their facilities to friends and alumni that want to visit.
When: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Where: Wightman Hall
Cost: Complimentary |RSVP: Not required
11:30 a.m. | Black Alumni Chapter Tailgate
Join the Black Alumni Chapter for our annual tailgate! Come enjoy food, music, and fellowship!
When: 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. | Where: Grass Area Southeast of Kelly/Shorts Field
Cost: Included in Weekend Package | RSVP: Coming soon!
Contact: Alumni Relations: 989-774-3312
To attend the game with CMU Black Alumni, register here.
11:30 a.m. | Latine Alumni Chapter Tailgate Fiesta
Join us for a vibrant and lively tailgate experience that embraces our CMU Latine community! All are invited to join us in embracing the diversity and richness of Latine culture! Enjoy food and dancing as we celebrate our Latine community in a festive and inclusive Tailgate Fiesta!
When: 11:30 a.m. | Where: Grass lot southeast of Kelly/Shorts Stadium
Cost: Complimentary | RSVP: https://advancement.apps.cmich.edu/events/advancement/830
11:30 a.m. | Tailgate Lots Open
Purchase parking in advance or with a cashless payment in lot 71 on a first-come, first-served basis on gameday.
When: 11:30 a.m. | Where: Parking lots surrounding Kelly/Shorts Stadium | Cost: Various
Noon | LI/SAI/VC Alumni Tailgate
Noon | Tours of the Student Activity Center
Alumni can come back to revisit the home of their greatest CMU memories. University Recreation alumni are encouraged to explore the places they used to work and connect with students and staff that are keeping the tradition alive.
When: Noon - 4 p.m. | Where: Student Activity Center
Contact: Scott Harrington | 989-774-3686 | harri3sr@cmich.edu
12:30 p.m. | Home Sweet Homecoming: Cider & Donuts with EHS
1 p.m. | Cardboard Boat Races
Held in the afternoon of homecoming, this event draws quite a crowd to Rose Ponds (near the CMU Events Center). For two weeks, School of Engineering & Technology students build cardboard boats and sail them across the ponds. The fastest team to the other side wins.
When: 1 p.m.. | Where: Rose Ponds
Cost: Complimentary no RSVP needed
3:30 p.m. | Football Game CMU Chippewas vs. Massachusetts
Fight Central down the field, fight for victory! 🎶
Cheer on your CMU Chippewas as they take on the Massachusetts Minutemen. Game tickets and parking passes are available for purchase here.
When: 3:30 p.m. | Where: Kelly/Shorts Stadium
Cost: Dynamic ticket pricing | Purchase Tickets: https://cmich.evenue.net/list/FB
Contact: Ticket Central |989-774-3045
3:30 p.m. | CMU vs. UMASS with Affinity Chapters (Latine and Black Alumni)
Cheer on the CMU Chippewa Football team as they take on the Massachusetts Minutemen. Enjoy the game seated next to fellow Latine Alumni!Purchase game tickets here by Oct. 11.
When: 3:30 p.m. | Where: Kelly/Shorts Stadium
Contact: Ticket Central |989-774-3045
7:30 p.m. | Theater on the Side
Students in Elaine Daugherty’s advanced directing class will present five one-act plays. This event is free and open to the public.
Thin Places | Written by Darius Buckley | Directed by Jarrod Kimble
This play explores the process of grieving and how much it can hold a person back when they refuse to let go.
The Dreaming | Written by Richard James | Directed by Erika Thorson
Two men with no recollection of who they are or how they got here must work together to understand their situation.
The Big Dog | Written by William Cane | Directed by Mackenna Kofahl
A man tries to sneak away to a cabin in the woods with his mistress and young daughter. He disregards a local’s warnings of a bloodthirsty dog living in the woods, but the dog soon proves difficult to ignore. The Big Dog is a tense horror play that explores how love destroys us.
About Life | Written by Robert Ricards | Directed by Jace DeBoer
After the death of Amy’s husband, she and her longtime friend Gladys talk about grief and how to spend her new-found freedom.
I Dream Before I Take the Stand | Written by Arlene Hutton | Directed by Nora Bielmeier
A woman who has experienced a sexual assault in the park is defending herself in court against a defense attorney who is trying to find any way to belittle her experience and make it her fault.
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When:7:30 p.m. | Where: Bush Theatre
Cost: Complimentary |Contact:Elaine Daughertydaugh1ed@cmich.edu
10:30 p.m. | The Final Frame: Bowling Party with the Black Alumni Chapter
Lace up and hit the lanes with fellow alumni for a night of strikes and laughs. Whether you’re chasing a perfect game or just in it for the fun, this is the place to reconnect and roll into a great time together! Shoe rental included.
When:10:30 p.m. - 12 a.m. | Where: Riverwood Resort
Contact: Alumni Relations | 989-774-3312
Cost: Included in Weekend Package | RSVP:https://go.cmualum.com/BACHomecoming25
Sunday, Oct. 26
TBD | Wrestling Maroon & Gold Intrasquad
Check out theWrestling Maroon & Gold Intrasquad in the McGuirk Arena.
When: Sunday October 26 | Time: TBD |Where: McGuirk Arena
Contact: CMU Athletics
3-4:30 p.m. | CMU Athletics Trunk or Treat / Track or Treat
Join CMU Athletics for a fun-filled evening of Halloween spirit! CMU athletic teams will host stations around the track with games, activities, and plenty of candy for all ages. Costumes are encouraged—come dressed in your spooky, silly, or spirited best and enjoy a night of CMU fun!
When: 3-4:30 p.m.|Where: Skoog Track
Contact: Travis Downing
Grand marshals
Each year, CMU selects one or more outstanding alumni, community members and/or university advocates to be honorary leaders of the homecoming parade and other homecoming events.
We proudly honor the McGuirk family as the 2025 homecoming grand marshals.
