Southwestern Magazine | Fall 2019

Southwestern’s inaugural homecoming celebration took place on April 21, 1909, and is touted as the first of its kind in the nation. The event was a citywide a”air, with The Megaphone reporting that thousands of alumni returned to their alma mater to reconnect with “beloved professors” and “chums of the bygone days of youth.” In October 2019, SU hosted the 110th anniversary of that historic reunion. This year’s festivities featured the biennial Shilling Lecture, a dedication ceremony for the Fondren–Jones Science Center and Jones Plaza, a silent disco, and an interactive screening of the Rocky Horror Picture Show . SU also introduced a new tradition: the Parade of Classes, in which current students and alumni celebrating milestone reunion years promenaded across the campus. 47 SOUTHWESTERN