A lecture series featuring the long-time executive director of the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club, a luncheon celebrating the Class of 1962, and an awards banquet honoring nine distinguished alumni are a few of the highlights of the University of the Ozarks’ Alumni Weekend 2012, scheduled for April 19-21.
More than 500 alumni, family members and friends of the university are expected to be on campus for a number of events throughout the weekend. One of the biggest annual events on the Ozarks campus traditionally draws alumni from throughout the United States as well as other countries.
The annual lecture series, scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Friday, April 20, will feature Jerry Glidewell, a 1979 Ozarks graduate who has been the executive director of the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club since 1990. Over that span, he has guided and mentored tens of thousands of young people. In 2009 he was named the recipient of the Boys & Girls Club of America’s Southwesterner award, which is given to the top executive director in an eight-state region. The lecture series will be held in the Boreham Business Building.
Also on Friday, April 20, the Class of 1962 will be officially inducted into the University’s 50-Year Club during a special luncheon beginning at noon in Walker Hall. Another event on Friday is a 40-year anniversary celebration open house for the Jones Learning Center. That event begins at 3 p.m. in the JLC.
Another highlight of the weekend will be the annual Alumni Awards Banquet at 5 p.m., April 20, in the Seay Student Center. Those being honored this year include, Loyce Ann (Bean) Taylor ’72 of Clarksville, who will receive the Alumni Merit Award; Dr. Kay (Bridges) Johnson ’77 of Greenwood, Ark., Ann Patterson ’75 of Little Rock, and Jerry Glidewell ’79 of Fort Smith, Ark., who will all receive the Alumni Achievement Award; and Arvid Bean ’78 and Sharon Bean ’78 of Fort Smith, Ark., who will receive the Alumni Legacy Award. Paul Hiemke ’02 of Richardson, Texas, and Kerri Hughes ’04 of Fort Smith, will each receive the Young Alumni Service Award. Long-time Ozarks physical education and health instructor Levada (Mathis) Qualls ’55 of Clarksville will also be honored during the banquet for her years of dedicated service to the University.
A new event on Friday is a hiking trip on the Ozarks Highlands Trail, organized by Ozarks Outdoors. The trip will leave at 9:30 a.m. from campus.
The weekend will include numerous opportunities for current students to interact with alumni, including a career networking event and an alumni panel program called Inter-ACT (Alumni Career Talks). This year’s Inter-ACT program will feature alumni who are in professons that deal with psychology and sociology. It will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 20, in Walker Hall. There will also be an alumni roundtable event called, More than a Paycheck: Professions with a Purpose, at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 19.
Saturday, April 21, will begin with the annual 5K run/walk at 8 a.m. The race will begin and end in the Mabee Gymnasium Parking lot on the north end of campus. The cost to participate in the race is $20 for pre-registration and $25 to register on the day of the race. Race participants will receive a T-shirt and there will be medals for age-division winners.
Other events on Saturday will include the annual Commemorative Chapel Service at 11 a.m. in Munger Chapel, a luncheon and carnival in the Rogers Conference Center, a President’s Dessert Reception at the President’s House, and men’s and women’s alumni soccer matches.
Also in conjunction with Alumni Weekend, the University Theatre will present the play The Foreigner by Larry Shue at 7:30 p.m. on April 19, 20 and 21 in the Walton Fine Arts Center.
Registration is currently underway and anyone who plans to attend any of these events is encouraged to register as early as possible. For more information on Alumni Weekend activities, please contact the Alumni Office at (479) 979-1234 or alumnioffice@ozarks.edu. Information is also available on the university’s Web site, www.ozarks.edu.