Alumni set to return for UC Homecoming
All eyes are on Cincinnati for Homecoming weekend Oct. 18-19
The University of Cincinnati community will unite Oct. 18-19 for Homecoming weekend. With a presence in the city’s four-day BLINK event and an “Eye of the Bearcat” theme on campus, the festive occasion will honor treasured traditions and the ongoing relationship between alumni and students.
The University of Cincinnati Alumni Association’s annual Homecoming celebration will take place on the Uptown Campus with an exhibition men’s basketball game between UC and Ohio State in Fifth Third Arena on Friday, Oct. 18 and a variety of events surrounding the traditional Homecoming Parade and football game on Saturday, Oct. 19. And new this year, the reach extends to Over-the-Rhine where the UC Alumni Mural, located at 1430 Vine St., will be part of the collection of immersive art experiences that make up the 2024 edition of BLINK, the nation’s largest public light and art event.
The UC Alumni Mural was commissioned by the UC Alumni Association to salute the 18 alumni who were honored at the UC Alumni Celebration duirng Alumni Week last April. Their achievements and impact are representative of the vast contributions made throughout the UC alumni family. The mural’s addition to BLINK’s 35-city-block map of 80+ light, mural and projection mapping displays provides the opportunity to showcase UC alumni to the enormous BLINK audience. We'll shine a light on alumni success Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 17-20, from 7 to 11 p.m. each night.
UC students holding UC Alumni Association Homecoming banner at the start of the 2023 Homecoming Parade. Photo/provided.
The Homecoming football game will feature the Bearcats hosting new Big 12 Conference member Arizona State. It is the Sun Devils’ first visit to Cincinnati, and only the third time the two teams have played, with UC holding a 2-0 series record. Kickoff is at noon with the game televised on ESPN+. Tickets are still available. UC fans are asked to wear red.
As always, the time-honored Homecoming Parade will be another highlight of the weekend’s pageantry. Beginning at 8 a.m. and heading north on Clifton Avenue from Calhoun Street, this year’s edition will feature 50+ parade entries with generations of onlookers and well-wishers from the UC family lining the route.
The parade will highlight the 2024 Homecoming theme “Eye of the Bearcat.” The Grand Marshal will be Omar Cummings, CECH ’18, one of the greatest soccer players in UC history. An all-conference performer in the 2005 and 2006 seasons and an All-American as a senior, Cummings also had an eight-year career in Major League Soccer and starred on the national team for his native Jamaica.
He is currently Director of Soccer in the Community & Club Ambassador for FC Cincinnati, and was inducted into the James P. Kelly UC Athletics Hall of Fame last month.
Tens of thousands of lifelong Bearcats will make the trip, drawn back to the campus and community they hold so dear.
Jennifer Heisey Chief Alumni Officer
Beyond the parade, pregame festivities will occur on and around campus. The Grid tailgate area on Sigma Sigma Commons will open at 8 a.m., with the football team’s traditional Catwalk to the stadium passing through The Grid at approximately 9:30 a.m.
While the football game and parade are the cornerstones of Homecoming, a number of related activities create a robust Homecoming schedule for alumni, students and members of the community. (See below.)
“I'm always thrilled to welcome our alumni home. Tens of thousands of lifelong Bearcats will make the trip, drawn back to the campus and community they hold so dear,” said UC chief alumni officer Jennifer Heisey. “I hope you're among the many who return to UC to be a part of the Homecoming festivities.”
Homecoming Week events
A list of Homecoming Week events is available on the UC Homecoming website. The schedule includes activities staged by the UC Alumni Association, college and special interest alumni networks, student groups and UC Athletics. Highlights include:
Thursday, Oct. 17 to Sunday, Oct. 20
UC Alumni Mural at BLINK
7-11 p.m., 1430 Vine St. (OTR Zone)
Thursday, Oct. 17
UC4A Greek Alumni Basketball Tournament
6-9 p.m., Mount Auburn Preparatory Academy
Friday, Oct. 18
UC Baseball Golf Outing
10 a.m., Pebble Creek Golf Course
State of Black UC Forum
12-2:30 p.m., African American Cultural & Resource Center
Cincinnati vs. Ohio State Exhibition Men’s Basketball Game
7 p.m., Fifth Third Arena
College of Nursing Dean’s Circle Reception
4-5:30 p.m., College of Nursing – Procter Hall
UC Alumni Band Reunion
6-11 p.m., The Taproom on Ludlow
Saturday, Oct. 19
Homecoming Parade
8 a.m., Parade travels down Clifton Avenue from Calhoun Street to Probasco Street
Golden Bearcat Society Homecoming Parade Grandstand
7 a.m., Clifton Court Hall Patio
Spirit Programs Alumni Reunion
7 a.m., Calhoun Street
Bearcats on The Grid
8 a.m., Sigma Sigma Commons
College of Engineering and Applied Science Homecoming Celebration
9 a.m., Schneider Quad
Double A Alumni Tailgate
12-8 p.m., Short Vine
Football Team’s CATWALK
Approximately 9:30 a.m., starting in Campus Green and traveling through The Grid and Sigma Sigma Commons
Cincinnati vs. Arizona State Homecoming Game
Noon, Nippert Stadium
Presentation of Homecoming Court
Halftime, Nippert Stadium
Sunday, Oct. 20
UC Baseball Open Scrimmage
4 p.m., UC Baseball Stadium
Plan ahead and see parade route and street closures.
Homecoming is presented by the UC Alumni Association and sponsored by Ohio’s 529 College Advantage, Skyline Chili, Prestige AV & Creative Services and U Square.
Featured image at the top: Historic Nippert Stadium on gameday. Photo/provided.
Briana Harper, UCBA '18, A&S '21, Bus '21
Program Director, Alumni Engagement, Affinity Networks & Student Experiences
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