Welcome, Family and Alumni!

by Sean Fitzpatrick ’04

Excitement filled the air as students visited with their families, and APU graduates reunited with friends from the past. On October 23-26, APU celebrated its annual Homecoming/Family Weekend: This is the Life Worth Living. Families of students and APU alumni from all over the country visited the APU campus.

The weekend kicked off with the Alumni, Family, and Friends Golf Tournament on Thursday morning. Visitors and students participated in various activities on Friday including campus tours, luncheons, class visits, and Dinner Rally, an APU tradition that serves to raise money for student scholarships.

Saturday morning started with a 5K run followed by the President’s Prayer Breakfast. Alumni participated in various reunions throughout the day, such as the 1993 Nursing Reunion and the Track and Field Reunion. Current students spent the day busily working on the homecoming floats that represented their living areas in preparation for the Homecoming Parade held before the game.

Throughout the afternoon, students and families played in the Family Fun Zone on Adams Field, which contained activities for people of all ages. Hungry participants ate kettle corn, snow cones, and In-N-Out Burger meals.

Later that night, the homecoming game ended in victory for APU as the Cougars shut out the University of La Verne 42-0. At halftime, Jon Axtell ’04 and Kerry Clark ’04 were named Homecoming King and Queen.

The weekend concluded with a community worship service on Sunday morning held in Upper Turner Campus Center on APU’s East Campus. Andrea Sturman ’04 best described the sentiments of the weekend, saying, “Homecoming/Family Weekend was a great way for students, alumni, and family to join together with a common school spirit for APU.”