UM Homecoming Week Events and Distinguished Alumni Announced

2019 marks the 100^th official University of Montana Homecoming week, so the campus and city will be celebrating.

Angela Rozhon, on campus events coordinator for the UM Office of Alumni Relations said on Monday that there are special homecoming events all week.

“We’ll have a ‘Hello Walk’ on Tuesday,” said Rozhon. “That’s where students go out in front of Turner Hall and paint the sidewalk with all kinds of colorful greetings in different languages. The theme this year is ‘Montana Forever, 100 Years of Homecoming’. The alumni association didn’t start Homecoming until 1919, so this is the official 100^th anniversary.”

Rozhon said Friday is the day most filled with Homecoming activities.

“There will be classes of 49, 59 and 69 celebrating their 50^th, 60^th and 70^th class anniversaries,” she said. “The distinguished alumni awards are Friday at 5:00 p.m. and directly following that will be our annual Yell Night pep rally. The Grizzly marching band, Monte and the cheerleaders will all be there. We’ll be placing luminaria around the oval and people can purchase them to commemorate their favorite UM alumni. We’ll have Singing on the Steps and the lighting of the ‘M’ on Friday evening.”

The Homecoming Parade gets underway Saturday at 10:00 a.m. at the X’s on Higgins Avenue and will travel to University Avenue to the campus. Honorary parade Grand Marshall will be beloved Doc Curry, for whom the Curry Health Center on campus is named.

There will be five alumni feted during the banquet on Friday, in addition to being recognized on the field during the University of Montana Homecoming football game.

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma member Daryl Baldwin ’96, M.A. ’99, of Liberty, Indiana, has influenced the field of linguistics for his work to revitalize the “sleeping” language of Myaamia. Widely sought-after spokesperson Lana Richards Batts ’68, of Lakeside, has blazed her path as a leader in the male-dominated trucking industry. Dennis Eck ’67, of Corona del Mar, California, has improved multiple organizations through technology, unique business solutions and education. During her 34 years as a nurse, Elizabeth “Beth” Schenk ’81, of Missoula, has led the way for sustainability in health care. At Providence St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula, she has spearheaded environmental stewardship efforts to reduce healthcare-generated pollution, saving nearly $1 million annually. Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes member Mandy Smoker Broaddus, M.F.A. ’03, of Helena, is an educational advocate for Native Americans, humanities leader, consultant and well-known writer.