Homecoming weekend is a weekend for students, parents, family, friends, alumni, faculty, and locals to come have fun and join as one big Castleton community. The latest homecoming featured activities including the homecoming football game, the lacrosse student alumni game, basket raffles, cow plops, unveiling of the new Mandala II sculpture, boat rides on the lake and a communication department open house for alumni.

“Kevin Hurley the magician was amazing. He was back by popular demand. There was like 80-plus people at Fireside when there is usually about 12 at these events,” said student Lani Williard.

For the parents of lacrosse player Rob Woods, the best part of homecoming weekend was seeing their son play in the alumni lacrosse game, especially since this year the team beat the alums.

For academic counselor Matt Patry, it was all about football.

“The biggest part of homecoming weekend was the nail bitter win, when we came from behind and won in the last few minutes,” Patry said.

Although the game was marred before its start by Intoxication, vulgar language, and violence, it was soon forgotten with the intense win.

For Victoria Angis, assistant dean of campus life who has been here for three decades, the best part is always “seeing the alumni.” Angis said homecoming was well attended this year and many walked away happy with commemorative mugs.

The communication department open house also gave alums a chance to see the drastic changes made to the department including the new TV studio that left them reminiscing about the old studio and technology long gone. About 30 alumni came to visit the department and visit with professors Bob Gershon, David Blow and Thomas Conroy.

“It was a nice excuse to talk to and catch up with people you haven’t seen in ten years,” Conroy said. “People looked happy, seemed to be doing well, and some even brought along their children.”

And the always unique hit cow plop bingo raised about $600 for the student emergency loan fund, a loan most students are unaware of that helps students in emergency financial situations like if a commuter’s car breaks down. This loan has a low interest rate and can really be helpful and all the money donated really keeps the fund moving.

The Student Awards Scholarship dinner was also a hit, highlighted be a speech from student Brooke Surprenant.

Then there was the ice hockey team’s dunk tank, free massages and the athletic Hall of Fame inductees.

By the end of the day, students, parents and alums were wrung out, having spent a full day reminiscing, playing hard and bleeding Castleton green.