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The weekend features athletic events, reunions, and the annual parade along with morning golf at K’s Creek Golf Club and a homecoming after parties in downtown Jacksonville.

Katie Carls, executive director of advancement and alumni engagement, said that the College has a lot to celebrate this fall.

“Homecoming is a festive event that brings the community together to celebrate the strong Illinois College tradition. There is a special energy on campus this time of year,” Carls said.

Carls encourages anyone who has a tie to the College and anyone who wants to learn more about the Hilltop to visit campus on Saturday of Homecoming. “I am filled with gratitude for the alumni, students, faculty and staff and everyone in the Jacksonville community who all make IC the special place it is,” she added.

The David A. Smith House will celebrate its 100th year serving as a space for the women’s literary societies on campus, Parker Science Building and Baxter Hall have each seen substantial renovations to provide state-of-the-art learning facilities for the nursing program, and the College is partnering with local businesses to extend the Homecoming after-party to downtown Jacksonville.  

Members of the Class of 1974 are invited to celebrate their 50th class reunion at the Jacksonville Country Club on Oct. 25 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. There will be a complimentary dinner and drinks. Later that evening, the Illinois College Alumni Association Board of Directors will host a wine and cheese reception for alumni and friends of the College from 7 to 9 p.m. at Twisted Tree Music & Event Hall. Also on Friday, football alumni are invited to an alumni gathering hosted by head coach Ray DeFrisco and the football coaching staff on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m at KJB’s.

For those who want to show their True Blue pride, the IC Store will be open on Oct. 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Caine Student Center.

Homecoming festivities on Saturday morning kick off with a pre-game meal, Breakfast with the Blueboys at 8 to 9 a.m. hosted by Conrad Noll III ’65 and Bobby Noll ’02. Following breakfast, Coach Ray DeFrisco invites all football alumni to join the Blueboys on Green Athletic Field to walk the field and pose for a group photo.

The annual Homecoming Parade will begin at 10 a.m. at the corner of Church and State Streets in downtown Jacksonville and end at the Homecoming Celebration Tent on the corner of Edgehill Road and Park Street. The parade route will travel east on State Street to the downtown square, moving clockwise around the square, and continue south on Main Street. The parade will then turn west on College Avenue heading toward Illinois College and turn south on Park Street. To participate in the parade, visit ic.edu/HomecomingParade to sign up.

Kristin Van Aken Jamison ’99 will lead the festivities as this year’s parade marshal. Jamison graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Illinois College with a degree in communications and theatre. She earned a master’s in communication from the University of Illinois at Springfield, where she interned at the Illinois EPA and worked as a legislative aide. For over 12 years, Jamison served her alma mater as a staff member on IC’s development team and taught public speaking. In 2018, she and her husband Adam opened Jamison’s Future Swings, later acquiring Lenz Field, now operating as Future Champions Sports Complex. She joined the Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation in 2019, becoming president in 2020. Jamison also serves on several community boards and co-chaired major fundraisers. Jamison, her husband, and their two children live near Illinois College. She fondly recalls performing in IC TheatreWorks and being embraced by the Illinois College community.

Following the parade, the Alumni Association Board of Directors will host a Homecoming Celebration Lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a buffet style meal served under the Homecoming Celebration Tent. In addition to a complimentary lunch, guests will be treated to refreshments and a Bloody Mary bar. Family activities will be hosted throughout the afternoon including bounce houses. A variety of food trucks will be available to purchase food and drink options. The meal is free, but registration is encouraged.

Blueboys football will compete against Lawrence College in the Homecoming football game at 12 p.m. on Green Athletic Field at England Stadium. Women’s volleyball will compete at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. in Sherman Gymnasium at the Bruner Fitness and Recreation Center. Men’s and women’s soccer will compete at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Green Athletic Field at England Stadium.

The Homecoming After Party begins at 4 p.m. across various locations in Jacksonville. Alumni from the class of 1989 and earlier are invited to Bahan’s, hosted by Rob Vidakovich ’74. Those from the classes of 1990-1999 will gather at the Future Champions Sports Complex, hosted by Kristin Van Aken Jamison ’99. For alumni from 2000-2010, the celebration will be at K’s Creek Golf Course/Legends Event Center, hosted by John ’07 and Rachel Smith Rohn ’07. Finally, graduates from 2011-2024 will head to KJB’s, hosted by Kelly Brockhouse ’99.

President Barbara A. Farley will host reunions for the class years ending in 4 and 9 from 1989 and before at Alumni House from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and refreshments set the stage for an intimate gathering and reunion photos will be taken.

A detailed schedule of events is available at ic.edu/homecoming/schedule. Homecoming attendance is free and the event is open to the public. Registration is requested online at ic.edu/homecoming-rsvp or by calling the Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement at 217.245.3046.