A crowd of blue and gray – colors woven into Fredericksburg’s history – gathered on UMW’s Battleground Athletic Complex under the bright October sky. In the background, the blast of a canon echoed across campus.
More than 150 years ago, the sights and sounds could have been from a Civil War battle. This weekend though, it was the cheers and spirit wear of passionate Mary Washington fans.
More than 300 alumni came back to UMW for Homecoming Saturday, Oct. 22, joining the student body in cheering on Eagles Athletics at more than six games throughout the day. Earlier in the week, UMW students celebrated with a bonfire and cookout, traditions that mirror the schools’ earliest homecoming traditions.
‘’Having our alumni back is one of the best things about Homecoming,” said senior Alex Clegg, Student Government Association president. “I think our alumni miss UMW, and UMW definitely misses our alumni.”
Mary Washington’s first homecoming was hosted in 1972, designed as a parody of the “big weekends” that female students traditionally attended at other universities. With the theme “bring the boys home,” the event was an invitation for girls’ dates to come to Fredericksburg. Featuring a parade from the Monroe gates through Campus Drive and onto Hanover Street, festivities included a band, flag football game between Devils and Goats, picnic dinner and bonfire.
Decades later, UMW welcomes hundreds of alumni back to the “Burg” each year. Alumni arrived on Friday, Oct. 21 to launch the weekend with a Digital Identity Summit that featured panels of students, alumni and employers discussing the relationship between digital presence and professional development.
“Impressive to see [UMW] students so engaged in thinking about and exploring their digital identity,” tweeted Sean O’Brien ’09, former SGA president. “This… panel shows how important digital identity is for careers.”
On Saturday, alumni and students flocked to the fourth annual tailgate event outside of the soccer field to cheer on the UMW Eagles during rugby and soccer matches. At noon, the university dedicated its new state-of-the-art track and field complex with the blast of a replica Civil War cannon marking the start of a ceremonial lap.
Sandra Sanchez ’14 summed up the day on Twitter: “[It] feels good to be #BackintheBurg.”
