UM-Flint to embrace community during Wolverine Homecoming & Family Weekend 2023

They say the "third time's a charm," so there should be no doubt Sept. 8-9 will be a charmed weekend for the University of Michigan-Flint and the surrounding community when the university hosts Wolverine Homecoming & Family Weekend for just the third time in its history.

Kicking off the weekend is a homecoming dance for current students, 6-9 p.m., Sept. 8, at the Northbank Center ballroom. Happening concurrently will be the Alumni Blue Carpet Affair, billed as "an elegant evening where alumni will be celebrated and able to reconnect with each other and the university." The event will take place 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Flint Farmers' Market Rooftop Terrace.

Following Friday's festivities will be the return of UM-Flint's Campus Carnival. Taking place 2-6 p.m., Sept. 9, the carnival coincides with Flint's annual Bikes on the Bricks event. Chris DeEulis, associate director of student involvement and leadership, said that the planning committee hopes to build on the vibrancy downtown will offer that weekend by inviting community members from outside the university to join the carnival festivities with UM-Flint.

"UM-Flint is special because of our students, our faculty and staff, our alumni, and family members. But we are also supported by the community and without those pieces, none of it really works," DeEulis said. "We are continuously working together, hand-in-hand, throughout the year, so why not take some time to really celebrate those partnerships and have some fun."

In the weeks leading up to homecoming weekend, units throughout campus will participate in an office decorating contest that showcases creativity and Michigan spirit. Last year, the Physician Assistant program took first place, with honorable mentions going to the College of Health Sciences Dean's Office and the Department of Public Health & Health Sciences.

Office decorations will be judged by the homecoming planning committee, an intersectional group composed of undergraduate and graduate admissions professionals, the Office of Student Involvement & Leadership, representatives from academic departments, and students. One student member of the committee is Lina Azeim, a junior political science major from Grand Blanc and Student Government president. Azeim values the fact that homecoming has something to offer everyone.

"There's a chance for everyone to have fun," said Azeim. "We have an incredibly diverse student population. Nontraditional students, if they have kids, they can bring them. It's on the weekend, so online students who work can attend too. Traditional students, they can bring their families if they want to as well. Homecoming is a chance for everyone to have fun and create lasting memories."

Azeim believes that the spirit of togetherness that the planning for homecoming has emphasized is a hallmark of UM-Flint's culture.

"Anytime I speak to new students and ask them why they chose UM-Flint, they always say it's always because of the tight-knit community," Azeim said. "I think homecoming emphasizes that. Everyone gets to engage with each other, even with people that they normally wouldn't have the opportunity to network with. I might be most excited for that aspect of the weekend!"

More information regarding all of the events scheduled during Wolverine Homecoming & Family Weekend 2023 can be found on the homecoming webpage. Students are requested to RSVP for the Wolverine Homecoming Dance and alumni are asked to RSVP for the Blue Carpet Affair. Questions can be directed to [email protected].