The mornings are crisp and McGill’s campuses will soon be awash in gorgeous colours – sure-fire signs that one of the University’s favourite fall festivities is right around the corner.
After two years of virtual ceremonies, including for McGill’s Bicentennial in 2021, Homecoming Celebration Weekend is back in person.
Homecoming kicks off Wednesday, October 19 and runs through Sunday, October 23 with a lineup of captivating events, like the signature Beatty and Leacock lectures. Homecoming is all about reconnecting with friends and former classmates and event organizers have got that covered with the Golden Jubilee Dinner, faculty and class reunions, the Homecoming football game, and much more. If you’re a Mac grad, check out the list of Homecoming events at McGill’s Macdonald Campus.
“As parts of the world began to reopen in the early spring of 2022, the McGill University Advancement team launched a global tour of Third Century Celebrations to salute McGill’s bicentennial anniversary and rekindle excitement and support for our most inspiring Made by McGill: The Campaign for Our Third Century,” says Gabrielle Korn, managing director, alumni relations and annual giving at McGill University Advancement.
“We are only too thrilled to be able to reopen McGill’s campuses to alumni, donors, parents and friends during Homecoming Celebration Weekend through dozens of events that provide opportunities to reengage with one another and with the University.”
Here’s a look at some of the events taking place at Homecoming:
Veteran journalist and Nobel laureate Maria Ressa will deliver the 68th Beatty Lecture on “The Battle for Facts: Critical for a Sustainable Future”. Her work as a fearless defender of independent journalism and freedom of expression – particularly in exposing the human rights abuses of former president of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte – culminated in 2021 when she became the first Filipino to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Canadian comedy legend Rick Mercer will bring his Talking to Canadians memoir to life at the Leacock Lecture with stories from his road to stardom. Mercer has won more than 25 Gemini Awards for The Rick Mercer Report, Made in Canada, and This Hour has 22 Minutes. Talking to Americans remains the highest-rated comedy special in Canadian history.
Members of the Class of 1972 will stroll down memory lane at the Golden Jubilee Dinner to celebrate their 50th reunion, along with members of earlier classes celebrating anniversaries. More recent graduates are invited to the McGill Young Alumni’s dance party with Montreal’s own DJ Royce&Tan.
McGill’s Department of Political Science and the McGill Black Alumni Association are hosting a compelling discussion featuring associate professor of political science and author Debra Thompson in conversation with award-winning Canadian journalist and academic Adrian Harewood, BA’06. They’ll discuss Thompson’s new book, The Long Road Home: On Blackness and Belonging. Thompson is a leading scholar of the comparative politics of race and Canada Research Chair in Racial Inequality in Democratic Societies at McGill.
The McGill Latino Alumni Society will welcome alumnus José Zea, MArch’18, for a fireside chat about “Latino voices in entrepreneurship and innovation”. The CEO & co-founder of Arkangel.AI, Zea will talk about the development and the growth of his health and tech company.
Return of the Rainbow, McGill’s Homecoming for current and past 2SLGBTQIA+ students, staff and faculty, returns with an in-person Homecoming event. Since 2001, this annual celebration has offered an opportunity for queer alumni to return to the University and reconnect to campus life. All members of the McGill community are welcome.
If you can’t make it to campus, a few virtual events are also in the offing: a webcast about McGill’s bold New Vic project and an online discussion hosted by the McGill Women’s Alumnae Association featuring world-renowned space scholar Diane Howard, LLM’09, DCL’15.
Homecoming wouldn’t be complete without the long-standing tradition of cheering on McGill’s football team. Join in the fun at the pre-game party, then watch the McGill Redbirds take on the Concordia Stingers in the 53rd edition of the Shaughnessy Cup, an annual matchup between the two rivals.
Homecoming festivities will end on a high note with a special celebratory closing event of McGill’s Bicentennial featuring the McGill Symphony Orchestra, Schulich Singers, McGill Concert Choir and McGill University Chorus. The stage at Maison symphonique in Place des Arts will be filled with outstanding musicians from the Schulich School of Music and alumni soloists performing Beethoven’s spectacular final symphony, culminating in the unforgettable Ode to Joy.
Registration is open at alumni.mcgill.ca/homecoming
Check out the full schedule of Homecoming activities, including faculty events.
