The 2022 St. Olaf Homecoming and Family Weekend ran from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2. This weekend combines homecoming, when alumni traditionally return to campus, with visits by parents and family members to current students. Families, alumni, and students participated in various activities and events.
The annual Champion of the Hill competition took place on Sept. 30. Seven students competed in four categories — the Newlywhat Game, a talent act, a fashion show, and a question round. Marco Ibarra Bibriezca ’23 and Megan Skoog ’23 hosted the competition.
Alexander Perez ’25 won the title of Champion on the Hill, while Noah Stamboulieh ’23 took second place and Ben Grant ’23 came in third.
Several St. Olaf sports teams played their homecoming games over the weekend with crowds of parents and students cheering them on. The volleyball team narrowly beat the University of Dubuque 24-22 on Sept. 30. The football team defeated Augsburg University 41-36 in their homecoming game on Oct. 1. Fans filled the stands on Klein Field for what proved to be a close game. The women’s tennis team faced Cardinal Stritch University on Oct. 2.
Two concerts also took place over homecoming weekend. The St. Olaf Band performed their first concert of the year on Oct. 1. The concert marks the return of director Timothy Mahr ’78, who was on sabbatical during spring 2022. It was also Mahr’s final homecoming concert with the band, as he is planning to retire after the 2022-2023 academic year. The concert featured six guest conductors and a guest euphonium soloist, all of whom are alumni of the College.
“Typically, we would have one alumni member of the ensemble come back as a guest, and that wasn’t going to do for this year,” Mahr said at the concert. “So, we have six alums coming back to conduct.”
The second concert of the weekend was the annual Family Weekend Concert on Oct. 2. The concert featured the four ensembles with first-year students. Manitou Singers, Norseman Band, Philharmonia, and Viking Chorus performed.
Both Manitou, directed by Therees Hibbard, and Viking, directed by Tesfa Wondemagegnehu, solicited enthusiastic audience participation from parents and students — Viking Chorus led the audience through several rounds of the St. Olaf fight song.
Other Homecoming and Family Weekend activities included tour of the Natural Lands and the new Kierkegaard Library, a town hall with President David Anderson ’74, and a series of events honoring the fiftieth anniversary of the Title IX civil rights law and women’s sports at the College.
