Furman community celebrates Homecoming starting Oct. 23

The Furman University Paladins take to the field during the Homecoming game in October 2024. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.

A week ahead of Furman University’s Homecoming weekend celebrations, Student Government Association senior class Representative Sean Humphrey ’26 was starting to feel the thrill.

Humphrey, a health sciences major from Greenville, serves as the student government Homecoming chairperson this year. While he attended Homecoming games and events in previous years, he hadn’t thought much about the annual celebration of Paladin pride until this year.

A group of Black alumni of Furman University greet each other with hugs during an event.

The Black Alumni Council hosted a meet-and-greet event Oct. 19th, 2024, during Homecoming. Photo by Owen Withycombe, Furman University.

“I wanted to get involved and make my senior year count,” he said. He stepped up, organizing the students in SGA to play their part in the campus-wide celebration.

Homecoming events run from Oct. 23 to 26, but the first sign of the celebration on campus will be the themed banners that go up in the Dining Hall on Tuesday. Humphrey said student organizations are designing banners around an assigned movie genre, and SGA and the Furman University Outdoor Club will spend Monday night together painting an action movie banner.

“It’s such a great way to strengthen our sense of community. Normally during our SGA meetings we’re all business, and this is an opportunity where we can get together and bond,” he said.

Here’s a schedule of Homecoming events, and for more information visit furman.edu/alumni/homecoming.

Thursday, Oct. 23

Campus Visit with Admissions, 9-11:30 a.m., Hartness Admissions Center

Virtual Alumni Authors Panel, 12-1 p.m., Zoom and ALC Platform

Campus Visit with Admissions, 1:30-4 p.m., Hartness Admissions Center

Fall for Service Cocktails and Conversations, 5:30-7 p.m., Trone Student Center, Watkins Room

Three young people play football outdoors.

Furman pride is on full display each year during the Homecoming Game, and these tailgaters in 2024 were getting a head start on the fun. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.

Friday, Oct. 24

Campus Visit with Admissions, 9-11:30 a.m., Hartness Admissions Center

Special Collections & Archives Exhibition, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., James B. Duke Library, second floor gallery

Art Exhibition – Quinn Hunter, “Paradise,” 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Roe Art Building

Golden Paladins Luncheon, 12-1:30 p.m., Younts Conference Center

Chris Keen ’87 Scholarship Golf Tournament, 12:30-2 p.m. tee times, Furman University Golf Club

Legacy Lecture with Dr. Jim Guth – Nixon to Trump: Lessons from five decades of president watching at Furman, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Johns Hall – Classroom TBA

Legacy Lecture with Dr. Min-Ken Liao – Breaking the chain: Lessons from infectious disease and beyond, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Plyler Hall – Classroom TBA

Sports Law Symposium, 4-5 p.m., Younts Conference Center

Behind the Scenes Tour in Special Collections & Archives, 4-5 p.m., James B. Duke Library, second floor gallery

Tocqueville Lecture – The Crisis in American Higher Education with President Elizabeth Davis, Former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse and Political Theorist John Tomasi, 5-6:30 p.m., McAlister Auditorium

Homecoming Carnival on the Mall, 5-10 p.m., Furman Mall

A group of four adults are pictured from behind looking up at purple fireworks in a dark sky

Furman alumni take in the fireworks at the Homecoming alumni party at Fluor Field in downtown Greenville on Oct. 19, 2024. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.