Laurier homecoming: a golden tradition meets 2020

Sept. 21, 2020
For Immediate Release

WATERLOO – In keeping with a decades-long Golden Hawk tradition, Wilfrid Laurier University students, alumni and friends are invited to come together to celebrate homecoming from Sept. 24 to 27. While homecoming will be delivered virtually this year, the goal remains the same.

“For more than six decades, homecoming has been part of the Laurier experience,” said Jason Coolman, vice-president: advancement and external relations at Laurier. “While we won’t be able to gather in person this year, we have a wide variety of innovative and engaging virtual events planned to ensure the Laurier community can still unite in our shared Golden Hawk pride.”

In place of the traditional pancake breakfast, alumni can make pancakes from scratch in their own kitchens with Laurier alumna, cookbook author and host of Mary’s Kitchen Crush, Mary Berg (BA ’11) at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26.

Another homecoming highlight will be “Shifting Perceptions: a discussion with Raptors Superfan Nav Bhatia” on how he leveraged a love of basketball to change how people view one another at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept 24.

Instead of a traditional athletics event, Saturday will cap off with an eSports tournament. The Laurier community is invited to battle against fellow alumni and current students as Laurier eSports Live launches with a Fortnite Battle Royale tournament. A grand prize of $1,000 cash is at stake for the lone survivor, as part of a $2,000 total prize pool.

Virtual homecoming won’t be all screen time. The entire Laurier community is invited to take part in HawkWALK, a choose-your-own-activity event for which you can walk, bike, hike, run, paddle or swim. Plan a route that challenges you, throw on your purple and gold, and share pictures on social media to win prizes.

Alumni looking to reconnect with classmates can attend or host a class reunion on Zoom, or test their general and Golden Hawk knowledge at a virtual homecoming trivia night on Friday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m.

“Homecoming is a special celebration and our virtual events will allow alumni to bust out their purple and gold spirit, and reconnect with the university and each other,” said Coolman.

The health and safety of our communities continues to be Laurier’s top priority. Laurier urges our students, alumni, staff and faculty to celebrate homecoming 2020 while respecting public health and university guidelines. This includes maintaining physical distancing requirements, wearing a mask where required and respecting the limits on social gatherings.

Golden Hawks are reminded that the Ontario government recently reduced limits on the number of people permitted to attend unmonitored private social gatherings across the province to 10 people at an indoor event or gathering, and 25 people at an outdoor event or gathering. There is a minimum fine of $10,000 for organizers of gatherings exceeding these limits and a minimum $750 fine for attending.

For more information on how to stay safe, visit the university's COVID-19 information hub.

For registration and detailed information about homecoming events, visit Laurier's homecoming event page.