As the week continues with a variety of activities geared for celebrating Dickinson State University and its history, alumni will be a big part of the celebration, a DSU official said.
A wide variety of alums return from all across the country, said Kevin Thompson, executive director of the DSU Alumni Association and Foundation.
"It's always a special time of the year as we celebrate the accomplishments of Dickinson State and the region," Thompson said. "We're expecting hundreds of people at our banquets and there's thousands of people that participate in the parade and football game."
Out of the approximately 16,000 alums DSU has active addresses for, Thompson estimates there will probably be anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 participating in homecoming activities during the week, such as the banquet, baseball game, golf tournament and parade.
The time alumni spend involved in homecoming activities varies, he added.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Everyone's a little unique and different," Thompson said. "There are some that are already back and staying for the week, and we talked to a couple from Utah that are camping out in North Dakota for two to three weeks. Then we'll have people drive in for the day. It's a big mix of people."
Bernnett Reinke, Class of '63, of Fargo, said he'll be making the trek to Dickinson to spend some time enjoying homecoming activities.
Reinke said he's coming to see some acquaintances receive alumni association awards at the banquet and to visit Hettinger for his 50th class reunion.
"You never know who's going to be there from one year to the next," Reinke said. "It's always a surprise to get reacquainted with old friends."
Reinke said he served as library director for DSU for 36 years.
"I had the unique pleasure of graduating from DSU and working for them," Reinke said. "A lot of people don't get that opportunity."
David Schultz, class of '73, said he and his wife Lucinda, class of '74, plan to make the trek from their home in Savannah, Ga. to participate in homecoming activities as well.
"It's a great celebratory weekend. The events are always fun and it's nice to see old college friends," Schultz said. "It's been very rewarding to watch the university grow, progress and change."
ADVERTISEMENT
Thompson said many alumni are also curious to see the progress of the Badlands Activities Center.
Hearing alumni memories are a highlight, Thompson said.
"It's just so much fun," Thompson said. "You get to hear the stories and memories and everyone has their own unique memory of their time they spent here."
