MSU appreciates alumni during Homecoming weekend

On the night of Oct. 3, residents may have noticed a slight change in the horizon on the Bridgers. At 8 p.m., the college M was lit up with orange LED lights to celebrate Homecoming week. Homecoming week festivities began Monday, Sept. 30, and finished strong as the football team played — and beat — the University of Northern Colorado on Saturday, Oct. 5.

Throughout Homecoming week, MSU and the MSU Alumni Association hosted events every day to celebrate alumni returning to Bozeman. Events included concerts, a career fair and a barbecue. Other classic Homecoming traditions include the hike to the M, the Homecoming parade on Main Street and the highly anticipated Homecoming football game.

The “Lighting of the M” happens annually during Homecoming week, but this year the Associated Students of Montana State University (ASMSU) decided to handle it a little bit differently. On Thursday, Oct. 3 ASMSU hosted an event in Story Mill Park to watch the lighting of the M, located on the western side of Mount Baldy in the Bridgers.

Dean of Students Matthew Caires was in the park with a bag of popcorn, hot chocolate and cups ready for anyone wanting a snack while waiting for the reveal. He said that the lighting of the M didn’t have a huge turnout last year and said the thought process for him and the ASMSU this year was “let’s take a step back and kind of reassess and think, you know, instead of spending a lot of money let’s do something smaller,” Caries said. The event had approximately 30 people in attendance — mostly families and Bozeman residents — with a few students sprinkled in too.

“To me, the M is this beautiful thing that we share with the city of Bozeman,” Caires said. According to him, people should take more time to celebrate the connection with Bozeman that the M represents, and Homecoming week is the perfect time to do so. “Form some great memories, reconnect with some friends, share some stories and make some new memories,” he encouraged.

While Caires said this week is a great time to enjoy one’s college memories, he said he also recognizes another important aspect of Homecoming: networking. “If an alum is successful and they’re running a business, get you a job,” he said.

Main Street in Bozeman was closed on Saturday morning for the annual Homecoming parade. Many of the businesses were decked out with Bobcat logos, flags and umbrellas as well as blue and gold ribbon and decorations of all kinds. The streets were full of people, many sporting Bobcat merchandise.

“When I was a student here, I never went to a single Homecoming parade,” MSU alum Casey Osksa said. Now that he has graduated, he said he has a different appreciation for Homecoming week. “Homecoming is about the alumni coming back home. This is our second [Homecoming weekend] in a row, and it’s a lot of fun.”

Osksa graduated in 1987 with a degree in agricultural education. He and his wife spent their weekend in Bozeman to celebrate Homecoming, and while there were plenty of events happening on Main Street and throughout campus over the week, Osksa made their intentions clear: “We’re just here for the game.” The Homecoming game is as big a deal to alumni as it is to students, according to him.

Dan Donovan, who graduated with an engineering degree in 1979, was also in town for Homecoming weekend. He was dressed up and ready for the football game, wearing a Bobcats hat and jacket.

“We love Bozeman, it’s a great city and we’re obviously big Bobcat fans,” Donovan said.

Despite graduating more than 40 years ago, Donovan continues to support the school by showing up for football games — as both he and his wife are season ticket holders — and Homecoming week.

“There's countless stories of alums that deeply care about the place,” Caires said. According to him, alumni give a lot back to the school and this is how MSU gets to show that appreciation.  “Homecoming is a celebration of our alumni.”