Northwestern’s 2015 homecoming is underway with a large array of events over the entire week. Events will include Rally ‘Round the Ranger, the Homecoming Parade and the Ranger Royalty crowning.
Northwestern welcomes employees and students to Rally ‘Round the Ranger at noon on Friday, Oct. 9.
At 11:45 a.m., captains from Northwestern athletic teams will meet to ring the bell in front of Herod Hall. After the bell ringing, students, employees and those who gather will head to the Ranger statue for the pep rally.
A free picnic-style lunch on the lawn near the Ranger will be provided for employees and students who attend.
Rally ‘Round the Ranger is a pep rally funded by the university to increase spirit and express thanks during Homecoming week.
Following the rally will be the Homecoming Parade. The family of honorary parade marshal Dr. Charles White will lead the parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10.
White recently passed away on Aug. 3. He worked in various positions at Northwestern over a course of 23 years, retiring from the university in 1990. From 1967 to 1990 Charles worked at Northwestern as the dean of students, the director of the division of education, psychology and physical education, as well as a professor of psychology and education, followed by a part-time position for a few years after retirement.
“He was always happy,” Pat remembered about her husband. “He had a real good sense of humor.”
Charles’ family includes Pat; his daughters Kay and her husband, Larry Kiner of Enid, and Terry and her husband, David Steele of Wichita, Kansas; four grandsons and their spouses, Kyle and Jennie Kiner, Greg and Callie Kiner, Bryan and Abbie Steele, and Mike Steele; six great grandchildren, Anna, Caleb, Noah, and Lucy Kiner, Xander and Juliet Steele, and a sister Arlene James.
After the parade concludes, during halftime of the football game, the winners for Ranger King and Queen will be announced.
The first Ranger King candidate is Clayton Garcia, a graduate student from Rockwall, Texas, majoring in adult education management and sports administration management. He is a part of and sponsored by the Ranger baseball team and enjoys playing ping-pong and hacky sack.
The second Ranger King candidate is Isilei Ofiu, a senior from Anchorage, Alaska, majoring in music education. The Northwestern Choir is sponsoring Ofiu. He is a part of American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Oklahoma Music Educators Association (OMEA), Phi Delta and Northwestern Choir. Ofiu also loves music jam sessions and hanging out with his kids practicing soccer, softball and gymnastics with them.
The first Ranger Queen candidate is Shelby Boxberger, a senior majoring in health and sports science and biology. This Boswell, Texas, native is a part of and sponsored by Northwestern Cheer. She is a member of the Ranger Herd and a student-athlete training assistant.
The second Ranger Queen candidate is Hinton junior Kaci Hansen, who is majoring in early childhood education. She is a part of and sponsored by the Northwestern Lady Ranger Basketball team. Hansen is involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Northwestern Scholar Ambassadors (NSA), SOEA, the Red and Black Scroll Honor Society, and a Fryer Hall resident assistant. She enjoys hiking, running and hanging out with her family.
The final Ranger Queen candidate is Montana McCullough, a junior majoring in agriculture education from Kiowa, Kansas. She is a part of and sponsored by Alpha Sigma Alpha. She also is a member of the Ranger Herd. She enjoys all of her agriculture classes, working and hanging out with her friends.
The public is also welcome to attend other homecoming events throughout the week including the traditional Miss Cinderella Talent Show and Pageant. The Talent Show begins at 7:30 p.m. tonight, and the pageant begins at 8 p.m. tomorrow; both in the Herod Hall Auditorium.
Events for alumni and friends begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9 with the Alumni Baseball Dinner at Alva Golf & Country Club.
The Ranger Run in the Alva downtown square will kick-off the homecoming activities at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10. The Alumni Association tent will have coffee and donuts at 9 a.m. The annual parade will start at 10 a.m. with the family of the Honorary Parade Marshal Dr. Charles White, who worked in various positions at the university for 23 years, leading the parade. Eleven bands and several floats will also take part in the parade.
Following the parade at noon at the Alumni Association tent on the downtown square, a $6 barbeque lunch will be provided by the Northwestern Alumni Association and prepared by the Rowdy Rangers. All members of the President’s Association will eat for free.
Members of the alumni band will have rehearsal at 1 p.m. on the third floor of the Fine Arts building. Also, other reunions will take place after the parade.
Ranger Royalty will be announced at halftime of the football game and Northwestern’s band members will perform along with a massed band.
Anyone still needing to purchase a homecoming button for $10, a $38 value, should contact Karen Koehn at (580) 327-0344. Wearing a button will provide admission to the Thursday and Friday Cinderella events, general admission will be $10 for each night and Saturday’s football game will be $18 at the gate.
Each homecoming button is numbered and the owner has a chance to win $500 in Alva Chamber bucks. The winning number will be drawn during the homecoming football game on Saturday, Oct. 10 and the drawn number must be present to win.