By ALLI SCHIEBER
Features Editor
The Northwestern Homecoming parade marshals are people who have made a strong impact in the Northwestern community.
This year, the 40th parade marshals to lead the parade are Darrell and Grace Wessels. The Wessels are residents from Cherokee and support local sports teams and attend several Northwestern events throughout the year. Their names are also on the Early Childhood Education Center, and they have also made donations to the Literacy Center and Nursing Lab.
Darrell Wessels graduated from NWOSU in 1963 where he majored in math and minored in chemistry/biology. He has been married to his wife for 64 years. He is also the president of the Gene Belcher Educational Foundation.
Grace Wessels has served on the Governance Committee as a member and chair of the Northwestern Foundation and Alumni Association.
She has also served on the Executive Committee.
There has been a parade marshal named for the homecoming parade since 1982, excluding 2020 when COVID-19 forced the cancellation of Homecoming. The honor has been held by several professors and alumni who have given back generously to NWOSU.
The Homecoming parade will take place downtown, around the square on Saturday at 10 a.m. after the Ranger run which is at 8 a.m.
The parade will feature a variety of floats designed by clubs and organizations on campus, different sports teams walking and handing out candy, Bradt’s Menagerie animals, the Pride of Ranger Nation marching band as well as several other middle and high school bands.
A massed band will perform during pregame for the football game. This will include high school and middle school bands as well as alumni whowant to dust off their old instruments.
During the third quarter of the game, alumni cheerleaders will be able to join the current Ranger cheerleaders on the sideline to show off their old moves.
