by Emma Francis
October brings pumpkin lattes, falling leaves, and sweater weather — but for OBU students, it also means homecoming.
Each year on Bison Hill, students, families, friends, and alumni gather to celebrate. It’s a time to honor OBU’s history — dating back to 1910 — while looking forward to its future.
Homecoming at OBU is more than the typical celebration. Lea Ann Quirk, executive director of the OBU Alumni Association, explained, “At OBU, we’ve taken the idea of homecoming and expanded it into something even bigger. We now call it The Weekend. It’s three days that combine all the best parts of OBU life: traditional Homecoming activities, Family Weekend for our current students and their families, and Bison Day for prospective students. It feels like one giant family reunion with purpose.”
This year’s celebration begins Thursday, Oct. 23, and runs through Saturday, Oct. 25. Events kick off with Career Connections, a networking reception for students at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
Friday brings the grand opening of Shawnee Hall, the 50+ Luncheon — where the Class of 1975 joins the 50+ Club — and a variety of campus experiences for prospective students, including planetarium visits.
The festivities culminate Saturday night at 6 p.m., when the Bison football team takes on Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s Savage Storm.
Quirk said The Weekend represents OBU’s lifelong sense of community: “For alumni, it’s a chance to reconnect with friends, mentors, and memories. For current students, it’s a reminder that they’re already part of a lifelong network of Bison who care deeply about this place and each other. And for prospective students, it’s a glimpse of what makes OBU so special — the faith-centered community that keeps drawing people back year after year.”
The weekend also creates powerful moments of connection. Quirk recalled one that moved her personally:
“One that stands out is hearing our Bison Glee Club perform at the 50+ Club Luncheon last year,” she said. “As they sang a song that’s been performed for decades, alumni from around the room began joining in. It was a beautiful moment that literally brought generations together in one voice. It reminded me that experiences at OBU help shape alumni — and continue to shape students today.”
For many, The Weekend is more than an event — it’s a reminder that once you’re part of the herd, you’re always home.
