UW Homecoming 2008: Bucky to the Rescue!

Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to pump up a crowd of more than 80,000 fans, it’s Super Bucky!

“Bucky to the Rescue!” is the theme for Homecoming 2008 at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and the UW Homecoming Committee and the Wisconsin Alumni Association (WAA) invite students and alumni to celebrate with a variety of activities.

“From new students who are just starting to get involved on campus, to alumni who keep the tradition and Badger spirit alive, Homecoming is a major part of the Wisconsin experience and makes us proud to be part of this great university,” says Megan Halverson x’08, UW Homecoming Committee executive co-chair.

Homecoming 2008 kicks off on Friday, Oct. 17, with student activities on Library Mall beginning at 11:45 a.m., following by a cardboard-barge race on Lake Mendota at 2:30 p.m.

A new community event, Bucky’s Quest, will take place on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 3:30 p.m. Teams will be given a list of tasks, challenges and trivia for a competition that will take participants on a tour across campus.

The festivities continue with the 23rd annual Homecoming Charity Run/Walk on Sunday, Oct. 19, at 11 a.m. Registration is $20 for adults ($15 for UW students) and includes an official event t-shirt. A free, kids’ One-Mile Fun Run with Bucky will begin on Library Mall at 10:30 a.m. After the race, runners can join Bucky for a Wisconsin-style cookout, refreshments and awards. Participants can register online at uwalumni.com/homecoming or on Library Mall on the day of the race.

Proceeds from Homecoming events benefit the Dean of Students Crisis Fund, which provides short-term loans to students with an emergency financial need.

Also new for UW students this year is Bucky’s Super Hero Double Feature, a viewing of “Ironman” and “The Incredibles” at the Wisconsin Union Theater at Memorial Union on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 6 p.m. The films are free with UW student ID.

On Wednesday, Oct. 22, students and community members can join the UW Homecoming Committee in learning about fire safety from 1-4 p.m. on Bascom Hill. Participants in the “Make Yourself Super! Fire Safety Program” will receive safety tips, use a fire extinguisher to put out a real fire and receive a free pizza coupon from Ian’s Pizza.

Other student events during Homecoming Week include activities like Yell Like Hell, a UW’s Got Talent! competition, an Air Band competition, and visits from the Bucky Wagon across campus on Oct. 23 and 24.

The campus community is invited to attend a special celebration at the Kohl Center on Thursday, Oct. 23 as Chancellor Carolyn “Biddy” Martin delivers her first public address about campus priorities and the university’s future. The event, “On, Wisconsin!: A Great University and Its Friends Welcome Chancellor Martin,” will take place from 3:30-6:30 p.m., and will feature complimentary food, campus displays and entertainment. A program featuring the chancellor’s address is expected to begin at 4:30 p.m.

On Friday, Oct. 24, at 5 p.m., all are invited join the UW Spirit Squad, the UW Band, and Bucky Badger as they make their way down State Street in the Homecoming Parade, followed by a fireworks display (weather permitting) at the Memorial Union Terrace.

Alumni are invited to enjoy refreshments, friends and a VIP view of the fireworks at the All-Alumni Reception in Tripp Commons from 6-9 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person at the door.

The week concludes on Saturday, Oct. 27 with the Wisconsin Alumni Association’s traditional Badger HUDDLE pre-game tailgate at the UW Field House before the Badgers prepare to take on Illinois.

The UW Homecoming Committee is a nonprofit, student-run organization sponsored by WAA. The committee of 60 volunteer members plans a week of exciting Homecoming events for students, alumni and the Madison community.