UW Homecoming Events Scheduled Oct. 12

Former Wyoming State Auditor Rita Meyer is the grand marshal for the University of Wyoming’s Homecoming parade Saturday, Oct. 19.

Homecoming events are scheduled Oct. 12-19, with the theme “Breaking Through.” Activities will range from department open house celebrations, tailgate parties, the annual Homecoming parade and Cowboy Coffee to the Alumni and Friends Reunion in conjunction with the Pokes pregame pep rally. The week caps off with the UW football game against the University of New Mexico.

UniWyo Federal Credit Union is the sponsor of this year’s Homecoming.

Meyer (B.A. '82, B.S. '89) is the infrastructure investments director for Rocky Mountain Power in Wyoming. Her focus is on new large infrastructure projects in the state. She previously served as vice president of the company for seven years. Rocky Mountain Power is part of PacifiCorp and provides electric service to customers in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho.

Before joining Rocky Mountain Power, Meyer was state auditor from 2007-2010. She served in the Wyoming Air National Guard beginning in 1984 and retired in 2007, achieving the rank of colonel in 2004. Meyer was appointed commander of the 153rd Airlift Wing Mission Support Group, Wyoming Air National Guard in 2001 and served as strategic planning officer for the National Guard Bureau Counterdrug Directorate in Washington, D.C., from 1996-97. Her National Guard foreign service included operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Provide Comfort and Enduring Freedom, and as 455th Expeditionary Mission Support Group commander at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan.

UW honored Meyer with the College of Education Outstanding Alumni award in 2009 and the College of Business Outstanding Alumni award in 2008. She also received the UW Distinguished Alumni award at Homecoming in 2013.

She will lead the Homecoming parade Saturday, Oct. 19, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The parade will start at Ninth Street and Ivinson Avenue. The UW Alumni Association (UWAA) will coordinate the parade.

Individuals or groups interested in participating in the parade must fill out an application and return it to the UWAA office at the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center, located at 222 S. 22nd St., by 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11. Applications are available at www.uwyo.edu/homecoming.

The Homecoming football game will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, against the New Mexico Lobos. The Pepsi Pregame Zone in the Indoor Practice Facility opens three hours before kickoff.

Other Homecoming events scheduled are:

-- Homecoming registration will be Friday, Oct. 18, from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 19, from 8-10:30 a.m. at the Alumni Center in the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center and at the UWAA table at the University Store, located in the Wyoming Union. Participants will be given a University Store discount coupon -- only for UW graduates, based on graduation year -- and the Homecoming events schedule booklet.

-- Participants who preregister for Homecoming, at a cost of $10, will receive a UWAA Homecoming T-shirt. Preregistration to receive the T-shirt will be available until Sunday, Oct. 6, by visiting http://uw.uwyo.edu/register19. T-shirts only are available through preregistration, and limited quantities are available. T-shirts must be picked up in person and will not be shipped. Those who have preregistered can pick up a T-shirt at the registration locations Friday, Oct. 18, and the following day during registration hours.

-- The UWAA will celebrate the 50th Club Reunion Oct. 18-19. The reunion will celebrate the honored class of 1969; all earlier graduated alumni are invited to attend. Registration is open through Oct. 6 at http://uw.uwyo.edu/reunion or email Emily Vernon at evernon@uwyo.edu for a registration packet.

The UWAA also will honor the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients, who will be announced in the September issue of UWyo Magazine. For more information about the awards, visit www.uwyo.edu/alumni.

-- Cowboy Coffee, the Alumni and Friends Reunion and the Pokes pregame pep rally will take place Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center. Hosting will be the UWAA and the UW Foundation from 7-10 a.m. Complimentary UW travel mugs -- one per person -- and breakfast items will be available while they last.

-- The Alumni and Friends Reunion, in conjunction with the Pokes pregame pep rally, will begin at 11 a.m. Complimentary appetizers and a cash bar will be available. UW head football Coach Craig Bohl will speak at the Pokes pregame pep rally at 11:45 a.m., followed by the Cowboy Walk. The pep rally also will feature the Western Thunder Marching Band and the UW cheer squad.

The title sponsor for the reunion is First Interstate Bank, along with Black Hills Energy. The reunion will conclude at 1 p.m.

For more information about UW Homecoming events, visit www.uwyo.edu/homecoming, call the UWAA at (307) 766-4166, or email uwalumni@uwyo.edu.