51ÂÒÂ×

Blog

Lakeland ready to celebrate Homecoming 2025

Oct. 16, 2025

Final details are coming together for 51ÂÒÂ×’s Homecoming 2025 weekend.

Friday and Saturday, October 17-18, includes an Alumni Welcome Reception with live music, alumni awards and class reunions, the Athletics Hall of Fame induction, home football and women’s volleyball and an expanded Tailgate Tent filled with food, drinks and family fun.

Alumni will want to explore Casting Back: Generations of Muskies in our Alumni Reunion Gathering room in the David & Valerie Black Room (Laun 209), where yearbooks, photos and Lakeland history come to life.

Saturday morning, we will welcome the Class of 1975 into the esteemed Emeritus Club, which includes alumni with a Mission House or Lakeland College graduation date of at least half-a-century ago and several alums will also receive special awards, including:

• Lawrence Balleine '71 – Service to the University Award
• Debra Gander, DDS '77 – Professional Achievement Award
• The late Ron Haas – J. Garland Schilcutt Award
• Robert Melzer, J.D. – Honorary Alumni Award
• Donna Wendlandt '72 – Service to the Community Award

Saturday night, we will induct four standout Muskies into the Athletic Hall of Fame:

• Corey Roberson '03, football
• Matt Martin '07, volleyball
• MacArthur White '08, football
• Joe Julkowski '09 '16 MAC, volleyball

Complete weekend details are available here.