Tusculum Homecoming 2002 set for this weekend

An open house of Tusculum College's new residence hall apartments will be part of Homecoming 2002 events Friday and Saturday.

Two days full of activities have been scheduled for Homecoming, including the open house and two new events this year: a 5K race and walk and an exhibit of artworks by alumnus Dr. Josef Kolenski.

The open house of the new residence hall apartments, located near the Charles Oliver Gray Complex and the Andrew Johnson Presidential Museum and Library, will be from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Friday. Tours and refreshments will be provided at the halls, which were occupied by students in August.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the new campus housing was part of 2001 Homecoming festivities.

Each unit in the four townhouse apartment-style residence halls contains a living room, a "mini-kitchen" featuring a microwave oven, sink, and refrigerator, four private bedrooms, and two bathrooms. Washer and dryer units are included in each apartment. The residence halls house 192 students. The halls were designed by the Greeneville architectural firm of Fisher + Associates in collaboration with Trotter Architects, of Gatlinburg. The general contractor for the project was Burleson Construction, Inc., of Johnson City.

Two new events for Homecoming this year are a 5K Race and Walk and an exhibit of artwork by alumnus Dr. Josef Kolenski.

The 5K Race and Walk will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday between Pioneer Field and the parking lot behind Katherine Hall. Registration begins at 8 a.m., and all participants must be registered no later than 8:50 a.m. Awards will be given to the top three finishers in the adult and children's (12 and under) age groups. The registration fee is $12 per adult and $8 per child.

Dr. Kolenski, who attended Tusculum College in the 1940s, will give a lecture about his artwork at 1:30 p.m. on Friday at the Allison Gallery in the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Building. Kolenski's artworks will be on display through Oct. 10, an exhibition coordinated with the college's Visual Arts Department in association with the Greeneville Arts Council.

On display will be recent large-scale oil paintings by Kolenski as well as earlier pieces he completed in Germany and Russia. In his artwork, Dr. Kolenski does not aim at painting "beautiful" or "happy" canvasses, but rather visual landscapes expressing inner thoughts and concepts.

A student art sale and exhibit is also scheduled from 1-5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday in the breezeway of the Niswonger Commons.

Several alumni events are scheduled throughout the weekend, including reunion dinners Friday evening at the General Morgan Inn, and a brunch recognizing the Class of 1952, the newest "Golden Pioneers" (alumni of 50 years or more). An Alumni Association meeting will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday morning, during which several awards will be presented.

A golf tournament open to alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the college is slated to start at 1 p.m. on Friday at River Trace Golf Course.

On Friday evening, comedic mentalists will be performing at 8 in the Annie Hogan Byrd auditorium. Admission is free.

"Funville" for kids of all ages will be set up on the Katherine Hall lawn from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, featuring games, activities such as face painting, and ice cream and snow cone treats.

The Homecoming football game between the Tusculum Pioneers and Morehead State University Eagles will begin at 1:30 p.m. with the homecoming court, the newest inductees of the Sports Hall of Fame, and winners of the 5K race presented during halftime. A breakfast will be held Saturday morning to recognize the Sports Hall of Fame inductees as well as recognize a Tusculum supporter with the Sports Benefactor Award.

On Saturday, a dinner and dance will be held for alumni and friends at 7 p.m. at Link Hills Country Club.