After conflict surrounded the university's nickname changes earlier this year, students wanted a way to re-unify the Marquette community. With the first official homecoming week in about five decades beginning Oct. 12, Marquette Student Government hopes to have found just that.

"The whole nickname discussion kind of brought up a lot of history, so looking at what kind of traditions used to go on at Marquette and why we lost some of them, whether or not we could bring them back to bring the university together, was really important," said Christopher Hoff, program vice president of MUSG and a senior in the College of Health Sciences.

Last year, students came up with the idea of having a homecoming and went to MUSG to find out how to make it happen. The MUSG Program Board then created an ad-hoc committee to seek university collaboration and investigate funding.

Nine senators sponsored the proposal to plan a homecoming week, said Julia Napolitano, Program Board special events commissioner and a junior in the College of Business Administration.

"This year was kind of a planning year to see what kind of things would go well and what things students want. Next year, if this becomes an annual tradition, we'll have a little bit more to go off of," Hoff said.

The last official homecoming week was in 1961, around the time Marquette got rid of its football team, Hoff said. Homecoming events have been held intermittently since then, but have either been geared toward alumni or only a weekend long.

"The university wasn't necessarily entirely supportive of a whole week of events, so we really had to tell them that it was something that students were interested in and that we could pull (it) off," Hoff said.

Napolitano was appointed to lead the planning process for the week, which is themed "Bringing Back the Tradition."

"It was the perfect opportunity to rally together," Napolitano said.

This year's homecoming will begin with a women's volleyball game and men's soccer game against the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay next Wednesday. The homecoming kick-off party will follow at the Union Sports Annex and includes bingo as well as an opportunity to make original spirit gear.

"It's great to see everyone pumped up and excited about school sports. It really pushes the school spirit," said Dorothy Jenke, MUSG senator for McCormick Hall and a freshman in the College of Communication.

On Thursday, comedian Lee Camp and Marquette's Studio 013 Refugees will perform at the Varsity Theatre for a comedy night.

Homecoming week will also encompass the annual Marquette Madness event, formerly known as Midnight Madness, which kicks off the practice season for the men's basketball team.

"It brings people together. It's built around Marquette Madness and has now become part of our tradition," said University President the Rev. Robert A. Wild.

Also on Friday, the Annex will offer lunch and dinner specials, while the Young Alumni Association will have a homecoming bash at Jim Hegarty's Pub.

On Saturday, the Marquette University Gospel Choir will perform alongside choirs from UW-Madison, UW-Whitewater and Carthage College. Habitat for Humanity will also sponsor the Rockers for Relief concert Saturday evening, where several bands will play at the Weasler Auditorium to benefit Hurricane Katrina aid efforts.

MUSG will kick off its After Dark program with "old-school sports activities" and a performance by mentalist Craig Karges on Saturday night, Hoff said.

"Old alums remember homecoming with great enthusiasm, and while this is being tailored to our time and our situation, I think it really is a good idea," Wild said.

This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on October 6, 2005.