Latest / The UNWavering Podcast / The Ultimate Northwestern Weekend | Monte Abeler '12 & Cassie Plantage '07

Transcript

The Ultimate Northwestern Weekend | Monte Abeler '12 & Cassie Plantage '07 · The UNWavering Podcast

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_03: Join as we highlight the people, the purpose, and the pulse of Northwestern.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_03: This is the Unwavering Podcast.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I like what you're saying, Monty.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_02: Let's try to come up with a natural intro.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_02: Like so, like so natural that it's not like we planned it.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_02: Like we're recording, we know we're recording, but this is just a regular conversation between three friends talking about their workplace, but also a place they love.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: Just like we planned it to not be planned.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_04: We're just excited about homecoming.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so excited about fake to not be excited about homecoming.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_02: How about if we don't do it like you guys usually do it?
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_02: Of course I'm a listener, but how about if we just go off script and let me just ask you guys some questions?
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_02: I've got questions.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_02: Listeners, if you're hearing this, my name's Matt.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_02: I'm their friend.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_02: I also am their coworker.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_02: We have questions, but I just want to ask you some things.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_04: Let's hear it.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_02: Do you want to try it, Monty?
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I want to.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_01: Let's do it.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_02: Why don't you guys?
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, why do you bring me in?
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_02: Let's start here.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_02: You could easily do this without me.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_02: Like, you have your two people.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_02: You don't need another person who's never on this podcast to ask these questions.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_02: Why do you just like spending time with you, man?
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_04: Thank you, Cassie.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_02: That's actually what I was gonna say too.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks, Monty.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_02: Yep.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_02: Well, should we dive into talking about homecoming?
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_02: Listeners, you if you were here last year for the homecoming episode, I was the surprise, not surprise, just like the guest host.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_02: So you guys could answer questions, Monty and Cassie.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_02: So here I am again, Matt Anderson from the University of Northwestern, ready to ask some questions.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_02: Are you guys ready?
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_04: We're ready.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_02: So ready.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_02: Is this the beginning?
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_02: Is this real?
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_01: No, this is real.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_02: Feels real to me.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_02: This is totally real.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_02: This is on the air.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_02: It's happening.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_04: You really did hijack this.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_04: So it's a good question.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_02: I love it.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_02: All right.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_02: Well, look at listeners, let me go behind the scenes.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_02: They gave me a list of questions that I'm going to naturally work into this conversation.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_02: But before we actually go to your questions, let's just talk.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_02: I want to talk about what I want to talk about.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_02: Is that all right?
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_02: You're the host.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_02: Monty.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_02: At a recent meeting that we were at.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_02: We were saying they're all together, and you use a phrase I've never heard you use, and I I have it right here on paper, so I don't forget to say it.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_02: The ultimate Northwestern weekend.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_02: And you're like, you know, because UNW.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_02: And I was like, you know what?
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_02: I don't like everything Monty says, but I do like that.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_02: So how did you come up with the ultimate Northwestern weekend?
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_01: That's good.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_01: I'm honored to have something that that you finally like.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_01: I love that so much.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I was going for like memorable and you know, UNW.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_01: People are are following along with that right now.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_01: So that of course we have to turn that into an acronym.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_01: I know we've like put it in the three letters of unwavering, but it hasn't been an acronym yet, other than maybe for what it actually is as an acronym, the University of Northwestern.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_04: Um never before.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_01: It's never been an acronym before.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_01: It's only an acronym.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_01: The ultimate Northwestern weekend.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_01: That's what it is.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_01: That's what homecoming, and now adding reunion into it.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_01: I'm like, you know, could it have gotten better?
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_01: We added reunion on Friday.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_01: Now it's the ultimate Northwestern weekend, not just the homecoming Saturday.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_02: I love it.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_02: Ultimate Northwestern weekend.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_01: UNW.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_02: Is there something that makes this year bigger than past homecomings?
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_02: Ask Cassie.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_04: Did you guys okay?
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_04: Yes.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_04: Well, I think the addition of reunion for sure.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_04: Um moving reunion from June to homecoming weekend makes it that much bigger.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_04: So for alums, and um I'm very excited for them to come back for that.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_04: So that makes it a little more epic.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_04: We're always trying to be epic and you have a great experience for the visitors.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_04: So I think reunion just adds that flair.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_01: And then I think if you're coming from out of state, like if you're trying to make this a road trip, like you could argue Homecoming Saturday is so much fun that I would argue it is worth the road trip of making the trip here or even flying in every once in a while to come have homecoming.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_01: But now, knowing that there's reunion Friday, that is really an adults only experience, like alumni plus your significant other or your guest only, you get a chance to have Friday to experience on campus with students.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_01: You get to not just not just watch current students do what they do on homecoming Saturday, but you get to relive it and attend alumni college experiences and stuff on Friday.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_01: And you still have Homecoming Saturday.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_01: Now all of a sudden it's getting bigger and it's worth flying in for.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_02: I know we want to talk about reunion and everything there.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_02: This morning I stopped by Monty's office just to prepare for this.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_02: Just said, hey, I look over what we want to talk about.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_02: I'm excited about it.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_02: But just by coincidence, or maybe it wasn't, this very day that we are doing this recording.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_02: Are we allowed to say this behind the scenes?
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_02: Let's do it.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_02: Monty launched, or I don't know if launch is the right word, sent out to the world the homecoming promo video.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_02: So I got to watch it right before you sent it out.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_02: It's amazing.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_02: Let's talk about it.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_02: How did you guys come up with us?
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_04: Well, marketing, we have a lot of geniuses in marketing.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_04: So, you know, way back, marketing and me and Monty stopped and talked with them about the vision for this year's video, and it came about that we would have Screech just representing everything we talked about.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_04: So it was crazy.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_01: Originally we were gonna have we're like, what if every schedule thing that we listed, because we wanted to like teach the schedule this year in the video.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_01: What if with every item we listed, another piece of UNW gear is added to Screech?
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_01: And by the time we get to the end, he's so loaded down with Northwestern gear and celebrating and exciting.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_01: That's that's where it started.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_01: That was almost impossible to actually pull off.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_01: And it actually became something better.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_02: It is great.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_02: Is there any because the video itself, the promo video, like it it gets crazy?
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_02: So give me some behind the scenes of making it.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_02: It's edited so well.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_02: So shout out to Ken who put that together.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yep.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_04: It was very hot in the office, and so poor Screech was pretty sweaty.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_04: We had a designated Screech fan, and I also got hit in the head with a volleyball while Screech was showing off his skills.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't see that.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_04: Oh yeah.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_04: I mean, I'm very tough.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_04: I didn't make a big deal out of it.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_01: It was hot.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_01: So shout out to Screech.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_01: No, that was a that was a commitment.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_01: Um I'm still impressed that we got the donkey in the office.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_04: I mean, we're still cleaning up a little bit, but it's okay.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_01: No, uh okay, the donkey's AI.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_01: Sorry to burst everybody's bubble, but the donkey's giving it away.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_02: It's not really it looks pretty good.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, but the part where Screech is on the table and launches the confetti popper, you know, it's like two seconds on the actual homecoming video.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but we worked really hard to make sure that Screech was safe because that table is it wobbles a little bit, but we needed it to be epic.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_01: It was all out commitment on Screech's part.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_04: Yes, I was finding confetti the next day in interesting places in the office.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_02: It is amazing.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_02: You, Cassie, looked like the confetti maybe caught you off guard.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_02: Or did you get like breathe in some confetti?
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_04: You looked like it was all over.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_04: I mean, I was expecting it.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_04: We knew it would happen, but it is a very loud little canon, so it was a shock.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_01: Also, I did cook the pancakes.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_04: Oh.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_04: Nice.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_01: Well, to give a little taste of homecoming brunch.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_01: That's great.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_02: I love pancakes, and you did not invite us to have some with you.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_02: I I might go to that brunch this year because I usually am working, but I think I might try to sneak away and get some breakfast.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_04: Get a little purple pancake.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_02: All right, let's dive into some homecoming specific questions.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_02: Are you guys ready?
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_04: We're ready.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_02: Bring it.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know who's gonna go first.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_02: Do you want me to pick?
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_02: Here we go.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, this is such a such an easy one to start off with.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_02: On a scale of one to ten, Cassie, how much do you love homecoming?
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_04: Thank you for asking me.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I came up with that.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_04: Um, for the joy and satisfaction that it brings, it's gotta be a 10.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_04: Um it's the best day to see alums and families gathering.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_04: So I mean it's a 10 out of 10 for me, but um also the nap that I have after is a 10.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_02: So I look forward to both.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, can you tell behind the scenes how many months are you personally preparing for that one weekend?
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_04: Um I would say nine to twelve months.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_04: So right when it's it's like a child.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_04: It's uh it's a labor.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_04: It's a It is.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_04: It's a yep.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_04: So um right when Homecoming ends, we're pretty much we've got some things lined up for next year.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_04: So it's exciting, which which makes it very satisfying when it's all coming together.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_01: We do try to tell ourselves we're just gonna celebrate and debrief and talk about what was really fun.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_01: And inevitably, like 10 minutes into that conversation, we're like, what if we did this next year?
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_02: I was even wondering, I could see you guys, because you're always thinking ahead.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_02: Like as you're preparing for this weekend the coming up here, you're already thinking ahead, well, next year we're gonna do this a little bit differently.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_02: Is that true?
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_01: Totally.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_01: Where we already have some things that we would tweak, and it's just a little too late in the game to try to change stuff now.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_01: It's usually my problem to try to change too many things, but I would just it's okay.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_01: We'll hold off for some things.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_04: 100% of the time.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_01: It's always me that does that.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_04: Oh well, and next year is the 125th.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_04: So it's gonna be a big one.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, Monte, do you want to give a scale rating?
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_02: One to ten?
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_01: Ten million.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_01: Ten million.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I love homecoming.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_01: It is maybe my favorite day of the year every year.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_01: Like, homecoming is in the top five to ten moments of my life.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_01: Let's see, you've got wedding.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_01: Wait, annually or baby number one, baby number two.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_01: Homecoming.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_01: Really?
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_04: We need to get him out more, but yeah.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_01: I love it.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_01: It's the best day of the year.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_01: And actually, and we said this maybe last year in the preview, but we turn on Christmas music in our office, the week of homecoming.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_01: So we're a couple weeks away from turning Christmas music on Cassie.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_01: She does not.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_02: For the whole season?
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_02: Like you start then and just keep on going?
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_01: For homecoming week.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_02: You feel like it's that big.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_02: It's like it's Christmas to you.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_01: It's the most wonderful alumni time of the year.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_02: It's the ultimate Northwestern weekend.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_04: Yes.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_04: They don't make too many songs about that, so he has to go with Christmas.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's good.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, so you've already teased some of the things happening that weekend.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_02: It's packed with events.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_02: But let's start with Monty.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_02: What do you hope alumni actually experience when they're back on campus?
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_01: The first thing is that you feel like you're home.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_01: Like it, there are all the feels that come back with it in the nostalgia.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_01: So that's the easy answer.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_01: That it feels like you're back home during homecoming.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_01: But I think really for me, when you come back, that you remember why this place meant so much to you, that you are flooded with the memories and remember again how this place impacted your life, whether it was your time in athletics or arts or in class or in community, the people you met, the people that impacted you, but that just you would be reminded again while you're standing again in the same spot of, hey, this place really impacted my life.
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_01: And that that would then lead you to want to be like, hey, how can I help current students continue to have that experience here and continue to be a part of this community?
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_01: That's really what I hope happens uh with homecoming.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_01: And I know we hear that from people who come back, but we just really want to remind you of the place and the power.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_01: And I think for me, in the role that I get, that's what gives me all the feels in my job, and why I'm thankful that I have this privilege to represent all the alumni because this is your university, and it's a privilege to welcome you back to campus.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, so piggybacking off of that, that was great.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_04: Thank you, Monty.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_01: You're welcome.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_04: Um yeah, I think there's I hope people will reconnect with an excitement for their alma mater.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_04: It was a formative time in a a lot of our lives, so I hope that people can be reminded of that when they're here to see how far they've come since they've been here.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_04: Whether, you know, whether it's been a year or 70 years since they've been here.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_04: Just reminded of what happened when they were here and what happened since, and probably how Northwestern plays a role in in where they are.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_04: I know I can say that Northwestern has shaped who I am.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_04: So I'm grateful to be here during that weekend just to see more alums and they each represent a story and a part of Northwestern and a part of the kingdom of God.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_04: So I'm really excited to just see them connecting with each other and finding community together and being reminded of how that all started.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_02: I think you've both mentioned during this conversation reunion.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_02: And every again, we all work together, so I see you know the different things you're working on.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_02: And whenever I see the word reunion in any of our paperwork, it's always capitalized, every letter capitalized.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_02: So it seems like a pretty big deal.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_02: I know something is about it, but share with the audience what exactly is reunion this year.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_01: Well, it's good.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, it's in all caps.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_01: There's reunion all caps, and there's reunion lowercase caps.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_01: So your classic reunion with your volleyball players or reunion with your class or reunion here.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_01: Those are all lowercase reunions.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_01: But the all caps is not supposed to be shouting, but just all caps reunion is like ultimate.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_02: It's the ultimate reunion.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_01: It's the ultimate reunion.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_01: No, it is the reunion.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_01: It is the event that is called simply reunion.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_01: And our tagline for reunion is return, relive, renew.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_01: So we want our alums to return to campus.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_01: We want you to have a chance to relive your experience, as I said earlier, not just a chance to watch students live the experience that you had, but a chance for you to relive it, to go take the tours, go attend some college experiences, go do the things, attend chapel, hear from professors and people.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_01: But then also to renew that it would renew maybe your connections and and relationships with fellow alumps, or reun renew your connection with Northwestern, or even renew your heart just to remind you what the Lord did during that time of the life.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_01: So reunion, it is the ultimate nostalgic day as well.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_01: Like it drips purple and gold.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_02: You did something like this before, but this is different, right?
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_02: Like you've you've done it.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_02: Cassie, I'll turn this to you.
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_02: Didn't you do an event similar to this in the summer in the past?
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_04: We did, and it was reunion weekend.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_04: So we had reunion in June of last year.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_04: And this year we are moving it to homecoming just to provide more opportunities for alums to see what's happening on campus with the students here.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_04: It brings life to the campus in a way that um being in here in June doesn't.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_04: Um that was a great opportunity to have the campus to ourselves, but this is just campus is alive in October.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_04: So we're really excited for people to be here then and gives people an opportunity to then come to homecoming Saturday and see even more people and get just get to celebrate in a different way.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_04: So we're really excited about the change in the date to provide more opportunities for alums.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_01: And full disclosure, that almost burnt us out last year.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, during the summer, it was so much fun.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_01: What we learned was one, it was the right event, like reunion hit, like the reunion Saturday, reunion weekend.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_01: It was just at the wrong time because we didn't have any time to rest before we needed to really get going for homecoming.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_01: So we're just gonna make it the ultimate Northwestern weekend.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_01: But I will say, for alums listening, we we are listening to you.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_01: Reunion is your idea, not Cassie and I's our de idea.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_01: The alumni engagement survey told us that 60% of alums desire to attend a reunion of some kind, but only 8% ever have.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_01: So we're like, why?
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_01: Like maybe we've never offered the right kind of reunion, or maybe it's the wrong timing, or what?
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_01: But we really think that we found the right type of all caps reunion event that is filled with a bunch of lowercase reunion offerings.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_02: Well, that's what I wanted to talk about.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_02: Do you care if we drill down just a little bit on this?
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_02: Because it is new.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_02: I'm interested in it, it's in all caps.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_02: Let's just let's get to some of the specifics about it.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_02: So, like you said, they might assume when they hear reunion it's about some sort of milestone, but who in general is reunion for?
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_04: Reunion is for all alums and actually staff and faculty too, who have been here previously or are here now.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_04: We also have lowercase reunion for our milestone classes.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_04: So if your class ends in a six, so 1956, 1966, etc., um, we do have special reunion.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_04: We want to celebrate your milestone.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_04: Um, but if you're not in one of those categories, we want you to come back and celebrate with the people from your era or others that you might know.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, whether it's your 10-year or your 13-year or your 17-year or your 23-year, you are celebrating a reunion.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_01: So uh we want all alumps to come back.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and you were saying there's different things I can visit.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_02: So talk about what just what are the experiences that the alumni can expect throughout this, and then just in general, what's different from simply coming back to campus for a day?
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_01: Sure.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_01: That's good.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_01: Come on, kind of the high-level big parts of the day.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_01: You know, we're gonna kick off the day with a chapel, just an opening session together, and it's gonna be nostalgic.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_01: We're gonna have some fun, and we call it orientation.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_01: Cassie and I get to be your RAs for the day or your orientation leaders.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_01: So we have some fun with nostalgia and and and jokes, and we interviewed the president at that, so you get to know President Hornbeek a little bit.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um, this year we have a keynote, David K.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_01: Johnson, for those of you who know Professor Dr.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_01: David K.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_01: Johnson, he'll be back presenting on transparencies.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_04: Yep, a projector.
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_01: A projector.
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_01: An overhead projector.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_01: Overhead projector.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_01: So it's gonna be very fun.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you'll hear from some of the award winners as well.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_01: So you'll hear from alums and people.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_01: And then we do get to attend chapel with the students, which is obviously a significant part of our experience here on campus.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_01: And that's followed up by the reunion lunches, and we will break you out by decade.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, 2020s in this part of campus, 2010s, 2000s, 90s, 80s, etc.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so you'll have a chance not just to be with those in your class, but we also know that maybe the class you graduated is not your preferred class year or where most of your friends were.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_01: So we're gonna try to get you as close to proximity as people that you would know and you can connect with people over those.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_01: And then that leads to our afternoon where you get to build your own adventure.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, there's three different option breakout time slots, and you can attend what we call alumni college experiences, which are like classes, but way more active and engaging.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_01: They're hands-on.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, this year there'll be a nursing experience where you can actually learn bedside manner or bedside etiquette like a nurse, hands-on.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_01: There'll be a podcasting experience, a theology panel, and a few other types of experiences like that.
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we also have campus tours, uh, including a tour of NAS Tower.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_01: And uh this year we're also offering in a nostalgia tour where you get to take the campus tour and have some nostalgic stops along the way.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_01: And then the day wraps up with a refreshment, kind of social networking hour together.
• 19:43
  SPEAKER_02: Get this.
• 19:43
  SPEAKER_02: I've worked at Northwestern for almost 15 years.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_02: I know you've been there, but I've never actually been in NAS Tower before.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_02: Really?
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_02: Have you been?
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_00: I have.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_00: What the heck?
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_00: Have you signed up for reunion?
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think I'm gonna do the setup.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_02: Well, let's let's you want to do like the hard sell?
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_02: Because there's gonna be people that maybe haven't kept in touch with people, uh, some of their friends from the past, or maybe they haven't been back to campus for a while.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_02: So if you're doing the hard sell, Monty, how what would you say to encourage them?
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_02: Here's what I'd say.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_01: For$49, for just$49, you can come and have a day back on campus.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_01: Whether it's been a couple weeks since you've been on campus or a couple decades, um, it's it's the time to come back and return on campus.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_01: And for that$49, you get to enjoy uh your lunch, the refreshments, the experiences, the programming, the tours, and we throw in homecoming showcase of the arts tickets for free with your reunion registration, which also includes dessert with the live jazz afterward, which was my highlight of last homecoming.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_01: So you get all of that for 49.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_01: But even more than all those, just those things, you get the experience of being back on campus, remembering and reliving, renewing what it was like to be there as a student.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_01: And I can guarantee you're gonna meet somebody else that you will connect with and have a chance to have an encouraging conversation with, and you share Northwestern in common.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_02: That's wait a second.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_02: Is that a money back guarantee?
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_01: If you have a horrible time at reunion, Cassie will personally reimburse you.
• 21:15
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 21:15
  SPEAKER_01: Wow, that's awesome.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_01: What a deal.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_01: This is a great deal.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_02: You have to come.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_04: It's a good thing.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_04: I just got that massive raise.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_02: I might I kind of want to do this tower one, and even though we're podcasting right now, I mean the podcasting class on fun.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_02: All right.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, it's gonna be fun.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_04: You might learn a thing or two.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's a good thing.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_04: And I would say, especially to our young alums um who like to bring a friend or who are waiting for a friend to come, be the friend who invites others.
• 21:41
  SPEAKER_04: So bring your friends.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_04: Like just decide that you're going and then tell people that you're going and they'll come too.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_04: But I think we're gonna keep you busy enough that if you do come alone, you won't feel alone.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_04: You're gonna have a great time.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_01: And you also don't have to do anything that we planned.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_01: Like we're we're creating a day that is filled with structure and opportunity, and you can decide what you want to do.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but you're also an adult.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_01: So if your if your experience that you need at reunion is a three-hour sit-down by the lake, spending time in the word or having a conversation with a long lost alumni friend, great.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_01: That could be what it is for you.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_04: We won't take attendance once you're here.
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_04: So come on by I love it.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_02: I think it sounds great.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_02: All right.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_02: You guys provided me with a list of your biggest events.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_02: Do you mind if I now do a lightning round and you guys can give me a Of your homecoming highlights in the sense of I'll say something you maybe give I don't know do like 20 seconds to tell the alumni what they shouldn't miss about that.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_02: Are you ready?
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_02: You gonna I wanted to list them and you guys can take turns saying whatever you want.
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_02: Here we go.
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_02: Showcase of the arts.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_04: Well, first you've got all the arts.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_04: Everything band, choir, the mell, theater, and then there's dessert.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_04: So it can't get any sweeter.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_04: See what I did there.
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's good.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_04: Over jazz.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_04: It's pretty great.
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_04: It's lively, it's fun.
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_04: A good date night, if you want, or just a night out with yourself.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_01: It's the best kept secret at Northwestern.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_01: The showcase of the arts.
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_01: You will not score a deal like that for anything else in the Twin Cities.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_01: So do it.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_01: Come on out date night or by yourself or with friends.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_02: All right.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_02: Number two, the first year alumni campfire.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_01: For all of you who just graduated in the within the past year, and this is going to be your first homecoming as an alum, we have a campfire set for you.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_01: So come on, enjoy some s'mores, some fellowship, and a good time at the campfire at the island.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_04: And it's free.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_01: It's free.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_01: And I is this brand new?
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_01: Brand new.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_02: First time event.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_02: So if you want to come to the first ever first year alum bonfire, this is it.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_02: All right, number three.
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_02: Purple donut run.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_02: I know about this one.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_02: Go ahead, Monty.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_02: You created this whole thing.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_01: You do not have to pay.
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_01: You do not have to run, and you do not want to miss it.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_01: Woo! Yes, this is our version of a homecoming 5K, and you get a donut at the end.
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_01: But you do need to register.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_04: That's right.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_04: We need to know you're coming, and really any age can come.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_04: It's also stroller friendly, so we want to make it make it accessible to as many people as we can.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yep.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_01: And uh last year we had 750 people.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_01: Our goal this year is a thousand people.
• 24:23
  SPEAKER_01: Let's get a thousand donut runners.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_01: A lot of donuts.
• 24:25
  SPEAKER_01: A lot of donuts.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_02: Wow.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_02: I want to do it.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_02: This is another thing.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_02: It's too.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_02: I'm I'm being real here.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_02: I'm an employee.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_02: I often have job duties during homecoming, but there's a lot I'd actually like to do.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_02: Do you think that you can find a way for me to maybe run this thing?
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_01: Do it.
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_01: All right.
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_01: We'll motivate you.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_01: You know what we'll even do is we'll give you a donut hole halfway through just to motivate you to get to the end.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_01: I do love donuts.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_02: All right.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_02: Let's move on to another first-time event.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_02: It's new this year.
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_02: It's the Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, this is great.
• 24:55
  SPEAKER_01: Uh in the you know, in the past, um, with our Athletic Hall of Fame nominees, they're a part of our Eagle Awards night, which is awesome.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but it's invite only and limited.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, if you're an athlete coming in, getting inducted into this year's Hall of Fame, now anybody, any athletes who know them and want to cheer them on can come to this celebr this celebration.
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_01: So come on out on Saturday morning for a nice brunch event and uh come cheer on this year's Hall of Fame inductees and also just hear about what's going on in athletics.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_02: It's gonna be Are you allowed to tease any of the Hall of Fame inducties this early?
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_02: Totally.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_02: Is it already out there?
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_01: It's already out there.
• 25:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you can go find it.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_01: I know we've got the the 2016 volleyball team.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_04: Mm-hmm.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_04: Wally Parish.
• 25:37
  SPEAKER_01: Wally Parrish.
• 25:37
  SPEAKER_04: We've got CJ Lloyd.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_01: We've got CJ Lloyd, Mike Vowels, and Katie DeWitt.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_01: Katie DeWitt.
• 25:46
  SPEAKER_01: And she's an amazing basketball player.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_02: All right, let's go on to the next one.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_02: Hymn sing.
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_02: Hym, H-Y-M-N.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_04: Like a hymnal.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, exactly.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_04: Well, it is a favorite tradition for many.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_04: So because of the campaign launch last year, we didn't have the hymn sing.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_04: So it's back this year, and um you get to praise the Lord in a beautiful setting in Chapel.
• 26:07
  SPEAKER_04: So it's it's awesome.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_01: And if you're thinking more about the hymn sing, like H-I-M sing, Tissaw, the bald eagle, is going to be leading the hymn sync.
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_01: So if you want to watch him sing, him sing.
• 26:18
  SPEAKER_05: Okay.
• 26:18
  SPEAKER_01: Um the Northwestern choir in Teesaw, accompanied by Jody Richard.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_01: We'll be there.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_02: So during the reunion talk, we talked about campus tours, but on the day of homecoming, campus tours happening, right?
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_04: Yes.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_04: So we have historic tours.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_04: Um you can learn about Nas Chapel and the Island Chapel.
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_04: Lots of facts about the beautiful architecture, like outside of Wilhelmina's story.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_04: You're gonna learn about just how intentional the the builders and the designers of the chapels were, and it's it's amazing.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_01: And I know that the island chapel has now been restored quite a few years ago now, but for somebody listening, you may not have ever had the chance to go into the island chapel, but now you can, and that's part of that tour.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_02: All right, tell me about the homecoming block party.
• 27:03
  SPEAKER_04: Ooh, it's really the pinnacle event, I think, on Saturday, where you come together as a community.
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_04: There's a little something for everybody.
• 27:10
  SPEAKER_04: So we've got food trucks, so a lot of different kinds of food.
• 27:13
  SPEAKER_04: Um, we've got KTIS there, they're hosting playing music and a little entertainment.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_04: We've got Minnesota camps hosting games.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_04: So nine square, um gaga ball, there's a s'more station, so that's a fan fave.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_04: We've got inflatables for kids, a petting zoo.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_04: Um, we've even got a nursing mother's tent.
• 27:34
  SPEAKER_04: So if you have a little one that you need a quiet place to nurse, we've got a tent there.
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_02: Isn't this also where maybe you said this, but uh don't we have some sort of like homecoming central?
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's it.
• 27:47
  SPEAKER_01: That's at the block party.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_04: Wow, you're right.
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_01: That's good.
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_01: This is homecoming central for sure.
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_01: This is where you should check in the city.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_02: Homecoming central is the block party.
• 27:55
  SPEAKER_02: What about what's the you know, last year I helped you set up a bunch of hats.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_02: Is that what what's happening this year?
• 27:59
  SPEAKER_02: Are we giving away hats?
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I mean, collect them all.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_04: This is where you get your homecoming beanie.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_04: Yes.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_04: Uh it's also where you can check in and get your athletic pass.
• 28:09
  SPEAKER_04: So if you check in at Eagle Central at the block party, you get a pass that gets you into all four athletic events on homecoming Saturday.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_04: So we've got football, volleyball, and men's and women's soccer.
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_01: And the beanies are kind of a white out version this year.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_01: They're sweet, the inverted version of last year.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_04: Yep, and everyone in your family gets them.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_01: And for uh families with lots of kids, or for you listening if you've got lots of kids, this is a free family fun.
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_01: You're not gonna get nickeled and dimed for every inflatable you want to ride.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_01: Like it's all free, other than the food, which whatever you want to choose to eat.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I have a few more things here on the list, but these next two seem similar, but you'll have to listen, listeners, for these distinctions.
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_02: We have alumni athletic games, but also eagle athletic games.
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_02: Who's gonna break this down for me?
• 28:53
  SPEAKER_01: I can I can break this down for you.
• 28:55
  SPEAKER_01: We have four different Eagle athletic events happening.
• 28:58
  SPEAKER_01: So you can cheer on Northwestern football, volleyball, and men's and women's soccer all on the same day, back to back to back to back.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_01: So if you're a sports fan, man, we've got you covered this year at Homecoming.
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_01: If you're a sports alum, you played in a in a sport when you were here, there's a good chance that we've got something for you too.
• 29:15
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm gonna miss someone probably, but we've got alumni baseball, softball, tennis, soccer, basketball, basketball, football, football.
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, check the schedule, but there's a good chance that your sport has some type of an athletic game.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_01: And I will say, um, as a baseball alum, this it's always been fun to come back for the alumni baseball game and reconnect with some players and uh and current players.
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_02: Last one, Northwestern market.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_02: Tell me about it.
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, so this is super great.
• 29:48
  SPEAKER_04: It's on Spirit Plaza, so over by the athletic fields, we will have 30 to 40 um businesses that are owned and operated by Northwestern alums and parents and people in the Northwestern community.
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_04: So you can hear about their businesses.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_04: Some people are um selling their their homemade crafts, or there might be a realtor represented it represented represented it.
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_04: If you if you need one, you know, that kind of thing.
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_04: So um, if you need a business you can trust, it's gonna be there at the Northwestern market.
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_04: The vendors have loved to come back.
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_04: We've done it.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_04: I think this is gonna be our third year, and it's a highlight for the vendors and for the Northwestern community.
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_01: It's cool.
• 30:30
  SPEAKER_01: It's cool to walk by all the booths, and they're not just random people with a booth, like they're all alums.
• 30:35
  SPEAKER_01: So if you're interested in in buying something from them or supporting their business, you're supporting an alum as well.
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_04: Right.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_02: Well, both of you and listeners, we're heading towards the closing of this episode.
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_02: But first, you each must do this.
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_02: Finish this sentence.
• 30:52
  SPEAKER_02: The ultimate Northwestern weekend isn't complete until the block party's cleaned up.
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_01: No.
• 30:59
  SPEAKER_01: No, until you're there.
• 31:02
  SPEAKER_04: That's what I was gonna say.
• 31:03
  SPEAKER_01: Uh okay, I'll take it.
• 31:05
  SPEAKER_02: So you want everybody hearing this to be there.
• 31:08
  SPEAKER_01: Correct.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_01: It'll get better and better with every single alum that comes back.
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_02: Wow.
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_02: So, okay, well, let me ask you this then.
• 31:15
  SPEAKER_02: Why should someone stop what they're doing right now and register for homecoming?
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_04: Well, first, if you're like me, you will forget um immediately.
• 31:24
  SPEAKER_04: Just do it right now.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, just do it right now while we're talking.
• 31:27
  SPEAKER_04: Um we won't be offended.
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_04: But also, if you sign up and tell us you're coming, that means that you are basically pre-registered.
• 31:33
  SPEAKER_04: So when you come to homecoming, when you come to Homecoming Centre or Eagle Central, we'll already have your name.
• 31:39
  SPEAKER_04: So you don't have to fill anything out.
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_04: You can just tell us you're there and we'll give you your pass and your beanies.
• 31:43
  SPEAKER_01: It's like buying the Disney Express pass for free.
• 31:45
  SPEAKER_04: Exactly.
• 31:46
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 31:46
  SPEAKER_01: A little lightning lane action.
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_02: All right.
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_02: Do you have anything you want to do say to encourage them, Monty?
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I would say, you know, sometimes we'll we'll consider an opportunity and be like, yeah, maybe we'll go.
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_01: Well, this is a chance for you.
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_01: Like, no, we're gonna go.
• 32:00
  SPEAKER_01: Like, if you don't have anything on the calendar right now, like commit to this, be a part of the community that we're building.
• 32:06
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you can you can watch what's going on at Northwestern from afar, or you can come and hang out and have a great time and hear of ways that you can come be a part of this place.
• 32:16
  SPEAKER_01: So be a part of it.
• 32:17
  SPEAKER_01: We'll see you there.
• 32:18
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 32:18
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I'm not we work together, I'm not in your exact office.
• 32:23
  SPEAKER_02: I am often around as an employee, but this sounds like something I'd really want to be a part of.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_02: So thanks for sharing more about it.
• 32:29
  SPEAKER_04: You should definitely show up at that time.
• 32:30
  SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna show up for sure for multiple reasons.
• 32:32
  SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna have some fun and do some work.
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_01: Matt's usually driving the van too.
• 32:36
  SPEAKER_01: So if you're interested in a shuttle ride, oh man, listeners, please.
• 32:39
  SPEAKER_02: I this is one of my main jobs.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_02: So if you need a ride, if you're across campus or you know, sometimes there's so many people on campus that we have people parked way down the street past Mel Johnson, over, you know, down the road by nursing.
• 32:51
  SPEAKER_02: I'm the one.
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_02: I'm the person that's driving the white vans that pick you up.
• 32:55
  SPEAKER_04: Yes.
• 32:55
  SPEAKER_04: So if you see a man in a specifically in a UNW van that asks if you want to ride, I've told you guys about the year that for some reason.
• 33:03
  SPEAKER_02: I think one of the Northwestern branded vans, they were it was broken or something that had to get repaired.
• 33:08
  SPEAKER_02: So we had just a regular we had just rented a white van that could seat a lot of people, but no one wanted to just jump in a van with a stranger.
• 33:15
  SPEAKER_00: That's crazy.
• 33:16
  SPEAKER_02: Homecoming weekend.
• 33:17
  SPEAKER_02: Why?
• 33:17
  SPEAKER_02: I know.
• 33:18
  SPEAKER_02: I got I think like every year, Cassie, you book me as a driver, and every year there's tons of people that want rides, except for that year.
• 33:24
  SPEAKER_02: I think like two brave souls rode with me for the whole afternoon.
• 33:28
  SPEAKER_04: You're on some kind of registry now.
• 33:29
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, it's bad that you had candy that you're offering people to that.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_01: Uh there is an unwavering bus now, though.
• 33:35
  SPEAKER_01: So logistic note here for those of you who already know you're coming and you're uh just making your plans.
• 33:41
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we do have a bus route, and we'll post that information ahead of time on the website and we'll email it out too.
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_01: But there's a shuttle route, and it'll drop you right next to Eagle Central in the block party, and it'll bring you back to the lots where you parked.
• 33:53
  SPEAKER_01: So check for that.
• 33:54
  SPEAKER_01: We'll make it as easy as we can for you.
• 33:56
  SPEAKER_02: All right.
• 33:56
  SPEAKER_02: I only have one I have one last question.
• 33:59
  SPEAKER_02: But first, just thank you for letting me be here.
• 34:00
  SPEAKER_02: This was a fun time.
• 34:01
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you for that.
• 34:02
  SPEAKER_02: So thanks for inviting me on to ask you all these questions.
• 34:04
  SPEAKER_02: So here's the last question.
• 34:05
  SPEAKER_02: Let's start with Cassie.
• 34:07
  SPEAKER_02: Cassie, is there anything you're especially looking forward to personally this weekend?
• 34:11
  SPEAKER_02: Personally.
• 34:11
  SPEAKER_02: So this is that's the big part.
• 34:12
  SPEAKER_02: Like it that's underlined.
• 34:14
  SPEAKER_04: Yep.
• 34:14
  SPEAKER_02: What are you personally looking forward to that for this homecoming weekend?
• 34:17
  SPEAKER_04: Specifically.
• 34:17
  SPEAKER_04: Well, my answer is twofold, so I hope you'll accept that.
• 34:20
  SPEAKER_04: Um, personally, I love seeing alums connect.
• 34:23
  SPEAKER_04: There's lots of places that they're just in pods catching up with each other.
• 34:27
  SPEAKER_04: So they're either sharing memories, which I love because I'm love nostalgia, or they're telling people what's going on now.
• 34:33
  SPEAKER_04: So I love that.
• 34:34
  SPEAKER_04: Love the connections being made.
• 34:35
  SPEAKER_04: But personally, literally, personally, I love having my kids here on homecoming weekend because I want them to come here someday.
• 34:43
  SPEAKER_04: So it's it's selfishly a really great time to bring them to campus because it's the most fun.
• 34:48
  SPEAKER_04: Like if you want your kid to have a northwestern experience, homecoming is an amazing time to bring them because they're gonna have some really great feelings after leaving.
• 34:57
  SPEAKER_04: And yeah.
• 34:58
  SPEAKER_04: So I know my kids are already excited to come one day.
• 35:01
  SPEAKER_04: I hope they don't change their mind.
• 35:02
  SPEAKER_04: But we're making some great memories here, so it's great for the whole family.
• 35:05
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's good.
• 35:06
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's good.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_01: That was one of mine too, Cassie.
• 35:08
  SPEAKER_01: Uh homecoming is our our kids, Jamie and I's kids, the the highlight of their year, too.
• 35:13
  SPEAKER_01: So they think that when I go to Northwestern, we're just planning homecoming and I'm hanging out with Screech every day.
• 35:19
  SPEAKER_01: That's what they think I'm doing in Northwestern, which is partially true, actually.
• 35:22
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 35:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but no, excited for the kids to come back.
• 35:25
  SPEAKER_01: But I'm excited for the button bar.
• 35:27
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, yeah.
• 35:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so I know.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_01: What in the world is a button bar?
• 35:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um, if you come to reunion, you're gonna find out what the button bar is.
• 35:34
  SPEAKER_01: But basically, when you check in, you will have a lanyard and you get to pick the buttons that represent your affinity.
• 35:40
  SPEAKER_01: So maybe it's athletics or arts or whatever, but you can fill up your lanyard with these custom little buttons.
• 35:46
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm really excited.
• 35:47
  SPEAKER_04: It's more of a more of a button buffet.
• 35:49
  SPEAKER_04: A button buffet.
• 35:50
  SPEAKER_02: It does sound like pieces of flair.
• 35:51
  SPEAKER_02: Is that what it is?
• 35:52
  SPEAKER_04: Totally.
• 35:53
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 35:53
  SPEAKER_04: And then people will know what you were involved in when you were here.
• 35:56
  unknown: Okay.
• 35:57
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 35:57
  SPEAKER_02: This is great.
• 35:58
  SPEAKER_02: Well, thanks again, listeners.
• 36:00
  SPEAKER_02: You gotta check it out.
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_02: This I I honestly think it sounds like maybe I I I can't put it any other way.
• 36:07
  SPEAKER_02: The ultimate Northwestern weekend.
• 36:09
  SPEAKER_04: Wow, full circle.
• 36:10
  SPEAKER_04: I came back around.
• 36:11
  SPEAKER_01: And there's one more tradition that we do with these episodes where we promote homecoming.
• 36:15
  SPEAKER_01: Matt, we have you give a closing screech call.
• 36:18
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, get ready.
• 36:20
  SPEAKER_02: Listeners, prepare yourself.
• 36:22
  SPEAKER_02: This is what an eagle sounds like in my head right now.
• 36:29
  SPEAKER_00: That's okay.
• 36:31
  SPEAKER_01: That wasn't actually a tradition, but I'm really glad we did it.
• 36:33
  SPEAKER_01: Let me try it a little bit more.
• 36:34
  SPEAKER_04: That eagle is in distress.
• 36:36
  SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna step back a little from the mic and try it over here.
• 36:38
  SPEAKER_02: This is gonna be good.
• 36:41
  SPEAKER_02: Does that sound like an eagle?
• 36:43
  SPEAKER_02: I don't think I've heard an eagle this year.
• 36:44
  SPEAKER_04: I'm gonna be honest with you, no.
• 36:46
  SPEAKER_02: You're gonna try it one more time.
• 36:47
  SPEAKER_02: And you can edit it however you want.
• 36:48
  SPEAKER_02: No, I'm keeping it.
• 36:49
  SPEAKER_02: Keep it all or keep keep some, right?
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_02: Here I'm gonna step a little further back.
• 36:53
  SPEAKER_02: I can't make my voice go higher, but I'm gonna try it.
• 36:56
  SPEAKER_04: To be honest, I don't think it's the distance that's I don't think it's the distance.
• 36:59
  SPEAKER_02: No, this is gonna be better.
• 37:00
  SPEAKER_02: This is the last one.
• 37:06
  SPEAKER_02: That's as that's as high as I can go first.
• 37:09
  SPEAKER_02: What do you guys think?
• 37:10
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, listen.
• 37:11
  SPEAKER_02: I feel like I'm getting shamed over here.
• 37:13
  SPEAKER_02: I wasn't this is not on the notes.
• 37:15
  SPEAKER_02: It gave me pages of things to read to.
• 37:20
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 37:20
  SPEAKER_02: Now, please, please, as we wrap this episode up, I would like to hear you guys try to come up with an eagle screech.
• 37:26
  SPEAKER_02: First of all, I don't know what they sound like exactly.
• 37:28
  SPEAKER_02: So go ahead, give it to us.
• 37:30
  SPEAKER_04: Well, uh actually, um did you know that eagles chirp?
• 37:35
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 37:36
  SPEAKER_04: They don't actually screech.
• 37:37
  SPEAKER_02: Monty, over to you.
• 37:38
  SPEAKER_02: Give I think you should back up just a little bit and then and make a sound you think sounds like an eagle screeching.
• 37:46
  SPEAKER_01: They they do they do they're pretty weak calls.
• 37:49
  SPEAKER_01: It's like a Yeah, it's like Yeah.
• 37:53
  SPEAKER_04: But if you're going actually, I think they usually do like a hawk, which is a that's good.
• 38:00
  SPEAKER_02: See, my go-to for birds of all kinds is just to say, caca, kakaw.
• 38:05
  SPEAKER_02: But I just felt like that wasn't an eagle.
• 38:07
  SPEAKER_01: So if you listen to bring it full circle, if you listen to our homecoming promo video, or you watch it even better and then listen while you're watching, there's a lot of like chirping stuff going on with Screech in that video.
• 38:19
  SPEAKER_01: That's actually what an eagle sounds like.
• 38:20
  SPEAKER_01: It it's not a seagull, that's actually an eagle.
• 38:23
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna ask the Lord someday in heaven, like, you know, I love what you did with the eagle.
• 38:29
  SPEAKER_01: Why didn't you give it a bigger voice than a hawk?
• 38:31
  SPEAKER_04: Oh, there's probably some really good theological answer to that.
• 38:34
  SPEAKER_01: There has to be.
• 38:35
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 38:36
  SPEAKER_04: So, yeah, I mean, we might need to change Screech's name.
• 38:39
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, chirp.
• 38:41
  SPEAKER_04: It's tough.
• 38:42
  SPEAKER_04: That's tough.
• 38:43
  SPEAKER_04: Well listeners.
• 38:44
  SPEAKER_04: Chirp.
• 38:45
  SPEAKER_02: That's all from here.
• 38:45
  SPEAKER_02: I'm Matt Anderson.
• 38:47
  SPEAKER_04: I'm Cassie Plantage.
• 38:48
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm Monty Abler.
• 38:49
  SPEAKER_02: And we are signing off.
• 38:52
  SPEAKER_05: Holding on to your promises.
• 38:55
  SPEAKER_05: Holding on to your promises.
• 38:58
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you for listening.
• 38:59
  SPEAKER_03: To hear more, subscribe and leave a rating wherever you listen.
• 39:03
  SPEAKER_03: And if you know an alum, faculty member, staff, or student of Northwestern doing amazing things out in the world, let us know at alumni at unwsp.edu.
• 39:15
  SPEAKER_03: The unwavering podcast, highlighting the people, the purpose, and the pulse of Northwestern.