Gulley Gateway dedication set for Family Weekend
April 24, 2009

The dedication ceremony for the new pedestrian bridge, which is to be christened the Gulley Gateway, will be one of the many highlights of this year’s Family Weekend scheduled for May 1 – 3.

The ceremony is set to take place at noon on Saturday, May 2, on the north side of the new arch that will connect the Lewis Library to adjacent parking. In January, the board of trustees announced that the bridge would be named for departing President Stuart Gulley and his wife, Kathleen, to honor the couple’s 13 years of service to the College.

It was hoped that construction would be completed in time for the dedication, but weather delays have pushed the actual opening of the bridge to the end of May.

Before and after the bridge dedication, a number of noteworthy events and time-honored traditions have been planned to fill the Family Weekend schedule.

The activities begin Friday, May 1, at noon when the Family Council hosts its spring meeting at Sunny Gables Alumni House, which also will serve as the Family Weekend registration destination from 1 until 5 p.m.

At 2:30 that afternoon, everyone will gather at First United Methodist Church to take part in Honors Convocation, the College’s annual achievement ceremony. Afterward, student research presentations will be offered in the Fellowship Hall.

Other highlights Friday include the 6 p.m. Legacy Dinner in the Dickson Assembly Room and the Senior Art Exhibit Opening Reception from 6 to 8 p.m. in Lamar Dodd Art Center.

On Saturday, a Breakfast Reception will be held at 9 a.m. in the Dickson Assembly Room, which also is the site for the 9:30 a.m. Parent Convocation.

At 10:30 Saturday morning, attendees can choose to take a tour of the new Lewis Library, or they may prefer to gather in the Dickson Assembly Room for a presentation on the Selu Project, which will provide information on artifacts unearthed during the site preparations for the new library.

After the Gulley Gateway dedication, the Maidee Smith Patio will be the location for the 12:30 p.m. Family/Student Picnic, which will offer opportunities for students and their families to have their photos taken. Music will be provided by Griff Parrish.

The long-standing tradition of Step-singing has a new time and location this year. The competition begins at 2 p.m. on the steps of Pitts Dining Hall, with the audience gathered on the Lewis Library plaza.

At 4 p.m. the ever-popular tradition of Cow Patty Bingo takes place on the Residential Quad. Student organizations hold open houses and sororities host teas at 4:30 p.m. Fraternity open houses take place at 6:15 p.m.

Saturday’s events will be capped off at 8 p.m. on the Residential Quad with the Student Government Association’s spring concert featuring Ingram Hill, a band described as “pop rock with a southern twist.”
The events continue Sunday with a brunch at 11:30 a.m. in the Pitts Dining Hall.