As summer begins to wind down, Morgantown starts to come alive again! A lot is happening this month that I've been looking forward to for a while now - one being the start of the 2022-23 academic school year. While it's been nice not having to wait for a table at Mario's and drive around Morgantown with little traffic, I think all of us on campus agree that we've been looking forward to students returning. With the return of students, football season beginning in less than a month and events on and off campus picking back up, I'm excited to provide you an update on everything that's happening!
As you may know, the start of the 2022-23 academic school year is an especially big deal for the John Chambers College of Business and Economics. This month marks the opening of Reynolds Hall, the stunning new home for the college along the Monongahela River. Describing the building won't do it justice, so I encourage you to look at some of the images here. You may notice that Reynolds Hall stands where the old Field House, or Stansbury Hall, previously stood. While it's never easy saying goodbye to a building where many of us had classes and created memories during our time at WVU, Reynolds Hall pays homage to Stansbury and the ground it stands on with pieces of history spread throughout the building. If you go on a tour, be sure to take a look.
When students return to campus, you know football season isn't far behind. Like every alum, I've been looking forward to the return of the Backyard Brawl for years. If you're making the trip to Pittsburgh, I'd like to invite your family and friends to our WVU Alumni Association Pitt Pregame event from 4-6:30 p.m. at PNC Park. This family-friendly pregame has a come-and-go environment and isn't short on entertainment. The event will include featured guests, gold and blue giveaways, and a few special surprises. The pregame is completely free, but if you plan on attending, please let us know by responding to our Facebook event so we can plan accordingly. I hope to see you there!
On the topic of Mountaineer Football, I'm also counting down the days of our first home game at Milan Puskar Stadium against Kansas on September 10. Nothing will ever top 60,000 WVU alumni and fans all wearing gold and blue. With game day comes traditions, and I'd like to invite you to a pregame tradition we've had at the Erickson Alumni Center for a while now - HAIL! West Virginia. HAIL! is held for three hours before every home football game and is often referred to as a "best-kept secret." HAIL! Members receive a dedicated parking spot for every home game, enjoy delicious food made by our Executive Chef in the Erickson's Kennedy Club Room, endless free drinks, zero lines and even a golf cart ride to the stadium. There aren't many HAIL! passes remaining, so click here to learn more about our best-kept secret and become a HAIL! Member today.
The last big event is one many of you have heard of, our Marmaduke Dent Benefit. This year will be the 26th iteration of the event and is themed around our love for Country Roads. Mark your calendar for September 9 (the Friday before our season opener against Kansas) at 6 p.m. Guests will enjoy fantastic West Virginia-themed dishes, drinks, a silent auction and live entertainment from dueling pianos. Marmaduke is the Alumni Association's largest fundraiser of the year, and all funds raised from the event will help to support alumni programs. If you're interested in attending, purchase your tickets here!
I hope to see you at one of our upcoming events! If you're a bit farther from Morgantown but still miss the gold and blue, I encourage you to find an alumni chapter near you. Our chapters have all kinds of game watches and other events planned as fall gets closer.
Let's Go!
Kevin Berry ('94, '95)
WVU Vice President of Alumni Relations
CEO of the WVU Alumni Association, Inc.