Homecoming 2021

HOOF it for Hilltoppers - Virtual 5K

Let’s go Toppers! Lace-up your sneakers and join your SEU community in completing our first Virtual 5K. Participants can run, walk, jog their favorite 3.1-mile route anytime during Homecoming week, Sun., Feb. 21 – Sun., Feb. 28. Track your route and other runners around the country with our Google Runners Map. Show off your Hilltop spirit by wearing your favorite SEU swag.  Bragging rights for the most blue and gold spirit!  Don’t forget to share your race photos and tag them with #HilltopHC 

St. Edward’s University is committed to helping all students achieve their degrees - but sometimes, unexpected financial challenges threaten their progress. HOOF helps students who've experienced natural disasters, family emergencies or other crises.  Your gift to HOOF will support one-time grants to students with proven needs for emergency funding. You will also provide peace and comfort to a student during difficult and uncertain times! 

Please Note: Participate at your own risk. SEU is not liable for any injuries while people are participating in the virtual 5K.

Student Homecoming Week - Board Painting

Time: Noon 

Location: Parking Garage 

Join in on the fun and kick off the 2021 Topper Cup! Teams or groups of friends can sign up for a time to paint their board and assist in creating a vibrant campus for Homecoming 2021! You do not need to be on a team to participate. Sign-ups will take place on IMLeagues closer to the event date. 

Student Homecoming Week - Virtual Topper Painting

Time: 2 pm CDT

Join us for Student Homecoming Week's Virtual version of Board Painting. Log in at 2 pm to learn the rules and then head off into your own space to create your design and win points for your Topper Cup Team. No skills necessary to participate. Individuals not on a Topper Cup Team are also welcome and eligible to win prizes. 

Alumni Book Club Virtual Meet-up 

Time: 5:30 - 6:30 pm CDT 

Join fellow Alumni Book Club members in discussing book 4 in a virtual meet up.  Grab a drink, your favorite snack, and come prepared for great conversation.

Student Homecoming Week - Minute-to-Win-it Game Night

Time: 4 pm CDT 

Location: Ragsdale Center

Compete in one of many minute-to-win-it competitions! Multiple games will be happening throughout the evening, and there is something for everyone! You do not need to be on a team to participate. Sign-ups will take place on IMLeagues closer to the event date. 

Student Homecoming Week - Virtual Game Night

Time: 7 pm CDT

Join us for a variety of games and compete to win a number of prizes! You do not need to be on a team to participate. Register to reserve your spot!

Athletics: Baseball vs. UH-Victoria

Time: 2 pm CDT

The Hilltoppers face UHV at home for a single, nine-inning game. Cost: The Lone Star Conference Network charges $10 for access to the event.

Student Homecoming Week - Murder Mystery

Time: 4 pm CDT

Location: Ragsdale Center

There has been a murder on the Hilltop and we need your help to solve it. Can you uncover who did it and why they may have committed the crime? You do not need to be on a team to participate. Sign-ups will take place on IMLeagues closer to the event date. 

Hilltop Learning Series: Mental Health, Meaning-Making, & Life After 2020

Time: 5:30 - 6:30 pm CDT

Our lives are shaped by the stories we tell ourselves. Looking back at 2020, these stories may have been shaped by fear or uncertainty. This talk will explore meaning-making to inspire change. Speakers will also provide resources for mental health wellness and getting started with seeking out a mental health provider.

You’ll have access to a brief pre-recorded presentation and then have the opportunity to participate in an activity and discussion with presenters. 

Athletics: Volleyball vs. TAMU-Kingsville

Time: 6 pm CDT

Volleyball continues its spring season at Texas A&M-Kingsville. Cost: $10, paid through LSC Network

Student Homecoming Week - Virtual Escape Room

Time: 7 pm CDT

Want to put your knowledge and creative skills to the test in a virtual format? This escape room is bound to create great memories, laughs, and challenges for the whole crew! You do not need to be on a team to participate. Sign-up to reserve your spot!

Athletics: Women's Soccer vs. Eastern New Mexico

Time: 4 pm CDT

The Hilltoppers host ENMU for their first home game of the season! Cost: The Lone Star Conference Network charges $10 for access to the event.

Athletics: Volleyball vs. TAMIU

 Time: 6 pm CDT

Volleyball continues their road trip, facing Texas A&M International on the road. Cost: The Lone Star Conference Network charges $10 for access to the event.

Topper Career Talks

Time: 6 - 7:30 pm CDT

6 - 6:45 pm (Alumni Only): We welcome all Pre-health Alumni for a special Zoom-based mix and mingle. Spend some time talking to your Pre-Health Hilltopper classmates, peers, and colleagues about your life beyond the Hilltop! How was your professional program and/or residency? What are you up to now that you're done with those dreaded science pre-requisites?

6:45 - 7:30 pm (Alumni and Current Students): For this session, we invite current Pre-Health Hilltoppers to listen to an introductory panel from some of our recent Pre-Health Alumni as they discuss their journey from the Hilltop through their time in a health professions program (and even as a young healthcare professional for those working in the field in the midst of a pandemic). We will have representatives from medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, and more. 

Holy Cross Institute: 200th Anniversary of the Brothers of St. Joseph

Time: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm CDT

Since our founding in 1878, St. Edward's University has been one of the top locations for the education and formation of the Brothers of Holy Cross. Over the years, hundreds of Holy Cross Brothers have studied or worked here. The Brothers' presence at St. Edward's University has left an indelible mark and legacy that will sustain at St. Edward's University for generations to come. In this 200th anniversary year of the Brothers of St. Joseph, now the Brothers of Holy Cross, we invite you to join the Executive Director of the Holy Cross Institute, Dr. Marco Clark, and a panel of Holy Cross Brothers featuring Br. George Klawitter, Br. Larry Atkinson, and Br. John Paige, who will discuss their time at St. Edward's University and the impact of St. Edward's University on Holy Cross education.

Topper Trivia Night

Time: 7 - 8:30 pm CDT

Attention brainiacs!  Join the Alumni Association for a fun and competitive evening of virtual trivia!  St. Edward's students, families, alumni, and friends will face off for 3 rounds of friendly competition.  Prizes for the winning team!  

Golden Guard Mass

Time: 10:30 - 11:30 am CDT

Celebrate the Sacraments during this virtual Mass specially planned for those who attended St. Edward's University or St. Edward's High School 50 or more years ago.  

Class of 1971 - 50th class reunion

Time: 12:30 - 1:30 pm CDT

When so much can happen in just one year, we can only imagine the stories you'll have from the past fifty! It's time to reconnect and reminisce about your time on the Hilltop. Join classmates from all over the globe in your virtual 50th Reunion Reception.  

Athletics: Baseball vs. UT Tyler

Time: 2 pm CDT

The Hilltoppers open a three-game series against UT Tyler with a nine-inning contest. Cost: The Lone Star Conference Network charges $10 for access to the event.

MSB Homecoming Alumni Panel hosted by the Bill Munday School of Business

Time: 3 - 5 pm CDT

Join The Bill Munday School of Business for a conversation with distinguished grads from each major. Our panel of recent alumni will give insight into the job market and share how their experiences at St. Edward's got them to where they are now.

Alumni Honors Ceremony

Time: 5:30 - 6:30 pm CDT

St. Edward's University will honor the 2021 Alumni Association Awards recipients in a virtual ceremony.  

Jackbox Games, hosted by the Office of Information Technology 

Time: 5:30 - 7:30 pm CDT

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) invites you to Jackbox Games for Homecoming 2021, a gaming event where everything's made up and the geographic location doesn't matter. Our event will be spent playing The Jackbox Party Pack 7 and The Jackbox Party Pack. All you need to play is a smartphone or web-enabled device! there is no app or additional purchase needed in order to play.

Family Game Night, hosted by Student Involvement

Time: 6 and 7:30 pm CDT

Join us for a virtual family game night hosted by Games Shows To Go! There are two rounds of this event so join us for the 6:00 pm game, the 7:30 pm game, or both to try to win some AWESOME prizes! All students, alumni, parents, family members, faculty, staff, and friends of St. Edward's are welcome!

Athletics: Basketball at UAFS

Time: 7 pm CDT

The Hilltoppers open their final weekend of regular season play at Arkansas-Fort Smith. The Lone Star Conference Network charges $10 for access to the event.

Creativity and Innovation in Teaching Amidst a Global Pandemic

Time: 10 - 11:30 am CDT

Join us for a discussion with faculty from across campus as they describe their approaches to maintaining the close connection and engaging atmosphere that St. Edward's classrooms are known for. After a welcome from Dr. George Martin, Dr. Andrew Prall, Provost, will contextualize the campus's efforts to support faculty and students in the shift to remote teaching and learning. Dr. Rebecca Frost Davis, Associate Vice President of Digital Learning, and Dr. Jennifer Jefferson, Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence, will share an overview of their summer professional development collaborations to support faculty in their planning and teaching. Then, faculty from across campus--Dr. Mary Dunn, Associate Professor of Management; Professor Jena Heath, Associate Professor of Journalism; Dr. Lisa Holleran, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice; and Dr. Santiago Toledo, Associate Professor of Chemistry--will lead small groups in discussions about their own creative and innovative remote teaching-translation processes. This session will offer insight into pandemic teaching across campus and have time for discussion.

Is the Push to “Harden” Schools Widening the School-to-Prison Pipeline? hosted by the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences

 Time: 11:30 - 12:30 pm CDT

Natalie Beck, DSW, LCSW-S, Assistant Professor of Social Work, will explore the current state of our school systems shows us that certain students are steered toward college, while others, usually belonging to oppressed groups, are pushed out of education and into incarceration. The history and components of the school-to-prison pipeline will serve as a backdrop to analyze how this pathway is playing out in the U.S. today, especially in response to a string of mass shootings in schools. As some responses to these shootings call for schools to be made “harder,” the impact on students could be funneling more into the school-to-prison pipeline. The implications of legislation and policies will be evaluated, and potential solutions and model practices will be explored. 

Our Holy Cross Catholic Heritage

Time: Noon - 1:00 pm CDT 

Fr. Peter Walsh, CSC, Br. Larry Atkinson CSC '70 and Dr. Marco Clark will celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the founding of the Brothers of St. Joseph.  They will share the story of the creation of St. Edward's University, how the Holy Cross values inform our education and how Holy Cross continues its global mission.  

Athletics: Baseball vs. UT Tyler

Time: 1 pm CDT

Baseball continues their series against the Patriots. Cost: The Lone Star Conference Network charges $10 for access to the event.

Virtual St. Edward's University Campus Tour

Time: 1:30 - 2:30 pm CDT

See what's new on the Hilltop!  Get a virtual guided tour of recent additions and renovations to campus.  Student tour guides will offer a view of today's campus and how philanthropy has vastly expanded student opportunity on the hilltop.  

Athletics: Softball at Southwestern

Time: 3 pm CDT

The Hilltoppers head up I-35 to take on the Pirates in a non-conference doubleheader.

Athletics: Basketball at UAFS

Time: 5 pm CDT

The men and women's teams close the regular season on the road at Arkansas-Fort Smith. Cost: The Lone Star Conference Network charges $10 for access to the event.

Tannins and Toppers: Virtual Wine Tasting with The Austin Winery

Time: 6 - 7 pm CDT

Join us for the first-ever virtual wine tasting event for Hilltoppers - the event will be virtual, but the wine is real (and real delicious). While you sip, The Austin Winery will teach you about wine making techniques, wine assessment, and Central Texas grapes. The Austin Winery is the only grape-to-glass winery in Austin city limits.

To purchase bottles for shipment to your home, use our exclusive coupon code (hilltoppers) for two varieties: Workhorse (Merlot and Petit Verdot red blend) and Friends with Benefits (Malvasia Bianca and Albariño white blend). Order your wine by Feb. 19. Due to state law alcohol restrictions, The Austin Winery is only able to ship wine to the following states: CA, FL, IL, MO, LA, NY, PA, OR, VA, WA, MA, TX.

Homecoming Mass

Time: 10:30 - 11:30 am CDT

Join students, families, alumni, and friends virtually as Father Peter Walsh, CSC leads a Mass of thanksgiving to close out the Homecoming experience for the St. Edward's community.  Campus Ministry will offer walk up and drive through communion for those in Austin.

Athletics: Baseball vs. UT Tyler

Time: 1 pm CDT

The Hilltoppers wrap-up their series against UT Tyler. Cost The Lone Star Conference Network charges $10 for access to the event.