During Homecoming week, Ducks are returning to campus from all corners of the globe. This week, the UO celebrates the new school year, as well as the achievements of its students and faculty.
On Friday, the main event is the inaugural Innovation Summit, held across campus. A celebration of knowledge, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit within the University of Oregon and larger Eugene and Springfield communities, the summit introduces attendees to ideas, resources, and others in order to advance their goals. In support of the event, President Michael Schill has declared the day “UO Innovators Day.”
The Innovation Summit’s footprint is broad, stretching from the Wayne L. Morse United States Courthouse, where “The Art of the Possible” will cover exciting possibilities within the legal profession, to Agate Hall on the southeastern corner of campus, where the American English Institute will be holding an open house.
The festival will be marked by presentations, workshops, performances, and film showings. Topics will include art, science, technology, media, business, environment, and humanities under the broader theme of innovation. Some of the scheduled presentations include the “Quack Track Pitch,” where entrepreneurs can pitch their ideas while running a lap of the Hayward Field track, all in the hope of receiving a $1,000 investment; “Startup Alley,” where units from across campus will demonstrate their products; the “Sustainable Cities Urbanism Next Research Initiative,” an interdisciplinary forum established to address how technology will shape cities; “Changing TIDE (Trans Immigrant Defense Effort): Transgender People and the Need to Prove Themselves;” and “Diversity and Inclusion in Venture Capital Today.”
Learn more about the Innovation Summit at uoregon.edu/innovation-summit.
Other Homecoming events include:
Wednesday, October 25
UO Volleyball vs. Utah ● 7:00 p.m.
No. 15 Oregon squares off against No. 12 Utah at Matthew Knight Arena in the annual “pink match.” All tickets are only $3, and there will be a raffle and items for sale to raise money for cancer prevention research.
Friday, October 27–Sunday, October 29
Fall Family Weekend
Parents are invited to sit in on classes, attend informational sessions concerning student success, and participate in workshops.
Friday, October 27
Pac-12 Cross-Country Championships ● 11:00 a.m.
See the Ducks in action in the Pac-12 championships at the Springfield Country Club. The women—who won the NCAA cross-country title last season en route to the triple crown—and the men will take on the best the conference has to offer.
Homecoming Parade ● 4:00 p.m.
Students will put their school spirit on full display for the iconic Homecoming parade. The parade will begin on East 13th Avenue and Alder Street, move down 13th, and then turn onto University Street before continuing on to 18th. Prizes will be awarded to the best floats.
Willamette Valley Music Festival ● 5:30 p.m.
Enjoy music by the Down Home Boys, the Brass Quintet, and more at this free concert in the EMU.
UO Volleyball vs. Colorado ● 7:00 p.m.
The Buffalo, receiving votes in the AVCA coaches poll, square off against the Ducks in a Pac-12 showdown at Matt Knight Arena.
Saturday, October 28
Run with a Researcher ● 9:00 a.m.
Lace up your Nikes and pound the pavement with some of the UO’s top researchers! These free runs are led by faculty members who discuss their own research during a 5K walk or 4.5- mile run through campus and on Pre’s Trail. The run and walk leave from the “O” desk in the EMU.
UO Football vs. Utah ● 2:45 p.m.
The Ducks will take on the Utah Utes in Autzen Stadium; those unable to attend may still watch the game in the EMU lounge, where there will be prizes, trivia, a photo booth, and refreshments.
Additional events:
Entry is free to the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Museum of Natural and Cultural History, and Student Recreational Center all weekend. Current exhibitions at the art museum include the 17th century Barberini Tapestries, propaganda from the Chinese Revolution, and “Conversations in the Round House,” an exhibition inspired by this year’s Common Reading project. History buffs might be interested in a guided tour of the Museum of Natural and Cultural History, which is offered at 2:00 p.m. daily.
- Abby Keep
University of Oregon student