Homecoming 2008 kicks off Thursday, Nov. 6

Published or Revised November 10, 2008

Homecoming 2008 at Paris Junior College will kick-off with the annual parade on Thursday, Nov. 6, and honor two Distinguished Alumni of the college that Saturday: Joy Lynn Phillips Fenner and Weldon E. Veteto. Associated activities include a gallery showing by Nathan Porterfield, and this year's PJC Fine Arts Department musical feature [i]She Loves Me[/i]. Guest alumni artist Nathan Porterfield's show will hang from Nov. 3 in the Visual Arts Building Foyer Gallery until Nov. 14, and in the Student Center lobby until Nov. 21. Porterfield, a Clarksville native, graduated from PJC and the University of Texas at Tyler, where he received his bachelor of fine arts degree in 2004, with a 2D emphasis. He recently received the master of fine arts degree at Texas Christian University with a concentration in printmaking. The influence of living in a small Texas town most of his life and having a large, close-knit family is evident in his current artwork. Porterfield won first prize recently at Art in the Metroplex, an annual juried survey of Dallas-Fort Worth artists. Thursday's parade at 4 p.m. will start from and return to the PJC campus after a trip around the downtown square. Friday evening begins with the President's Reception from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., followed by the 7 p.m. showing of [i]She Loves Me.[/i] According to PJC theater instructor Alex Peevy, the PJC Fine Arts Department musical tells the story of Georg and Amalia, two feuding co-workers in a European parfumerie during the 1930s who unwittingly meet through a Lonely Hearts column. Unaware they are pen pals at night, Georg and Amalia have a rocky relationship during the day at work. This romantic musical comedy is familiar to many of us: it has been adapted to the films [i]Shop Around the Corner[/i], starring Margaret Sullivan and James Stewart; [i]The Good Old Summertime[/i], featuring Judy Garland and Van Johnson; and most recently [i]You've Got Mail[/i] with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. The production runs Nov. 7 (7 p.m.), 8 (2 p.m.), 9 (2 p.m.), 14 (7 p.m.) and 15 (7 p.m.). Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children, and free for students showing PJC ID. Saturday morning registration runs from 8:30 a.m. to noon, and after the 9 a.m. Alumni and Friends business meeting, the morning features Lamar County Historical Museum tours, a Memorial Service, and the Distinguished Alumni Luncheon. Following lunch is a tour of the Texas Institute of Jewelry Technology and a 2 p.m. showing of [i]She Loves Me.[/i] At 6 p.m. the Lady Dragons take on Mountain View College and the men's Dragons' team faces Southwest Adventist College at 8 p.m. During halftime of the later game, the Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned. The evening is capped with a Student Government Association-sponsored dance from 9 p.m. to midnight. "On behalf of the PJC Alumni and Friends Association," said PJC Institutional Advancement/Alumni Affairs Director Derald Bulls, "I encourage you to take part in this great time of honoring those who have worn the PJC name so well throughout their lives. We appreciate your consideration and know this will be a great weekend for faculty, staff, guests and students alike." The Distinguished Alumni Luncheon is $14, and the deadline for reservations is Oct. 31. For more information about Homecoming activities and tickets, contact the PJC Office of Institutional Advancement at 903-782-0291. » Download the Homecoming 2008 reservation form (PDF)