August 29, 2005

Weekend celebration marks start of centennial year

MARYVILLE, Mo. – A jam-packed weekend of showmanship, socializing and special events marks the official beginning of Northwest Missouri State University’s centennial year Friday, Sept. 9, through Saturday, Sept. 10.

On Saturday afternoon, thousands of fans will flock to Bearcat Stadium for the “Centennial Bowl” – a special edition of the traditional “Hickory Stick” trophy game pitting the Northwest Bearcats against the Truman State Bulldogs.

The weekend gets underway at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, in College Park with a Back to School Open House hosted by the Office of Alumni Relations. “A Night of Illusion” follows at 8 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center across the street.

Tickets to the magic and variety show are on sale now at the Students Services Center on the first floor of the Administration Building. Tickers will also be available at the center’s box office on the night of the show from 6 p.m. until curtain time. Cost is $10, or $5 with a Bearcat ID card.

Northwest alumni and friends attending the open house will be able to purchase food throughout the event, and a number of emeriti faculty are expected to be on hand to reminisce with former students. Courtesy RSVPs are requested in care of the Office of Alumni Relations at (660) 562-1248 or alumni@nwmissouri.edu. Admission is free.

In order to better serve alumni and other campus visitors, the Bearcat Bookstore will have shirts and other University logo items available for sale at the open house. On Saturday, the bookstore will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at its regular location in the J.W. Jones Student Union.

Saturday’s events include dedications for two new campus landmarks. At 9 a.m. University officials and other dignitaries will officially open Centennial Garden in the courtyard behind South Complex. A second ceremony at 10 a.m. will be held at the recently installed commemorative statue near the union’s main east entrance.

Designed by Northwest alumnus Brad Snopek, Centennial Garden will provide a scenic campus gathering spot filled with fountains, trees and flowering plants. The park-like space marks the location of “the Quads” residence halls, which were home to hundreds of Northwest students before being torn down in the 1990s.

Ceremonies at the centennial sculpture will include remarks by Don Beeson, chairman of the Northwest Foundation Centennial Committee. Cast in bronze, the life-sized artwork is the creation of Georgia artist Gregory Johnson and depicts two students – one from 1905 and from 2005 – studying on a bench.

The Centennial Bowl gets underway at 1 p.m. with the winner taking home the Hickory Stick, a walking cane from the 1930s thought to be the oldest traveling trophy in NCAA Division II competition.

Presented by the University’s Centennial Committee, Friday’s “A Night of Illusion” features Danny Cole, Matt Marcy, George Saterial and Mirko – all international headliners who perform regularly at major nightclubs, resorts and auditoriums.

The show also stars comedian Kerry Pollock, quick-change artists Nikolai & Nina and Team Rootberry, a comic juggling duo specializing in knives, saw blades and sword swallowing.

Producer David Sandy, a Northwest alumnus (’86) and owner of David Sandy Productions of St. Joseph, said he “pulled out all the stops” to put together a top-notch, family-oriented variety show for his alma mater.

“These are all award-winning acts that usually work in big production shows,” Sandy said. “You won’t typically see these acts working together, and every one of them is in the top one-half percent for this kind of entertainment.”

Though listed as part of this year’s Encore performances season, “Illusion” tickets are not included in the series’ eight-show season ticket package.

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