DECATUR, Ill. – Millikin University will be hosting its 2025 Homecoming celebration, “Paint the Town Blue,” during the weekend of Oct. 3-5, 2025. With more than 50 events over three days, alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and students will enjoy exciting activities all weekend long as the Big Blue community reconnects.
In the build-up to Friday’s start of Homecoming, Millikin students will be hosting a series of events to get ready for a weekend of fun, including the annual Chalk the Walk outside of the University Commons on Thursday, Oct. 2 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.), followed by a “Greeks Go Blue” paint fight at 5 p.m. on the Dolson Lawn.
Homecoming activities begin on Friday, Oct. 3, at 11 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new David J. & Debra C. Rathje Athletic Center. Millikin will celebrate the completion of the $12.3 million, 17,655-square-foot project. Speaking at the ribbon-cutting will be Millikin President Dean Pribbenow, Vice President for Athletics and Community Engagement Lori Kerans ’85, Head Football Coach Billy Riebock, David Rathje’s daughter Kelly Brandon, Jim Perryman ’83, and President of the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce Mirinda Rothrock ’04. Big Blue student-athletes will also share their appreciation for the new facility. A reception and student-led guided tours of the David J. & Debra C. Rathje Athletic Center will follow the program.
At noon, Big Blue HQ opens in the Dr. Jan Devore Student Lobby in the University Commons, where visitors can check in and learn more about the weekend’s events. For a complete list of weekend events, visit the 2025 Homecoming homepage, where you can register and purchase tickets for ticketed events.
At 3:15 p.m., Millikin Nursing students are recognized during the annual Legacy of the Lamp ceremony at Westminster Presbyterian Church, when students are presented with a Florence Nightingale Lamp.
At 5:30 p.m., Millikin Alumni Award recipients will be honored at a celebratory dinner and program in the Bob and Debi Johnston Banquet Rooms on the third floor of the University Commons. Tickets are $25 per person and reservations are required. This year's honorees are:
- Alumnus Of The Year: Charles Yurieci, Class of 1968
- Merit-Loyalty Award: Lucas Bills, Class of 2003, and Jodi Fearday Bills, Class of 2003
- Faculty/Staff Award: Dr. Edward Acheson (Posthumous)
- Young Alumnus Award: Dr. John Blakeman, Class of 2013/MSN 2015
- Merit-Loyalty Award: Lucas Bills, Class of 2003, and Jodi Fearday Bills, Class of 2003
On Saturday, before the Big Blue football team kicks off at 1 p.m., several events will create an exciting atmosphere around campus. At 9-10:30 a.m., there is a Men’s Basketball Open Gym and Scrimmage at Griswold Physical Education Center. Also on Saturday morning, the Black Alumni of Millikin (BAM) will hold a breakfast meeting at Piling Chapel and complete a service project at Decatur’s Good Samaritan Inn.
On the Quad, fans preparing for the football game can enjoy food trucks and a Millikin Makers Market, hosted by Women in Business from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The market offers goods from makers, crafters, and artists from Millikin and the local community. From 10:45 a.m. to noon, the Homecoming tradition of Jazz on the Quad returns, with outdoor performances featuring School of Music ensembles! (10:45-11:15 a.m. – Jazz Combos, 11:30 a.m.-noon – Electric Guitar Ensemble).
At 1 p.m., the Big Blue Football team takes on Carroll University at Frank M. Lindsay Field. Before kickoff, join the pre-game celebration and tail-gating to get your face painted, temporary tattoos, and possibly win some Big Blue swag. Tickets available at the gate on game day: $6/adult, $4/senior citizens. Members of the Homecoming Court will be crowned at halftime.
On Saturday evening, numerous mixers, performances, and socials will take place on campus, and check the complete list of Saturday night events.
On Sunday, Oct. 5, Athletic Hall of Fame inductees will be honored at the Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon held in the Bob and Debi Johnston Banquet Rooms in the University Commons beginning at 11:00 a.m. Tickets are $25 per person and reservations are required. This year's inductees are:
- Carvel E. Johnson, Class of 1973, Football
- Gregory C. Hines, Class of 1985, Track & Field
- Dion L. Wilson Sr., Class of 2011, Football
- Kalli Farmer Collins, Class of 2020, Softball
- 1985 Women’s Basketball Team, Team Inductee
- Marilyn Trainer Dechert, Class of 1955, (Posthumous), Coach Inductee
For more information about Millikin University's 2025 Homecoming Celebration and a complete list of events, visit millikin.edu/homecoming.
