Brock University’s virtual Homecoming takes place this week with events for all ages.

Alumni, faculty, staff and their families are invited to register for more than 20 online events, most led by Brock alumni speaker volunteers and many of them free.

Homecoming events take place from Wednesday, Sept. 22 to Sunday, Sept. 26 and feature lunchtime offerings on weekdays and several hands-on food, beverage and art activities in the afternoon and evening on Friday and Saturday.

Participants can bake Funfetti chocolate chip cookies, cook chicken cacciatore, shake up Prohibition era-inspired cocktails and paint Brock’s famous Sakura cherry blossoms. Webinars on cryptocurrency, phone photography, banking trends, positive healing and a behind-the-scenes artifacts tour offer a chance to learn something new. Virtual campus tours, coffee with Brock’s Interim President and a researcher’s corner will reconnect grads to the University community and its latest initiatives.

“The live webinars offer participants an opportunity to interact with volunteer speakers and other Brock grads, faculty and staff,” said Alumni Relations Officer Christine Richard. “It’s different than watching a cooking show, reading an article about first-time home buying or following a step-by-step painting guide. You can ask questions and socialize, and with the hands-on webinars like cooking, baking and painting, you can learn by doing.”

Alumni celebrating special anniversaries this year are invited to attend virtual ceremonies on Saturday afternoon. The class of 1996 and class of 1971, who are celebrating their 25- and 50-year anniversaries, respectively, will be officially inducted into the Cameo Club and can request a commemorative cameo pin.

Two events on the Homecoming schedule encourage participants to get outside. A self-directed community cleanup and an individual five-kilometre walk, run or jog can take place anytime during the month of September. Registrants for either of these events can enter for a chance to win a pair of Apple AirPods.

While registration for most Homecoming events is available until minutes before the event starts, the Baking Class with Boxed Cookies requires registration by Thursday, Sept. 23 so Brock alumna owner Cate Basic (BA ’15, BA ’17) can prepare bake-at-home boxes filled with the pre-portioned dry ingredients to make Funfetti chocolate chip cookies. The $15 registration fee for the event covers the cost of the bake-at-home box, which must be picked up on Friday, Sept. 24 between 4 and 6 p.m. at Boxed Cookies’ St. Catharines or Stoney Creek location. The virtual baking lesson takes place Saturday, Sept. 25 from 3 to 4 p.m.

Like many of the alumni speaker volunteers, Basic is looking forward to reconnecting with the Brock community through her online event.

“I’ve always believed in the power of food bringing people together,” she said. “Sharing a meal is an activity that can deepen relationships and strengthen connections, and as we’ve learned over the past two years, that sense of closeness is something to be treasured. I’m looking forward to bringing together alumni and their friends and family for an afternoon of baking, learning a new skill and sharing the sweet results with each other.”

To learn more about Brock University’s virtual Homecoming, including a schedule of events and details on how to register, visit brocku.ca/homecoming

Registrants are encouraged to log in to the Brock Attendee Hub in advance of Homecoming to get familiar with the platform, review and add to their agenda, explore speaker bios, update their attendee profile and view important details about sessions, such as necessary ingredients or supplies. The hub is also where participants will access the live webinars and connect with other Homecoming participants.

Attendees requiring assistance can email alumni@brocku.ca