Northwestern to host Raider Nation Homecoming Celebration

Northwestern College will hold Raider Nation Celebration, the college’s annual Homecoming and Family Weekend, Oct. 2–3. The weekend’s activities include class reunions, banquets, athletic events, a concert and traditions such as the Morning on the Green carnival. The full schedule and links to tickets and registration can be found at nwciowa.edu/homecoming.

Chapel at 10:05 Friday morning will feature speaker Kurt Dykstra ’94, chief legal officer and general counsel for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management in Washington, D.C. An accomplished attorney, Dykstra previously was president of Trinity Christian College, executive vice president at Mercantile Bank of Michigan, and mayor of Holland, Michigan.

A ceremony to dedicate Colenbrander Plaza, a new outdoor gathering space for Raider fans and families, will take place on Friday at 4:30 p.m. at the west entrance of the football stadium. Also at 4:30 is a ceremonial groundbreaking to launch Northwestern’s upcoming stadium renovations. With an anticipated completion date of fall 2027, the $10.9 million project includes updates to the restrooms and concession area as well as additional seating, a new entrance, new turf and track, and a VIP lounge.

Northwestern will host its Celebration Banquet, an event that recognizes donor generosity and student achievements, on Friday evening at the Rowenhorst Student Center. All Northwestern supporters are invited to attend the banquet, which begins with appetizers at 5:15 p.m. Email Carrie Anderson at [email protected] or call 712-707-7110 by Sept. 18 to reserve seats.

Also on Friday evening, the Northwestern College theatre department will present the children’s show, “Squirrelock Holmes, The Musical,” at 7 p.m. in the DeWitt Theatre Arts Center. A matinee performance will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday. Tickets go on sale Sept. 18 at nwciowa.edu/tickets.

At 9 a.m. Saturday, Raider Nation Celebration continues with Red Raider baseball alumni games at the NWC/MOC-Floyd Valley baseball field. From 10 a.m. to noon, Morning on the Green will take place on the campus green. The family-friendly carnival will include games and prizes with proceeds to support student clubs and organizations. A hymn sing will be held at 10:45 a.m. Saturday in Christ Chapel.

A tailgate picnic lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the campus green. The cash-only cost is $10.50 for adults and $8 for children ages 6 to 10; children five and under eat free. Space for the reunion classes of 1976, ’86, the ’90s decade, and ’06 will be reserved under the tailgate tent.

The Red Raider football team will kick off against Concordia University at 1:30 p.m. At halftime, the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award winners will be recognized, and the dance team will perform. Digital tickets are required and can be purchased after Sept. 18 at nwcraiders.com/tickets.

The women’s soccer team will play host to the College of Saint Mary at 4:30 p.m.

A 5:30 p.m. banquet in Vermeer Dining Room will honor Northwestern’s 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award winners: Kurt Dykstra ’94, Washington, D.C.; Amy (Vanden Bosch ’97) Keahi, Sioux Center, Iowa; Brad VanKalsbeek ’92, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Dr. Rachael Wittern ’08, Orange City. Reserve tickets by contacting Carrie Anderson at [email protected] or 712-707-7110.

Raider Nation Celebration concludes at 7 p.m. Saturday in Christ Chapel, when Northwestern’s music ensembles present their first concert of the year.

Members of reunion classes will have special opportunities to gather throughout the weekend. On Saturday morning at 10, the classes of 1976, ’86 and 2006 can check in at the Ramaker Center for conversation and refreshments. Alumni from the 1990s decade will meet at the Vogel Community Room in the DeWitt Learning Commons.

New this year is a PA Reunion on Saturday morning celebrating alumni from the master’s degree program in physician assistant studies, which just completed its first five years. Alumni can tour the facilities in Van Peursem Hall at 10 a.m. and enjoy a complimentary reunion lunch at 11:30 a.m. at Gezellig downtown. To register for lunch or request more information, contact Anna Mae Pippett at [email protected] or 712-707-7355.

A Globetrotters Reunion will gather former international students and International Club members, beginning with a Friday 9 a.m. meet-and-greet at Ramaker Center. Attendees will have the opportunity to eat lunch in the Vermeer Dining Room with current international students at 11:15 a.m. and take an Orange City “Then and Now” tour Friday afternoon. On Saturday, all international students, I-Club members and host families are invited to gather from 11 a.m. to noon in Ramaker Center. Other opportunities include a cultural story time at 3 p.m. in Ramaker and a dinner specific to 1985–1992 international students and I-Club alumni at 5:30 p.m. in American Reformed Church. To register, visit nwciowa.edu/globetrotters-reunion.

Northwestern welcomes its friends, alumni and students’ families to Raider Nation Celebration. For more information, visit nwciowa.edu/homecoming or contact Carrie Anderson at [email protected] or 712-707-7110.