By Matt Gergyek
Photos by Chris Cline
If you find yourself on Carleton University’s campus, look up — you’ll notice something special fluttering in the breeze.
Building on the success of the CU75 campaign, when banners and giant billboards popped up across campus to showcase some of Carleton’s diverse and talented alumni, faculty and students, the university has launched a new street banner campaign ahead of two of the community’s biggest events of the year – Throwback Homecoming Week and the 50th Panda Game.
“We have great momentum following Carleton’s 75th anniversary year,” says Carleton President Benoit-Antoine Bacon.
“I’m excited to feel the energy with the fall, with Throwback and the Panda Game, and to start planning the future of our university.”
The banners welcome visitors to campus at both the Bronson Avenue and Colonel By Drive entrances, continuing into the heart of the university.
Developing the new campaign was a collaborative effort among Carleton Alumni, Athletics and the Department of University Communications (DUC). The main goal of the campaign is to celebrate the importance of Carleton’s alumni community and the varsity football program.
Throwback: Celebrating the History
and Future of the University
Throwback runs from Sept. 10 to 17. Carleton will be welcoming some 10,000 alumni and their families to celebrate the grand history and bright future of the university with a variety of exciting events.
Throwback “is an opportunity for us to welcome alumni back to campus, to hear about their university experience and share their Carleton pride,” says Mark Savenkoff, director of Alumni and Donor Relations at Carleton.
To kick off Throwback week, Prof. Kim Hellemans in Neuroscience and Prof. Jim Davies in Cognitive Science and Computer Science will host a live episode of their popular podcast Minding the Brain on Sept. 10. The podcast explores topics linked to cognitive and brain sciences, such as stress, imagination, emotion and addiction.
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On Sept. 12, Carleton Feasts will take place in the MacOdrum Library, a celebration of the importance of feasts both in fiction and in today’s society, with a menu inspired by the most memorable meals in literature.
The School of Journalism and Communication will host the annual Attallah Lecture on Sept. 13 featuring Prof. Will Straw of McGill University Urban Media Studies. The Ravens Hall of Fame will also honour five new inductees that day during a reception and dinner.
On Sept. 14, the fourth Ravens women’s hockey team golf tournament will be held at Metcalfe Golf Club, and there will be a hypnosis show hosted by Carleton alumnus Rick Cole on campus.
Sept. 15 is jam-packed with Homecoming events. One of the highlights of the day is Ravens Rally, held in parking lot five outside the Fieldhouse. Alumni and their families will enjoy live entertainment, interactive activities, inflatable games, craft beer gardens and food trucks, all while cheering on the football team as it takes on the Queen’s Gaels. Also taking place that day is a men’s and women’s soccer game and a women’s rugby match.
On Sept. 16, Carleton will host one of Ottawa’s local Terry Fox Runs. The route runs from Hog’s Back Bridge to Pretoria Bridge.
To cap off Throwback Week, the Carleton University Art Gallery (CUAG) will launch its two fall exhibits on Sept. 17.
For a full list of Throwback events, click here.
Ravens Vying for Yet Another Panda Game Win
The fun continues after Throwback is over. The highly anticipated 50th Panda Game will take place on Sept. 29 at TD Place Stadium. The Carleton Ravens men’s football team face off against the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees as they attempt their fifth consecutive win.
The history of Panda Game is an interesting one.
The first game, held in 1955, was the brainchild of Brian McNulty, then associate editor of The Fulcrum, the University of Ottawa’s English student newspaper. McNulty persuaded the Sparks Street-based Jack Snow Jewelers to donate a stuffed panda as the prize for the victorious team and staged a fake robbery at the store with the help of sports editor Thomas White, blaming Carleton students for the heist. Despite a brewing conflict, Carleton came out on top in that first game with a 14-6 win over the Gee-Gees.
The epic rivalry originally alternated between Carleton’s home field and Lansdowne Park through the 1960s, but eventually found a permanent home at Lansdowne.
Carleton closed the football program in the late 1990s, but it was resurrected in 2013 with Head Coach Steve Sumarah at the helm.
It was a banner game in 2014, highlighted by an unforgettable Hail Mary catch earning the Ravens a much-deserved win. In 2015, the Ravens grabbed an overtime win of 48-45, the highest scoring game in Panda’s history. The Ravens dominated in 2016 as well, beating the Gee-Gees by 20 points, 43-23.
Nearly 25,000 fans attended last year’s overtime game and numbers for this year are expected be just as high, if not higher.
“The fall is a time of anticipation, enthusiasm and celebration as students make their way back on campus,” says Jennifer Brenning, assistant vice-president (Recreation and Athletics).
“The new pageantry along University Avenue highlighting our September marque events provides the Carleton community with a sense of pride and excitement.”
Tickets for the Panda Game are available here.
Tuesday, August 28, 2018 in Athletics, Throwback
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