Morrisville State College's annual Mustang Weekend Sept. 30-Oct. 1 had events for everyone.  Events were hosted for the alumni who came back, for admissions visitors, and for the parents and families of students.

Mustang weekend brought everyone together to cheer for our football team and soccer team. It gave parents the chance to meet their students’ teachers, and experience a little of what it is like to live at Morrisville. It brought back alumni from all different graduating years to meet up with their old classmates and reminisce about the time when they went to school here—and to notice how it is different now. 

Most alumni like the changes the college has achieved. “The school has gotten a good reputation,” said Bob Beauvol, class of ‘59. Through the years Morrisville State College has undergone construction to make the school a better place for students to live and enjoy. They have come up with new dining places and places for there students to have internet access while eating, and new living areas to give the students more freedom.

“When I went to school here, there were four buildings and we had classes in (Quonset) huts,” said David Schell, class of ‘59.

“Dr.(Raymond) Cross has done a great job for this school,” said Roger B. Edkin, class of ’51. He said that when he went to Morrisville 55 years ago, there were no buildings beyond Helyar Hall.

During the weekend, there was registration Saturday morning for the alumni at the John W. Stewart Center for Student Activities, where they got a chance to reminisce with old college friends before all the activities started.

Later Saturday morning, the annual parade went from the elementary school on Eaton Street onto Route 20 and then onto campus. It featured the Madison Central School Marching Band and several floats put together by student organizations. The Agricultural Engineer’s Club had a tractor pulling a trailer with a small CAT bulldozer on it along with some of the club’s members. The Outdoor Recreation Club’s float featured a group of plastic decoy animals in a mock nature scene on a trailer. The Architecture Club built a medieval castle out of cardboard boxes and pulled it with a tractor.

In addition to the floats and the marching band, Girl Scouts dressed as lemon drops marched in the parade. Some souped up cars from the Automotive Club Cruise-In followed along, as well as representatives from the Student Government Organization. SGO President Garran Murphy wore a mustang suit for the march. Murphy said he takes part in the parade as a yearly custom. The parade was popular with local children because people on the floats threw candy to whomever watched as they passed by.

The alumni had a luncheon where they listened to Cross talk about the new changes on campus and what they hope to accomplish throughout the coming years. The luncheon was interesting. They had good food and a nice atmosphere for people to sit and enjoy conversation.

During the luncheon James Van Riper, class of ’72, was presented with the Distinguished Alumni Award. Riper had gone on to attend Cornell University after Morrisville, and returned to Morrisville in 1975 as a professor. He is now the interim provost and vice-president for Academic Affairs at Morrisville State College.

There are some things that alumni think that the school could change with everything else they are changing. “The school can renovate Madison Hall like everything else they are renovating,” said Schell.