Story: Lisa Sollie | Photo: Cody Ingram

The University of West Alabama has announced the schedule for its annual Homecoming celebration, with events for alumni scheduled Oct.1-3.

For students, homecoming week kicks off with Casino Night on Monday, Sept. 28, at 7:30 p.m. in the Bell Conference Center. The event features a full slate of casino-style gaming.

On Tuesday, Sept. 29, students will have a chance to get a free homecoming t-shirt from 3 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. outside the CAF. There is no cost for current students, but shirts are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The excitement continues Wed., Sept. 30, at Serendipity, the annual homecoming talent show where students compete for prize money and bragging rights. The student-only event will begin at 7 p.m. in UWA Auditorium and will also spotlight the 2026 Homecoming court.

On Thursday, Oct. 1 beginning at 6:00 p.m. the community is invited to join the Tiger football team, the West Alabama Marching Band, UWA cheerleaders and LUie for the Homecoming pep rally and campus carnival, featuring live music by Daniel Houze. After dark, a bonfire and fireworks show, presented in collaboration with the Offices of Student Affairs and Alumni Affairs, will light up the intramural fields.

The annual homecoming alumni party, one of the most anticipated events of the year, is set for Friday, Oct. 2. Hosted by the Office of Alumni Affairs, the party begins at 6 p.m. at Bell Conference Center. Always a great time for friends, food and fun, this year’s party will feature the band 3 Miles South. Admission to the party is $40.

On Sat., Oct. 3, the annual homecoming parade will begin at 10 a.m. when UWA students and organizations, special guests, and marching bands from across the state will wind through downtown Livingston and back onto campus at Stadium Drive. Following the parade there will be an alumni tailgate party beginning at 11:30 a.m. on the hill in front of the Campus School across from the home gate of Tiger Stadium. Alumni are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or quilts to be comfortable and enjoy live music by Tyler Sellers.

On Saturday at 4 p.m., UWA will kick off against Chowan University at Tiger Stadium. The 2026 Homecoming King and Queen will be announced on the field during halftime festivities.

The will be open during Homecoming festivities on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

For more information about UWA Alumni events, please contact Banks Gordy, director of Alumni Affairs, at 205-652-3867 or email bgordy@uwa.edu.

Story: Lisa Sollie

The University of West Alabama’s Cahaba Biodiversity Center and Julia Tutwiler Library will host William Bartram and Alabama: A Traveling Exhibit throughout the month of September, exploring the life, travels and discoveries of one of America’s most influential early naturalist-artists.

The exhibit will officially open with a reception on Thursday, Sept. 3, from 2:30-4:30 p.m. at Julia Tutwiler Library. The University community and public are invited to attend.

William Bartram and Alabama tells the story of Bartram’s 1775 journey through Creek territory in what is now Alabama. His four-year expedition through the colonial South, from 1773 to 1777, produced groundbreaking scientific observations and vivid documentation of the people, landscapes and natural resources he encountered.

A naturalist, botanist, artist and writer, Bartram was particularly interested in plants with horticultural potential. During his travels, he documented and described numerous plants, including species that were new to science at the time. He also recorded detailed observations of the largely unaltered landscapes and ecosystems of the Southeast, along with his interactions with Native American communities.

Bartram’s experiences were published in 1791 in the work commonly known as Bartram’s Travels. His detailed accounts offer a unique historical record of the Southeast and provide an opportunity to consider how the region’s landscapes and natural communities have changed over time.

The exhibit was developed by Dr. Kathryn Holland Braund, Hollifield Professor Emerita of History at Auburn University, and is currently touring Alabama. It is sponsored by the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University and funded in part by the Leah Rawls Atkins Endowed Fund for Excellence and the Ann Draughon Cousins Endowed Fund for Excellence.

Campus and community to celebrate the Tigers on College Colors Day

In observance of the day, the University of West Alabama is encouraging students, alumni, faculty, staff and members of the Livingston community to wear red and white and show their UWA pride.

UWA will host a photo set in front of the Young Hall Cafeteria from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 4. Everyone wearing UWA red and white is invited to participate. 

Gov. Kay Ivey issued a proclamation Thursday, Aug. 27, recognizing Friday, Sept. 4, as College Colors Day in Alabama. 

is observed annually on the Friday before the official start of college football season, giving fans across the country an opportunity to celebrate their teams by wearing school colors and apparel.

The Tigers will begin football season against Tuskegee in the Red Tails Classic at 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2. .

Fans looking for red-and-white apparel can shop for officially licensed UWA merchandise through the  and other authorized retailers online. While renovations are underway at the Student Union Building, the campus bookstore is temporarily located in the .