08/28/2026
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Howard Payne University to host Homecoming celebration Oct. 2-3
Registration now open
BROWNWOOD – August 28, 2026 – Howard Payne University friends, alumni, prospective students and current students are invited to campus for Homecoming weekend on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 2-3.
Presented by Citizens National Bank, the celebration will also include Yellow Jacket Preview and Family Weekend.
“Homecoming is an incredible opportunity for Yellow Jackets from throughout Texas and across the country to come back to Brownwood and enjoy time on the HPU campus,” said Lindsay Badgeley ’09, director of alumni relations. “It’s a chance to reconnect with friends, celebrate HPU traditions and see all the amazing updates around the campus.”
Registration for Homecoming events is available online at www.hputx.edu/homecoming. Some events require payment, while many are free of charge.
Prospective students interested in attending Yellow Jacket Preview can register through the Homecoming website. All Yellow Jacket Preview events are free of charge.
The Stinger Pass will return this year, offering an economical way for guests to enjoy several of Saturday’s activities. For $20 per person, the pass includes breakfast, lunch at the HPU Family Picnic and admission to the Yellow Jacket football game on Saturday, Oct. 3 (a $35 value).
This year’s events include:
Alumni Banquet
Production of “The Lightning Thief, The Percy Jackson Musical” presented by the HPU School of Education and Fine Arts
Cobbler on the Campus
Pep Rally
Homecoming Parade
HPU Family Picnic
HPU Yellow Jacket football game against Nelson University
The weekend also will feature reunions for alumni from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s; the classes of 1976, 1986 and 2006; and the Young Alumni Reunion for graduates from 2016-2026.
Families also can register children and grandchildren for the Junior Jackets Club. Open to children from newborns through 18 years old, the club provides free admission to the HPU Family Picnic on Saturday, along with an HPU shirt, nametag, access to exclusive events throughout the year and a birthday card.
“There will be many events offered for during year’s Homecoming, and we hope our alumni, families and friends will come back to Brownwood to celebrate with us,” Badgeley said. “There are so many ways to reconnect with Howard Payne – from class reunions and the parade to the picnic and cheering on the Yellow Jackets. We can’t wait to welcome everyone home.”
For more information about the weekend, including lodging information, and to register for HPU Homecoming 2026, visit www.hputx.edu/homecoming.
ABOUT HOWARD PAYNE UNIVERSITY
Howard Payne University, founded in 1889, is a Christ-centered liberal arts university in Brownwood, Texas, dedicated to preparing students for lives of faith, leadership and service. With more than 100 majors, minors and pre-professional programs across six schools, serving three locations, HPU combines academic excellence with meaningful personal connection in a close-knit campus community.
Guided by its five core values — centered on Christ, focused on community, called to service, committed to excellence and dedicated to stewardship — Howard Payne prepares students through rigorous academic programs, vibrant student life, competitive athletics and service opportunities that equip graduates to make an impact in their communities and professions.
Cutline: Registration is now open for HPU’s Homecoming celebration, scheduled for Oct. 2-3.
Howard Payne University is a Christ-centered, close-knit academic community located in the heart of Texas since 1889.
