The IU Southeast Student Alumni Association lit up the night with a bonfire in honor of Homecoming weekend.

Behind University Center North, students huddled up with blankets, warm apple cider and bagged s’mores to kick off the weekend’s festivities.

The food was a really big hit with the crowd.

“I have really enjoyed this year’s bonfire!” said Haley Love, a senior nursing major. “The food has been so good.”

Though the weather was below freezing, attendees were still able to have a good time.

“The fire is warm but bringing blankets was a great idea!” said Larissa Neville, a senior. “I didn’t think it would be so cold.”

Crase brought her sorority sisters from Alpha Phi to help the Student Alumni Association set up the tables of food and warm drinks.

“This is our second year doing the bonfire,” said Student Alumni Association Emily Crase. “We got the idea from IU Bloomington. They have this big bonfire every year for homecoming, so we wanted to do something similar.”

The bonfire followed the annual IU Southeast Distinguished Alumni Awards reception, where the university honors an alumni student who has made a significant difference in the community.

The award was presented to Judge Carlton Sanders, who passed earlier this year. His wife, Sue Sanders, accepted the award.

The two donate a lot of time and money into IU Southeast, including the Judge Carlton and Sue Sanders Professional Sales Center, The Sanders Financial Markets Lab, the Judge Carlton and Sue Sanders International Study Scholarship, and the Judge Carlton and Sue Sanders Laboratory for Nursing Education.

They stand to be greatly honored as IU Southeast’s proud alumni.