ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Hundreds of McMurry University alumni are back roaming the halls of campus this weekend as the university celebrates its centennial year homecoming.

The spirit of McMurry University is known as the Warhawks today, but alumnus Cress Merrell remembers it a different way.

“When McMurry was the Indians, you know, the Tipi Village, and of course, most people in Abilene eventually went through Tipi Village.. and when I was junior, we won Tipi Village,” Merrel recalled. “I was a freshman in the fall of 1969, and that was the highest enrollment they had then, so now it’s very exciting that the enrollment increased again.”

Merrel is one of more than 1,000 alumni visiting the campus.

“We have over 1,000 alumni who will be coming back to campus, which represents about 10% of our entire alumni base. They represent seven of the ten decades of McMurry University’s history,” Vice President of Institutional Advancement Micheal Hutchinson said.

In addition to changes in student enrollment, the campus has experienced tremendous growth.

“Very small class, obviously. If you think about the campus at Sayles and 14th, there was nothing out there. It was basically farmland,” Hutchinson said. “We celebrate the fact that we have sustained that, and we have strong momentum moving forward to the next century.”

Merrell offered some words of advice to current and future Warhawks.

“Don’t be afraid, don’t be shy, and don’t be timid. Don’t give up,” Merell expressed.

He added that no matter if you were an Indian or a Warhawk, McMurry will always be home.