Peru, Nebraska - The Peru State College Student Senate announced their selection of Carlos Harrison of Shenandoah, Iowa, as the Grand Marshal of the Homecoming Parade to be held on October 6. Harrison is a 1951 graduate and longtime supporter of Peru State College.
“I’m very, very honored and thrilled to be named the Grand Marshal for Peru State
College Homecoming,” said Harrison.
“Peru State means a great deal to me and I’ve enjoyed volunteering and being a part
of the College throughout the years.”
Homecoming week is set to be a busy week for Harrison, who will be turning 90 and honored on Saturday, Oct. 6, in the Homecoming Parade. As Grand Marshal, he will also be performing the coin toss for the homecoming football game vs. Baker University at 2 p.m.
Harrison started attending Peru State College in 1949 and was involved in chorus, band and was a member of the Music Educators Conference, now known as the National Association for Music Education. Graduating in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science in Education, Harrison went on to obtain a master’s degree in education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He then served in the U.S. Army for two years, before eventually taking a position with Air Products and Chemicals Inc. and moving to California where he spent the next 39 years in the airline industry.
Even while living in California, Harrison maintained his connection to Peru State through multiple organizations, including the Northern California Alumni chapter, where he served twice as president, and the Southern California PSC Alumni chapter, where he served once as president.
In 2000, Harrison retired from United Airlines and returned home to Shenandoah to be near family and friends once more. However, he still travels extensively throughout the United States, taking five to seven trips per year.
Harrison never forgets his Peru State roots. He’s established not just the Walter and Lillian Harrison scholarship in memory of his parents, but also the C. Carlos Harrison alumni fund to create a usable, effective alumni house and assist with alumni activities. Harrison has assisted with calling legislators and constituents to raise awareness of Peru State College and assisted the Foundation work, with other alumni, to keep Peru State in Peru when there was once the possibility of moving to Nebraska City.
Harrison is also a member of the Peru State 1867 Society and the PSC National Alumni Association Board of Directors. He regularly volunteers to help with Freshman Moving Day, alumni activities such as the Chili Feed, Homecoming and student projects like the Phi Alpha Theta Oral History Documentary.
# # #
Alexa Cline contributed to this release.