STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Singing and dancing. Waddle Olympics and challenge courses. Late nights and early mornings. And yes, embellished overalls and enduring friendships. Tarleton State University loves Duck Camp. So do students and, alumni, too. 

The latter group love it so much that a first-ever Alumni Duck Camp was announced last weekend at an alumni Homecoming event. The overnight retreat, planned for June 2024, is an opportunity for Tarleton State graduates to reconnect and relive (or experience initially) the thrill of becoming a dyed-in-purple Texan.

“Duck Camp is school spirit, Tarleton style,” said university President James Hurley. “Our students want to be here, and our alumni can’t wait to return any chance they get. We’re family, and it shows.”

The percentage of freshmen and transfer students who attend the summer orientation — a big 70 percent — is among the highest in the nation, and proof that Texan pride is at an all-time high. 

Four camps were not enough this summer to accommodate all of the students who wanted to attend, so a fifth was added. Started in 1995, the three-day experience immerses participants in the university’s history and traditions and connects them with peers, student leaders (Tarleton Transition Mentors or TTMs), faculty and staff, easing the transition into college life. 

Festive painted overalls bedecked with all things Tarleton State, including Oscar P, the legendary pet duck of the university’s founder, are proper attire for camp officials.

Cost to attend the June 4-5 Alumni Duck Camp will include meals and lodging, time with President James and First Lady Kindall Hurley, and an exclusive, first viewing of a commemorative video documenting the camp’s storied history. Proceeds will help fund Duck Camp scholarships for new students. 

Watch for registration details soon. 

A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of approximately 18,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.