The Homecoming theme was announced Sept. 28 and students are already planning the week.
Homecoming week will be Oct. 26 to Nov. 4. This year’s theme is “Then, Now and Forever” in regard to the university’s history and future.
Organizations follow the theme given by the committee in all of their planning and preparation for the events, including banner, window painting, lip sync, and spirit structure. The festivities will last 10 days this year. Last year, Homecoming was two weeks long, and it has been as short as a week in the past.
Hudson Moore, mass communications senior, is Homecoming chairman, and he said he is excited to get alumni involved this year.
“The purpose of Homecoming is to have alumni come back to their home, so this theme really meant that for us,” Moore said.
The Homecoming committee decided on the theme. Moore said he’s excited to see how the organizations interpret it and also for how the spirit structures will look.
“I just think it’s so fun,” Moore said. “It’s like unwrapping a big gift for the campus.”
The Homecoming committee consists of three people, including Moore. Louisa Holland, dance pedagogy junior, is the internal communications director, and Josh Lewis, vocal production/music education junior, is in charge of external vendors.
“We’ve got a good committee,” Moore said. “We’re super small, but mighty.”
Monica Hiller, elementary education senior, is vice president for Student Activities Council, and she oversees Homecoming organization and events.
“I love Homecoming,” Hiller said. “To get to be on the macro level of it this year and see how it’s put together, I’m really excited about it.”
She said she also enjoys structure and seeing how the campus comes together.
“Everybody is exhausted and absolutely insane, and I’m so extroverted that, to be around that, it really feeds my soul,” Hiller said.
Structures will be up for the entire week, differing from what’s happened in years past. The structures will go up after kickoff is over, a week before Lip Sync. In the past, structures have gone up the Thursday before Lip Sync.
Hiller said this decision was made so the structures can stay out longer for students and faculty to see.
“A lot of people that aren’t in organizations that participate don’t really get to see the structures,” she said.
Hiller said she hopes all students can attend Homecoming events and cheer on organizations.
“Whether you’re participating in an organization or not, this is a fantastic opportunity for us to come together as a campus, and it’s one of the biggest traditions we have,” she said.
Kallie Olson, English junior, said she likes the theme, but finds it too similar to past themes.
“It would be nice to have a fresh theme, but it’s still a good way to bring in history and where we’re going,” she said.
Olson said, if she could change anything about Homecoming, it would be making students attend only one game instead of letting them choose which sporting events to attend throughout the week.
“That’s the whole point of Homecoming is to go together and get that sense of camaraderie,” Olson said.
She said she also looks forward to helping out with structures, but she doesn’t enjoy the competitive aspect of Homecoming between Greek organizations.
“I think it should be more about school spirit and not Greek life,” Olson said. “I like that Greek life is involved, but I think it should be more about the games.”
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