The OCU Homecoming Committee decided to make many of this year’s Homecoming events virtual.
Homecoming, a series of events fostering community through competition between various student and Greek Life organizations, usually occurs through a series of in-person events. At the end of the week, winning organizations are selected for the Homecoming court. Mandates from the school to limit the spread of COVID-19 now prevent event gatherings of more than 10 people.
An email to the campus community from the Homecoming Committee on Oct. 6 stated the theme for this year’s Homecoming will be “Press Play.”
Levi Harrel, dean of students, said the university and the Homecoming Committee are working toward a virtual solution the best they can while keeping the week entertaining and enjoyable.
“The Office of Student Engagement, in collaboration with the Homecoming Committee, is planning a virtual week of events in hopes of engaging our campus community and keeping alive that Homecoming spirit, but to do that in a fun and safe way,” Harrel said.
Allison Hudson, assistant director of student engagement, said she has been working with the students on the Homecoming Committee to make sure this year’s events are as productive and fun as possible.
“Even though Homecoming is now virtual, I think you’ll find that there are still ways for students to engage, connect and feel a part of something, even though we have shifted to a virtual platform,” Hudson said. “There’s still plenty of connections student-to-student and student-to-alumni, as well as seeing some of your old favorites reinvented maybe, incorporating both old and hopefully new traditions into the week.”
Trae Trousdale, mass communications/political science senior and executive director of Homecoming, said he hopes people still choose to engage with the events planned for the week, even in the virtual format.
“Our initial team was selected mid-March this past year, and so we had great plans for Homecoming that were made right at the onset of the pandemic, so we believed that surely it would be over by the time Homecoming rolled around, where we could still do everything how we have in the past,” Trousdale said.
Trousdale said Homecoming week, which is scheduled for Oct. 26-30, will still start with a virtual kickoff celebration on Oct. 26.
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