Claws and the Tiger Marching Band will be front and center during Homecoming. (Photo courtesy of CU Office of Marketing and Communications)
On Saturday, Oct. 4, Campbellsville University is hosting its annual Homecoming celebration with a stacked lineup full of fun, reconnection and memories ready to be made. From parades, to football, to the induction of this year’s king and queen, festivities on campus will begin on Monday, Sept. 29, leading up to Saturday’s football game against University of the Cumberlands. Students, alumni, faculty, and the community are all encouraged to attend.
Kylee Miller, director of student activities and intramural sports, and her staff are helping promote the big day with at least one event on campus each day of Homecoming week.
“Homecoming week gets a lot like Welcome Week where there’s just nonstop stuff for students to do,” Miller said. “My job is to serve students. So, when I see students reciprocating and being involved and enjoying what we’ve planned and embracing the different traditions we have, it’s just a good feeling, like a hug.”
Along with student activities, the Student Government Association (SGA) is also contributing to Homecoming. SGA President Gabe Maurer, a senior from Owens, Kentucky, is a third-year member of the organization and will have a hand in organizing the events. Maurer says making sure that students get to live in a good culture is a big part of SGA, and it’s what motivates him personally.
“Just seeing your classmates, I think that’s one of the best parts about Homecoming for a smaller school like us,” Maurer said. “Having a Homecoming at the University of Louisville or Kentucky, you probably have no idea who those people are.”
SGA also aims to respond to student feedback and continue to add on to what is already an exciting time of the year. For the first time ever, there will be a queen and king coronation during the halftime show.
“People have asked about a king before, whether it be at this Homecoming or Basketball Homecoming,” said Maurer. “So, this is us responding to students that want a king.”
Another change to this year’s celebration is the location of the parade. Due to safety issues and the business on Broadway Road, this year the Homecoming parade will be located on North Hoskins Avenue and will begin at 11 a.m.
While there’s so much going on at Homecoming, you can also expect to be surrounded by food. The Human Performance (HP) Department is hosting a Homecoming cookout at the Hawkins Athletic Complex at 11:30 a.m. Lauren Willis, who has been the chair of the HP Department for the last three years, is organizing a tailgate to welcome alumni, students and staff, past and present. Willis says this event is a great opportunity for current students to engage with alumni who share similar fields of education and build connections.
“I hope that they feel cared for. I hope they feel seen, loved. I hope that they feel like they have experienced the love of Jesus when they encounter us,” Willis said. “And I want that same thing for our alumni even after they leave and feel like they have a place here.”
Most of the staff in the department are former athletes and have an athletic mind of teamwork and cooperation. While their mission is to cultivate academic excellence, they aim higher to provide servant leadership, community engagement and belonging. This cookout is a unique way of showcasing their impact on campus, Willis said.
“You can be as involved as you want to be on campus,” said Willis. “You’re not going to find another department more opening, welcoming or inclusive, but you have to make the decision to be involved.”
Overseeing all the Homecoming events throughout the week is Director of Alumni Relations Ashley Fox. Fox not only directs Homecoming, but she also plans class reunions and alumni events on campus.
Fox says her favorite part about Homecoming is organizing class reunions from many years ago.
“A lot of them haven’t been on campus for a long time,” she said. “When they get here, it looks so different than what they knew when they were students. So just hearing them tell their stories and seeing their faces when they get to campus, I think that’s my favorite part.”
One of Fox’s big goals with these events is to get alumni back onto campus and to keep them connected with the community.
“We want people to come and be here, but we also want them to honor and celebrate the traditions that are Campbellsville University,” said Fox. “It’s a great weekend to showcase who we are as a university and to really celebrate our heritage.”