Next week, from Nov. 2-7, Union University will host its annual homecoming festivities; though the week differs from past years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the Union community can still enjoy a fun-filled week of games, events and fellowship.
Throughout the week, campus organizations will compete for points by participating in a variety of events. At the end of the week, the organization with the most points wins homecoming and receives the President’s Cup.
Homecoming 2020 kicks off Monday Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. with a night of live music, fall treats and community at the PAC fountain. Organizations can choose to create a banner to hang in the SUB hallway, and the top two will be displayed at Saturday’s softball game. The banners will be revealed at the Monday night kickoff hosted by freshman council.
On Tuesday Nov. 3, students will participate in the annual Campus and Community Day by serving Jackson organizations in remembrance of the 2008 tornado. Additionally, the senior class hosts the Bulldog Olympics on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m., during which organizations will compete in a variety of games (relay races, Minute-to-Win-It, etc.) for points.
Wednesday Nov. 4 is a photo scavenger hunt with a wide range of point opportunities hosted by the sophomore council is the Buster Blitz. The contest will take place between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Throughout the week, the junior class council will host a Change War competition. To participate, students can contribute cash to a bucket displaying their preferred organization’s name. Change adds points, but bills remove them—this allows students to penalize organizations they don’t want to win while still contributing money. This will conclude Thursday, Nov. 5. At the end of the week, all contributions will go toward programming for quarantined students.
On the evening of Friday Nov. 6 at 7 p.m., the Student Activities Council hosts its yearly Homecoming Hullabaloo. The event will take place on Union’s Great Lawn this year, complete with food trucks and live music. Mr. and Ms. Union will also be crowned on Friday evening on the Great Lawn at 8:30 p.m., which will be chosen from the top senior class nominees.
Saturday’s Dub Derby, a co-ed softball game between faculty and students, will conclude homecoming week. Two teams (Cardinal v. Cream) will face off at Fesmire Field Saturday at 1 p.m., and the newly crowned Mr. and Ms. Union will throw out the first pitch. Throughout the game, viewers can also participate in prize giveaways and enjoy an assortment of snacks.
Though an exciting week is ahead, the homecoming coordinators faced some unusual challenges in planning this year’s activities.
“It’s definitely been a test of everyone’s adaptability, and we’ve had to roll with the punches regarding what we’re able to do,” said assistant director for student leadership and engagement Sallie Forrester. “It’s been challenging, but also a really unique experience. Sometimes it’s easy to be disappointed when there’s a lot of change, but our team has really stepped up and planned a safe but fun group of events.”
Without typical sporting events, the homecoming coordinators opted for a more community-based approach.
“This year we chose the theme ‘Coming Back to Our Roots,’” said junior psychology major and homecoming director Ivy-Marie Adkisson. “Amid all the chaos right now, we want to take time to reflect on what’s truly important—community and how we ground ourselves in that.”
Forrester expressed similar sentiments.
“A lot has been taken away from us this year, but our identity as believers and as a Union community has not been taken away,” she said. “This week allows us to reflect on what Union means to us and to celebrate each other.”
Adkisson and Forrester, along with assistant directors Takiya Britton and Sydney Miller, are working hard to make homecoming enjoyable and safe this year, despite the unusual circumstances. Moving forward, they hope that the Union community will appreciate this time to reflect on their experiences here.
“I hope we remember that there are still good things to celebrate,” Adkisson said. “Even with everything that’s happened, we’ve still had such a good semester, and COVID hasn’t taken that from us. I hope homecoming will be a positive jolt for the next few weeks and that we can move forward with an optimistic outlook.”
For more information on this week’s events, visit the Office of Student Leadership and Engagement Instagram page @uusle.
