By Joslyn DelSignore The Jambar
A pep rally, parade and football game brought the Youngstown community together to celebrate Homecoming at Youngstown State University.
The theme for this year’s Homecoming was “YSU Rocks.” Allison Bye, associate director of Kilcawley student union programming, said the theme was decided because of multiple milestones on campus.
The rock, located outside Cushwa Hall on campus, celebrated its 60th anniversary, and the Clarence R. Smith Mineral Museum celebrated its 25th anniversary.
“It just felt like a proper time to celebrate why YSU rocks,” Bye said.
Bye said Student Activities strives to plan homecoming events that all YSU students can enjoy.
“We have a very diverse mix of students at YSU. Something that we’re really cognisant of is making sure that we offer stuff during the day, but also at an evening time where people can get involved no matter what their work or their class schedule is,” Bye said.
The festivities started Oct. 14 with a pep rally outside of Moser Hall and Cushwa Hall. The event brought together students as they cheered on student athletes and watched a performance by the YSU Marching Pride.
Red and White Day took place at the Andrews Student Recreation and Wellness Center on Oct. 16.
Some of the activities were intended to take place outside of the Rec Center, but due to rain the activities were moved inside. The event featured games, food and various activities such as Build-a-Penguin.
Bye said the festivities were not only offered on YSU’s campus, but in the Youngstown community.
“We’ve really been trying to promote more of this being a campus and a community event. Youngstown’s homecoming is YSU’s Homecoming,” Bye said.
Student Activities partnered with the City of Youngstown and Economic Action Group to present Wear Red, Get Fed. on Oct. 16-17. Bye said participating downtown businesses offered discounts to anyone wearing red or YSU gear.
“It’s a really great way for us to bridge partnership between the campus and the community and get people excited about Homecoming,” Bye said.
The events wrapped up Oct. 17 with the Homecoming parade and football game.
The parade started at 3:30 p.m., with floats from various student organizations and the Homecoming court. The parade started on West Federal Street and traveled up Fifth Avenue past Stambaugh Stadium.
The ten members of the Homecoming court were recognized at halftime during the football game.
Bobby Harris, senior mechanical engineering major, and Julia Fullerman, senior exercise science major, were crowned as this year’s homecoming king and queen.
Harris and Fullerman were representing the Ohio Collegiate Music Education Association and YSU Marching Pride.
“It really was such an honor. It honestly is so amazing that we got to be a part of this. We have such a great community that supports us,” Fullerman said. “I was walking around campus today, and I was still in shock.”
Fullerman and Harris performed in the YSU Marching Pride’s halftime performance before being announced with the homecoming court.
Harris said he felt immense support from the YSU community, especially the Marching Pride.
“To know that we had such a big community who was supporting us, even everyone who was just there to vote and enjoy the homecoming festivities, it was just such a magical moment,” Harris said.
