After severe weather conditions placed a sudden halt to Hardin-Simmons University’s Homecoming last spring, HSU is excited to welcome back family, friends and alumni to celebrate Homecoming 2021.
Being one of the most beloved traditions on HSU campus, Homecoming has been highly awaited by students and staff this year. With events such as the alumni banquet, Friday Night Festival, football game, military veterans breakfast, SING! and HSU family worship night.The forthcoming homecoming week should have something for people of all ages.
Coordinator of Alumni Engagement, Rachel Dempsey, spoke about the differences between last year and this year’s Homecoming plans. “The biggest difference is that we will actually have Homecoming this year’” Dempsey said. “Being back at full capacity, the biggest change is that the Late-Night Breakfast will be held at the Don Bridges Courtyard. We are so excited to utilize this space and to show Alumni the new area on campus.”
Friday Night Festival is one of the newest Homecoming events on HSU campus. “[Friday Night Festival will have] food trucks, inflatables, fireworks, Homecoming court introductions and late-night breakfast with the police department,” Dempsey said. “It’s a great way for students, families, faculty and staff to all get together.”
Although most events held during Homecoming week are placed as favorites for many people, HSU’s SING! performance is a definite occasion to get the crowd excited. Senior health psychology major Tyler Stout is one of this year’s SING! participants. Stout is from Midlothian and said that SING! is the Homecoming event he is most looking forward to this year.
“As far as I know, this is the first year that two men’s clubs will be participating in SING! together,” Stout said. “This year it’s my club, Kappa Phi Omega (KPO) with Zeta Omega Phi (ZOO)... being able to get closer with our new-found friends of ZOO has been absolutely amazing, because we have gotten to the point where we are now inviting each other to many events outside of SING!”
For the big Homecoming football game, the HSU Cowboys are excited to take on the Southwestern University Pirates on Oct. 23. Biology major and current cheerleader Bailey Faulkenbery always looks forward to cheering at Homecoming games. Faulkenbery is a senior from Snyder.
“Cheering at Homecoming is so much fun because the student section is usually more packed. With the extra numbers, it’s a blast to get them more involved in the game and engage with us during cheers,” Faulkenbery said. “The best part about Homecoming is seeing everyone come together to support the Cowboys while participating in many traditions on campus. While in SING! this year myself, I will be looking forward to coming back for Homecoming next year to cheer on Delta from the audience.”
There is never a dull moment on HSU campus during Homecoming week. Friends, family, students, staff and alumni all have a chance to engage in the utmost uplifting and exciting events possible. Although never promised, HSU is praying for better weather and an even better outcome for the upcoming Homecoming week of 2021.