Homecoming
tradition still going strong
Lindsey Benne, posted Oct. 17, 2006
With
a tradition 95 years old and still going strong, MU has began
celebrating Mizzou Homecoming 2006. The theme this year is
“Pride on the Prowl.” An American tradition, homecoming
was started by Chester L. Brewer, MU’s Director of Athletics,
in 1911 according to Mizzou’s homecoming website. The
purpose was to invite alumni to come home. With the largest
peacetime blood drive on a college campus in the world, MU
has become a model for other homecomings and is considered
the birthplace of homecoming.
Numerous events will keep students busy throughout Homecoming
2006. Talent competition preliminaries will be held Oct. 16
and 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. in Jesse Auditorium. The finals will
be at the same time and place on Oct. 19. “The talent
competition involves three nights of skits,” said Liz
Lidgett, Homecoming Steering Committee Tri-director. “There
are 10 minute skits put on by organizations and there are
five in-between acts each night that perform between each
skit.”
Downtown Columbia will be decked out from 9 to 4:30 p.m. on
Oct. 18 for “Decorate the District.” Campus decorations
will be from 6 to10 p.m. on Oct. 20 in Greek Town, according
to the official schedule.
Those who would like to volunteer in building a house for
Habitat for Humanity may sign up to work shifts until Oct.
20. The construction site is located on the lawn of the Newman
Center with shifts running from 4 to 6 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.
Email habitat4humanity.mu@gmail.com if interested in volunteering.
Students are invited to attend the new student center ground
breaking on the east side of Brady Commons, Oct. 20 beginning
at 3:30 p.m. The official ground breaking will mark the start
of expansion and renovation of the current Brady Student Commons.
As announced by the Missouri Unions Student and Auxiliary
Services, the construction will provide improved services
and spaces to the students and others at MU. Following the
ground breaking will be refreshments in Kuhlman Court.
The Spirit Rally will be held in the intersection of Burnam
and Richmond Streets on Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. “The spirit
rally will consist of Mini Mizzou, the Golden Girls, the cheerleaders
and Truman the Tiger,” said Matthew Clifford, Homecoming
Steering Committee Spirit Co-Chair. “There will be guest
speakers, and the Grand Marshall, Dave Novak will also be
there. It will definitely be a good time.”
All of these events and activities will lead up to the final
day of Homecoming 2006 on Oct. 21. The Grand Marshall breakfast
will be held at 7 a.m. with parade following at 8:30 a.m.
The parade will travel from campus to downtown Columbia and
then back to campus. Kick off of the football game against
Kansas State will be at 1 p.m. Half time of the game will
include the presentation of the top 10 royalty and the 2006
Grand Marshall. After all of the King and Queen Candidates
are announced, the 2006 Homecoming King and Queen will then
be crowned.
Homecoming King Candidates include: John Andersen, a member
of Pi Kappa Phi majoring in International Business; Jimmy
Bereolos, a member of Alpha Kappa Psi majoring in Finance;
Matt Mitchell, a member of University YMCA majoring in Journalism;
Bryan Quick, member of MU Alumni Association Student board
majoring in Mechanical Engineering; and Michael Taylor, member
of Legion of Black Collegians majoring in English.
Homecoming Queen Candidates include: Anna Comstock, member
of Delta Delta Delta majoring in broadcast journalism; Megan
Fox, member of Kappa Delta majoring in agribusiness management;
Courtney Green, member of Chi Omega majoring in Biology; Megan
Henderson, member of Kappa Delta majoring in strategic communications;
and Maggie Meyer, member of Kappa Alpha Theta majoring in
magazine journalism.
“I am very honored to represent the students at Mizzou,
especially Kappa Delta sorority members and CAFNR students,”
said Fox. “I was very surprised to be selected in the
top 30, let alone in the top 10. I will do my best to represent
this University in the best light possible. I will always
be a tiger and wear my black and gold with pride!” King
and Queen Candidates participate in the blood drive, service
events, talent competition, spirit rally, parade, receptions
and the game.
The MU Alumni Association and the MU Homecoming Steering Committee
named David Novak the 2006 Grand Marshall of Homecoming 2006.
Novak is the chairman and CEO of YUM! Brands, Inc. and a 1974
graduate of the MU School of Journalism. Novak was also a
member of Delta Upsilon Fraternity and is now residing in
Anchorage, Ky. with his wife Wendy of 31 years. In addition
to being Chairman and CEO of YUM! Brands, Inc., Novak devotes
his time to Dare to Care Food Bank hunger-relief.
More information about Homecoming 2006 can be found on the
official Homecoming
Web site.
