Homecoming generally occurs in the Fall semester, but due to COVID-19, it did not happen. Instead, homecoming will begin the week of April 2.
“It’s a campus tradition, it would be sad to skip it. Part of homecoming is the victory dinner where we’re bringing back distinguished alumni, and so we wanted to give them that experience of getting inducted into our [Maverick Hall of Fame],” Director of Student Life Shanae Mundee said.
As the homecoming week approaches, many clubs are planning to put on events and hold booths at the carnival. The firework baseball game, bonfires, carnival and the parade are the main events in a week of fun for CMU students.
There will be plenty of activities run by clubs, organizations and dorms. Each day will have a different event, although the schedule is to be determined.
“The big change is obviously, we don’t have a football game. So it’s kind of a unique opportunity to highlight baseball, because baseball that weekend in a fireworks game on Friday, so it’s a little different, but it’ll also look a lot the same,” Mundee said.
“In terms of what we’re trying to encompass in homecoming, it didn’t happen in the Fall, so we made it happen in the Spring. We’re centering it around baseball; they are going to try to have firework games”, Director of External for Associated Government (ASG) George Van Dorpe said. “We’re going to do bonfires, have a parent’s weekend, and the ASG carnival is partnering with Pinion Palooza.”
Among activities happening during Homecoming include the downtown parade, victory dinner attended by alumni, and bonfire, all of which happen April 10. The homecoming parade will include floats from different student organizations, clubs and departments at CMU.
“Homecoming is very special to CMU, it’s an opportunity to really hold tradition that’s been rooted with CMU, going back to junior college, when it was Mesa State. And it’s a good chance for alumni community members and students who really get engaged and involved,” ASG President Angel Bautista said.
Van Dorpe assured that every event would be COVID friendly, with proper social distancing and the disinfection of all booths and games on a regular basis. Food and drinks will be served by only one person at a time who will be wearing gloves and keeping all items sanitary.
“There is always the possibility of our events being restricted by COVID. We’re going to try not to cancel, we make it a smaller scale event and we may have to tell some of our food trucks or some of our carnival games that unfortunately we have to cut them to make it a smaller event. We always try to disperse it throughout homecoming week, but in terms of ASG and Student Life, we want it to happen because we know a lot of students look forward to that event,” Van Dorpe said.
Anyone visiting campus that’s not from the area will have to meet COVID testing requirements by either getting tested or proving they’ve been vaccinated.
“I think campus needs some spirit, you know, homecoming is always a fun week,” Mundee said
