Preparations are underway for the U’s weeklong homecoming celebration. It’s an entire week of school spirit — house decorating, alumni reunions, fund raisers and more.
Activities begin Monday with a house decorating contest. Greek Row and other sites around campus compete to win bragging rights for having the best decorations and the most school spirit.
Lori McDonald, associate dean of students and adviser to Greek Row, said the houses on Greek Row are a “gateway to the University” and seeing the decorations reminds students that it’s homecoming week.
The fraternities and sororities are “proud of their houses, and it’s a great way for them to draw attention to that,” McDonald said.
Winners of the house decorating competition will be announced during Songfest, which will be held Thursday in the Union Ballroom. At Songfest, student groups from around campus compete in live song and dance routines.
Although some homecoming activities are geared toward students, some are exclusively for U alumni. At an emeritus reunion to be held on Wednesday, alumni who graduated from the U 40 or more years ago will be shown changes made to the U campus over the last four decades. Following a tour of the new Warnock Engineering Building, dinner will be provided as alumni are addressed by the U’s new basketball head coach Jim Boylen.
One of the more recent additions to homecoming week is the 18-hole homecoming scholarship scramble golf tournament. Open to 120 golfers, the golf tournament benefits the student scholarship fund. The tournament will be held at Bonneville Golf Course and the entry fee is $100 per person.
All of the activities will culminate on Saturday with the homecoming football game and the homecoming dance.
The U will play longtime rivals Utah State University this year, marking the sixth time the two teams have played each other for homecoming. The U’s homecoming record against the Aggies is an impeccable 5-0.
Although the U’s football team hasn’t had any trouble ousting the Aggies in the past years, the U has lost a blood drive competition to Utah State, despite having nearly twice as many students. Beginning next week, students and faculty will be able to donate blood at different locations around campus including the hospital and ARUP’s clinic in Research Park. Eligible participants must weigh at least 110 lbs, be at least 18 years old and be in generally good health.
For a detailed list of all the events being held during homecoming week, visit the U’s alumni association website, www.alumni.utah.edu/homecoming.