K-State cheerleaders perform at the 1974 Homecoming game. (Photo courtesy of the K-State Alumni Association)
With Homecoming week in less than a month, students and faculty are preparing for the packed week of events and celebration of the university. The Student Homecoming Committee, composed of 25 Kansas State students, led by Tamie Redding, associate director of student programs, prepared for the historic week for months leading up to the event.
“Each spring we get together and have three goals that the committee has: Selecting the grand marshals, the philanthropy and the theme has to be decided before school is out in the spring,” Redding said. “What we try to usually do is knock out the grand marshals and philanthropy first so it can give us a little bit of purpose with our theme.”
The theme is selected unanimously by the Student Homecoming Committee after weeks of deliberation, narrowing the selection while cross-referencing with a list of previous themes. The committee discussed themes with students involved in different organizations across campus.
“When you think about a theme, you need to think about everybody,” Redding said.
This year’s theme, K-State of Mind, can be interpreted in several ways, Redding said.
“So with K-State of Mind, what does that mean? That means you could go to the ‘Ville, that means you could be studying all night in Hale Library, that means the alumni come into town, there’s just so many ways you can look at it,” Redding said. “You can take it [the theme] from the education perspective, or you can take it from the tailgating perspective, or the student section, or the game itself. It’s the state of mind of whatever you want it to be.”
According to the K-State Alumni Association website, the Student Homecoming Committee is in charge of helping “plan and execute Homecoming events, [working] alongside passionate K-Staters who want to carry on K-State’s greatest traditions, [voting] on the Homecoming theme and [promoting] Homecoming on campus.”
This year, Homecoming will start on Oct. 5 and end with the announcement of K-State ambassadors at the home football game on Oct. 11, with events every day in-between. Highlights include the University Homecoming Philanthropy 5K, Children’s Carnival and the Homecoming Parade..
Student organizations can participate and compete against other organizations to raise awareness and receive up to $300 for their organization. To participate in the events, groups must register by midnight on Sept. 22. For registration and more information, visit k-state.com/Homecoming.