Sorority and fraternity homecoming chairs organize homecoming week through dedication and hard work, culminating in K-State’s homecoming parade. Greek life’s impact on the community reflects long-lasting tradition and dedication to alumni, students and the city of Manhattan.
Homecoming week is when Greek life strives to build community and growth within Manhattan. Chapters build large, appealing floats showcased at the parade, showing off their persistent work.
The parade requires a long-term commitment from all chapters to turn an idea on paper into a finished parade float. Floats require creative planning and scheduled pomping, where chapter members bundle and push tissue paper into chicken wire to create detailed features.
Eli Monrian, sophomore in civil engineering, is homecoming chair of Phi Gamma Delta. His chapter partnered with Delta Sigma Phi and Delta Delta Delta, and Monrian said they have been strategically planning out their float as a team since the beginning of September.
Monrian said it was a collaborative effort, with D-Sig mapping out the float, Tri-Delt sketching out the vision and Phi Gamma Delta pomping.
“It is a crazy team effort,” said Monrian. “I don’t think this would have been done even if you take away one house … it’s taken all three houses.”
This year’s homecoming theme is ‘Chapters of K-State,’ celebrating Historic Farrell Library’s 100th anniversary. Every year, the K-State Homecoming Committee chooses a unique theme based on previous years and core values of the university, which dictates how chapters theme their week.
Monrian said they based their float design on K-State’s theme, building a three-dimensional book and adding symbolic representations of champions that describe their chapter’s theme. They planned every detail to ensure their team effort succeeds.
“To show off our skills and dedication to this university with these big floats shows our participation to an outside audience,” Monrian said. “It is even more important this year because it is KU Week, so it looks like we’ll have a big crowd.”
Karadan Kinsey, K-State alumna and assistant director of student programs, said many are expected to show up and work together during the weeks of preparation for homecoming week.
“It builds a connection point … a lot of people who don’t know each other coming together for a great purpose and partnering together for K-State Homecoming,” Kinsey said.
The homecoming parade is a great way for Greek life to come together and share their hard work with the community, Kinsey said.
“It is a bonding experience for all the chapters to participate in creating the float and to be able to walk next to the float too,” Kinsey said.
Adriana Kiefer, senior in elementary education, is homecoming chair of Gamma Phi Beta. Partnering with Sigma Phi Epsilon and Sigma Tau Gamma, Kiefer said planning and staying on the same page is important to a float’s creation.
“Everyone having to pull their weight and making sure things get done on time is very timely,” Kiefer said. “If people don’t do their part, then it doesn’t work out.”
Kiefer said homecoming is all about chapters, alumni and showing K-State spirit throughout the week, while designing floats and showcasing them in the parade builds the K-State and Greek life community.
