Each year Gannon University organizations scramble to nominate their best candidate to run a campaign for Homecoming king or queen. This year 25 organizations are represented with 29 candidates running for the title in Gannon’s Homecoming festivities — which include a parade, a football game and a dance.
Gannon’s Homecoming 2011 theme is “All of the Lights,” which was chosen because of its uniqueness, said Samantha Preston, a senior legal studies major and Activities Programming Board special events co-chair.
“A city theme is an idea that I feel has never been explored before,” Preston said. “We actually got the idea from the Kanye West song ‘All of the Lights.’”
Sam DeCapua, a senior political science major and Tau Kappa Epsilon candidate, said this year’s theme is a lot of fun.
“I love New York City, and that’s the area of America that everyone really looks up to,” DeCapua said. “It’s really the perfect theme because it’s an attraction to anyone.”
Gannon will kick off Homecoming festivities with a pep rally at 9 p.m. Thursday at the Gannon University Athletic Field.
One of the major events of Homecoming is the parade, which will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at Gridley Park. Candidates and select members will represent their organizations with a banner, a float and a choreographed dance.
Each group or pairing of groups will be judged first and foremost on the dance, the float and the banner. A panel of four judges will critique each participating organization’s presentation. The dance will be the most weighted of the three places, Preston said.
“Not each group is capable of organizing a float and dance which is why the parade is judged upon three separate criteria,” Preston said. “That way, every group has an opportunity to place first in at least one category.”
DeCapua said that he is excited to be running for Homecoming king. “It’s a lot of work; however, it’s a lot of fun to have the exposure on campus and be in a fun competition with other groups,” he said.
Gannon’s Homecoming football game will be held at noon at the Gannon University Field against Slippery Rock.
“At the football game, there is always a halftime show that includes a band performance and a final introduction of the
candidates,” Preston said.
The final event of Homecoming 2011 is the dance where the Homecoming queen and king are announced. This year the dance is located at the Zem Zem Shrine Club from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time for $10 online atwww.gannontickets.com or at the door for $15.
“The dance this year should be a pretty good time,” Preston said. “We hired Joshua Walker from LimeLite Productions as the DJ, and there will be lights and fog machines.”
As usual, light refreshments will be served. There will also be a bar for attendees over 21.
For greater accessibility, buses will run from outside the Waldron Campus Center to the Zem Zem Shrine Club. They will begin at 8:30 p.m. and continue on a loop until 1:30 a.m. when the dance is over.
Junior physician assistant major and Honors Program candidate Danielle Betz said she has gone to the Homecoming dance every year she has been at Gannon. “They are always so much fun, so being able to be more involved with Homecoming this year has been great,” said Betz.
Chris DeVos, a junior sport and exercise science major and Student Government Association candidate, said that homecoming is undoubtedly a lot of work. “In terms of Homecoming, it’s a lot of fun being a candidate because, to put it bluntly, you are forced to be involved in everything,” DeVos said. “Between making and posting banners to learning dances on top of managing school work is tough — that being said, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Senior communication arts major and Alpha Sigma Alpha candidate Kimmy Sherman agreed with DeVos. “Even though it’s absolutely crazy and unbelievably busy, in my opinion, Homecoming is still the most wonderful time of the year.”
