Truman State University will host an in-person homecoming this year, with various events throughout the week.
Homecoming will take place Oct.18-23. Each year, Truman’s homecoming week has a specific theme. This year’s theme is “All Roads Lead Home.”
“All Roads Lead Home … to me, is the history of Truman,” said JaLisa Wines, homecoming committee public relations director. “Bringing back old traditions.”
The theme is also aimed at encompassing alumni as well, homecoming coordinator Jesse Wren said. The idea behind this is that while many members of the Truman community begin in different places, they all end up in Kirksville, Wren said.
Wines said some of the spirit day themes are based on the homecoming theme as well. Some of the spirit day themes will be a 90s-inspired day and a pajama day. On these days members of the Truman community will be encouraged to dress up along with each day’s theme, Wines said.
The main events of homecoming will be on Saturday. These events include the parade through town, beginning at 9 a.m. on Franklin Street. The parade is sponsored by the Blue Key chapter at Truman. Wren said the parade is going to have organizations involved ranging from local car dealerships to local churches to academic organizations at Truman. According to Wren, past homecoming parades have seen anywhere between 50 to 100 participating organizations. This is followed by the tailgate at 11 a.m. The homecoming football game against William Jewell College will begin at 2 p.m.
The homecoming committee will be tabling each day on the mall. During the tabling they will be giving away free items and selling homecoming apparel. This is also where donations will be collected through penny buckets.
The events this year will also include the kickoff event and pep rally Tuesday evening, an all day scavenger hunt Wednesday and the lip sync event on both Wednesday and Thursday nights in Baldwin Auditorium at 7 p.m. There will also be a trivia event Thursday at 4 p.m.
Oktoberfest, sponsored by SAB, the Homecoming Committee and ResLife will be on the Quad, Friday at 4 p.m. The annual event features Fitz’s root beer and souvenir steins. This year The Greeting Committee will perform at 5:30.
Wren said this year’s homecoming philanthropy target is Forest Lake Area Trail System, otherwise known as FLATS. This organization works towards creating trails in the local area, specifically Thousand Hills State Park. Wren said that a goal is to connect Thousand Hills State Park and the Kirksville community asphalt and walking trails, to make it more accessible to the community.
Wren said the homecoming committee was mindful of COVID-19 concerns while creating events. While there are group in-person events, there are opportunities for participation as an individual too. The scavenger hunt and door decorating contest can be done individually or within your pod. The events happening indoors, such as lip sync, have been divided into two events so the University’s COVID-19 guidelines can be observed within the Baldwin Auditorium.