VCU news

By James Irwin

Homecoming at Virginia Commonwealth University is Melissa Stamp’s favorite event of the year.

“I’m excited,” said Stamp, a junior strategic advertising major in the Richard T. Robertson School of Media & Culture. “Seeing it come together is always my favorite part.”

Stamp, vice president of outreach for VCU’s Activities Programming Board, is one of many people responsible for planning and hosting Homecoming at VCU, which will take place Nov. 6-12 on the Monroe Park and MCV Campuses. 

Homecoming is one of the largest annual events at the university. It also doubles this year as a kickoff for the 2016-17 VCU men’s basketball season. The Rams host UNC-Asheville on Friday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m.

“There is so much energy,” said Amy Gray Beck, interim senior director for outreach and engagement for VCU Alumni. “If you’re a VCU alum, knowing basketball is coming up, there is just a buzz around it. And having Homecoming that week is a really exciting way to kick off the season.”

Alumni and student spirit

Homecoming is relatively young at VCU. Like some other universities that don’t field a football program — including fellow Atlantic 10 Conference schools George Mason University and George Washington University — VCU’s event traditionally was held in the winter. Campus organizers moved it to the fall in 2015, in part to increase the chances of better weather.

“It’s also more traditional,” said Stamp, who has been involved with Homecoming since her freshman year. “It brings more of a spirit to it because the fall is homecoming season for high schools and colleges all over the country.”

Changing the timing has fueled an increase in alumni attendance, said Gray Beck. Planning large, popular events, like a basketball tailgate, are easier during the fall. Midseason tailgates are harder to plan because TV broadcasts for conference games can often shift the start of the game and the daily schedule at the Stuart C. Siegel Center.

“Moving Homecoming to the fall, we have more control over what game we would choose and the time of the game would be determined way ahead of time,” Gray Beck said. “And the weather is better. We had a tailgate last year and closed down streets around the Siegel Center. We had food trucks and a beer garden and a band. The place was packed.”

Moving Homecoming to November also has benefits for students, said Hanan Kourtu, the spirit event coordinator for APB.

“I feel it does, especially for first-year students,” said Kourtu, a junior in the School of Social Work. “All their friends at other schools have homecoming around this time of the year. Now that ours is during the fall, they have something to look forward to, too, in their first semester.”

Events on both campuses

It’s about creating a sense of unity within the student body and getting excited about the week of events.

VCU will host 30 campus events during Homecoming week, ranging from a 3-on-3 basketball tournament to the Monroe Park Campus Blood Drive. Some events, like Ram Fest, the annual concert sponsored by APB, have been Homecoming staples for years. The 2016 lineup features Travis Scott, Gold Link, Masego and Orion.

Ram Rally, which takes place Monday, Nov. 7, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Siegel Center, is another popular feature of Homecoming. Part carnival, part pep rally, the event serves as a de facto kickoff to Homecoming week.

“It’s about creating a sense of unity within the student body and getting excited about the week of events,” said Kourtu, the event planner for Ram Rally.

Kourtu expects to see between 500 and 600 people at the event. There is a certain sense of fulfillment in seeing it come together, she said.

“It’s a lot of fun. I enjoy this,” she said. “It helps build your sense of professionalism, too. This is not necessarily targeted toward my major, but it’s a great way to build experience and complete a big project.”

‘Mock’ the vote

Other Homecoming week events are unique to 2016. APB is sponsoring several tied to the presidential election — some social, others with an academic or community engagement focus.

The Student Government Association has arranged for buses to transport students to polling sites near VCU on Election Day. The SGA and APB will sponsor events at the University Student Commons Nov. 8, including a watch party in the lobby from 5 to 11 p.m. On Nov. 7, APB will host a one-hour mock vote, also in the University Student Commons. Participants will use their phones to cast votes for their candidate of choice.

“We want to see who VCU students will vote for before the actual election,” said Taylor Mickel, a junior double majoring in mass communication and elementary education.

Mickel is director of lectures for APB. She said the decision to host election-themed events during Homecoming week was an easy one to make. APB will publish the results of the mock vote on social media.

“I think it’s a great way to get students involved in the election,” Mickel said.

‘A really cool experience’

Mickel, like Kourtu, said planning Homecoming is daunting, but also exciting and educational. 

“It’s kind of cool to have the inside scoop on Homecoming events,” she said. “It’s been a great learning experience.”

Stamp agreed. She runs all sponsorship and marketing efforts for Homecoming — including the event website and community outreach.

“It’s a really cool experience to be involved in planning and seeing the behind-the-scenes things,” she said. “I learn a lot about not just advertising and creating a marketing plan but also learning different business skills — contacting vendors and sponsors — and creating monetary budgets for sponsorships.”

Stamp is looking forward to the energy and excitement of the week, and is proud of the Homecoming traditions being created at VCU.

“Every year it gets bigger and better,” she said.

For a full listing of Homecoming events, visit homecoming.vcu.edu/events.

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