Utah Tech University’s Homecoming Week is a longtime tradition for students, staff and alumni.
The events held throughout Homecoming Week are upbeat, so the campus community looks forward to the week. Each year the university and Alumni House put together activities and events to get those in the community involved. It is also a way to make new friends and nurture those friendships students already have by going to these events with a group.
Director of Public Relations Jyl Hall said: “It’s such a celebratory and special week. Homecoming events are a collaboration between UMAC, Student Involvement & Leadership and the Alumni Association.”
There are many activities and events happening during Homecoming Week, so here are a few of them.
Monday, Oct. 23
8:30 a.m. – Homecoming kick-off: Breakfast will be served in front of the Gardner Student Center. Students can stop by and ask questions about the upcoming week as well as celebrate with some food.
8:00 p.m. Powderpuff: The Powderpuff tradition has been going on since the 1970s. Go watch and cheer on the teams as this game plays out in the Greater Zion Stadium. Groups are categorized based on year level, and women at the university will get the chance to compete on the football field in a two-quarter game.
Powderpuff is an event that many students look forward to. With football usually being a men’s sport and Powderpuff being a women’s sport, the crowds will gather together to witness this different take on the sport.
Tuesday, Oct. 24
7:30 p.m. – Miss Utah Tech: Head to the Eccles Main Stage to watch these young women compete for the title as well as the scholarship opportunities that come with that. This competition started in 1951, so for it to still be such a key component of Homecoming Week shows its impact on the school.
Miss Utah Tech’s responsibility is to guide students on campus and represent the university. This title is important because the initiative each Miss Utah Tech chooses to focus on has the chance to change the lives of those in the community.
Thursday, Oct. 26
7 p.m. – Men’s Soccer: Utah Tech’s Men’s soccer team will face off against Seattle University in the Greater Zion Stadium. With their past seven wins, they will fight to make it eight.
Friday, Oct. 27
5 p.m. – Carnival and car show with tricks and treats: join the public as they celebrate the spooky season at the Encampment Mall. This community event will have costumes, music, food and more for guests to enjoy.
Saturday, Oct. 28
10 a.m. – Parade: grab your friends and family and enjoy the parade down University Avenue.
This parade has been a tradition for many students and families to attend. This parade is also one of the first ways that Miss Utah Tech is introduced publicly to the university as well as the community.
4 p.m. – Tailgate and Trailblazer Village: come play games, eat food and meet some of Utah Tech’s Alumni at the Atwood Innovation Plaza parking lot. Visit a tent that you’re interested in and see what they have to offer.
The last time Trailblazer Village was held, they had a much bigger turnout than they had expected, and the associations hope to have an even better turnout this coming year.
Director of Alumni Relations John Bowler said: “Trailblazer Village is a different level of cool because I get to come back and I get to see my professors and my classmates…I get to see them for who they really are and who they have helped me become.”
6 p.m. – Utah Tech vs. Eastern Kentucky football game: Cheer on Utah Tech’s football team as they fight to win the game in the Greater Zion Stadium.
Sarah Price, a general studies major from Star Valley, Wyoming, said, “I’m really excited to watch the football game and see how we do.”
Throughout the football season, students, as well as the public, enjoy going to the football games to socialize and show their support for the university. The Homecoming game is significant because it is the game that most people attend. The football team will be under pressure after their four losses this year, but they will strive to make the number three win of the season.
The football game is the event that most people know about, but oftentimes, students miss out on other activities that happen. These groups work hard for weeks before Homecoming to make it a good and safe time for all those who choose to participate. So, keep an eye out this coming week and see what peaks your interest.
Bowler said: “It’s kind of a cool magic moment where an 80-year-old could be sitting there with a 20-year-old going, ‘Hey this is cool. I remember when I was your age doing this. This is fun.’”
Joining together as a community is a key part of this week. The community is an important part as to why Utah Tech is so successful.
Bowler said: “It’s all about connecting the past with the present, [along] with the future. Whatever gives you that feeling of, ‘I belong somewhere.'”
