Homecoming Week only comes around once a year, but it’s easy to forget the amount of time and effort the University of Idaho Homecoming Committee puts into the celebration.
Planning for Homecoming Week has already begun. Preparations began immediately after the previous year’s week ended.
The 2016 Homecoming Week will begin Sept. 25 with what used to be called “Homecoming Kickoff,” but will be the “Opening Ceremonies” this year, since the theme relates to the Olympics.
This Homecoming Week will take place much earlier compared to previous celebrations, and the Homecoming Committee is working hard to get everything planned and ready to go.
“Homecoming is extremely early this year — usually we have a lot longer to plan,” said Homecoming Committee Chair Emily Rasch.
Irish Martos | Courtesy
Joe Vandal dances during last year’s Homecoming Kickoff at the Idaho Fan Zone.
The committee is devoted to making Homecoming Week a memorable experience for both old and new students at the university, she said. Rasch plans and maintains all things involving homecoming with the help of her assistant chair and the 11 other members of the committee.
Rasch said each person on the committee has a specific chair position. From planning the bonfire to working with teams and homecoming royalty nominees, everyone has their own specific responsibilities.
“This year’s committee was built in early November last fall, and we’ve worked throughout the spring with mostly our fundraising efforts and our theme launch,” she said.
Marketing and Promotions Chairman Evan Barton said the committee is in the middle of their implementation stage.
“We are finalizing reservations, and we are confirming all events and reservations,” Barton said. “We are also starting our fundraising efforts for the homecoming fireworks show.”
Rasch said one of the biggest parts in planning homecoming is deciding the theme. The theme is an extensive process for the committee.
The theme goes through a brainstorming process, incorporating old and new ideas, Rasch said. Using a process of elimination, while also making sure the university is represented well, the theme is then decided officially in November.
For Barton, he said the most exciting part about Homecoming Week is the fact that he is able to play a part in planning a campus tradition that celebrates all Vandals, current students, faculty and alumni alike. He also enjoys watching everything come together, he said.
Rasch has been on the Homecoming Committee since her freshman year, and said being involved in the weeks’ celebration has been a highlight during her time at UI.
“Being down on the field during royalty last year and singing the alma mater was the best moment of my college career, and I’ve been here five years,” Rasch said.
Savannah Cardon
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