By: Jamison Smith | Staff Writer
University of Lynchburg Website
One of the University of Lynchburg’s most cherished traditions is Homecoming, where alumni, family and friends travel from all over to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company. Homecoming activities include fall sports games, tailgating and spirit week.
Although Homecoming is a fun celebration, many people work behind the scenes and go unnoticed. From directing traffic, setting up food, managing tailgating spots and planning sporting events, there is so much work that goes into the beloved Homecoming weekend.
Sharon Davies, assistant director of stewardship and alumni engagement events, says that “Planning for Homecoming begins almost as soon as the previous one ends.” Staff also gathers feedback from the previous year’s participants to make the next year as well thought out as possible.
Preparation for Homecoming takes a campuswide effort and requires collaboration from many different departments.
According to Davies, the Office of Advancement leads the organization and also works closely with athletics, marketing and communications and other campus organizations. There are also volunteers from different departments that help to make Homecoming run smoothly.
Tom Burrowes, who has been with the university for more than 30 years, has witnessed how Homecoming has changed over the years.
“I must admit that since 2016, when Heather Garnett introduced the tailgate event, it has truly transformed the campus for a few hours on a fall weekend,” he said.
Homecoming attracts more than 2,000 guests to campus. “Many alumni have established their own personal traditions over the years, and the friendly tailgate cooking contests are always a crowd favorite,” said Davies.
She added, “There’s nothing quite like having a packed crowd cheering on our Hornets on the field and seeing current students connect with alumni.”
Homecoming is a cherished event for so many families beyond just University of Lynchburg alumni.
“You have the ability to meet people from all walks of life who all share a mutual love for the University of Lynchburg.” said Rebecca Hatcher, director of annual giving and alumni communications.
For more information, visit the Homecoming webpage.
