A&M-Victoria Homecoming makes fall appearance
Texas A&M University-Victoria is preparing to welcome its alumni and the community to the university’s annual Homecoming events, which have been moved to the fall semester.
From Oct. 19 to 24, campus will be filled with exciting events, culminating with the annual President’s Tailgate during the men’s and women’s soccer games on Saturday. The theme for this year’s Homecoming Week is “Crush ‘Em,” the university’s new rallying cry for Athletics and other events. In addition, students’ families are welcome to attend the President’s Tailgate events at the end of the week after Family Weekend events were postponed until the spring due to inclement weather.
“I look forward to celebrating the university, our students and our alumni during this year’s Homecoming events,” A&M-Victoria President Christian Hardigree said. “Homecoming is a tradition of honoring everyone who came before and everyone who makes up our university today, and we are proud to have the opportunity to celebrate A&M-Victoria with everyone who is part of the university’s story, both past and present.”
Throughout the week, the university will offer an information station about upcoming events inside the lobby of University Commons, 3006 N. Ben Wilson St. In addition, the university will host a Jag-A-Thon Challenge in the Health & Wellness Center. To participate in the challenge, students, faculty and staff will be able to compete in daily minigames.
In addition, Homecoming will feature a variety of daily events for students, employees and the community to attend. On Monday, the week will begin with an Alumni Career Expo from 3 to 5 p.m. inside the University Commons Multi-Purpose Room. The expo will feature a collection of alumni who work in a variety of careers. Students can attend the come-and-go event to talk with alumni about their careers and what it took to become successful in those various careers. Later that evening, from 6 to 8 p.m., there will be a Homecoming Kickoff party on the Health & Wellness Center parking lot and lawn. The event will include an introduction of A&M-Victoria’s Athletics teams, a performance by the cheer team, a skit with jaX the Jaguar, vendors, yard games and the introduction of the Homecoming Court.
Tuesday will begin with the Homecoming Court Meet & Greet from noon to 2 p.m. inside the University Center lobby. Students, faculty and staff can come meet the students who are running for the positions of Homecoming King, Queen, Prince and Princess. The King and Queen will be upperclassmen, while the Prince and Princess will be freshman or sophomore students. All students and university employees are eligible to vote for the Homecoming Court. Later that evening, from 6 to 8 p.m., the university will host a Glow Party inside Galvan Community Hall in University North, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St. Students will be able to play fun games, including light-up mini golf, while also receiving university merchandise and free items.
On Wednesday, offices across campus will have the chance to show off their school spirit through the Spirit Cup Showcase. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., students will have the opportunity to vote on which office they think is showing the most school spirit. The top three offices will receive certificates, and the winner will receive the Spirit Cup traveling trophy. From noon to 1 p.m., the university will host its annual Retired Faculty and Staff Luncheon inside Galvan Community Hall. During the lunch, former employees of the university will gather to socialize and hear an update from the university’s president and provost. The day will end with a Students vs. Faculty/Staff Kickball game from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the Intramural Field behind Jaguar Court. Students will wear fun, inflatable costumes during the game.
Thursday will give staff and faculty a chance to socialize with a breakaway event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. inside Galvan Community Hall. The event will feature snacks and refreshments, as well as trivia games. The event will be organized by the Faculty Assembly and Staff Council. Later that evening, the university will host the 1973 Block Party from 6 to 9 p.m. for students inside the University Commons Multi-Purpose Room and Lobby. The highlight of the party will be a selection of activities geared toward preparing for Saturday’s Homecoming celebration, including decorating spirit pants, making noisemakers, DIY tote bags and caps, and making bracelets.
Friday’s events will focus on the evening. University alumni and community members are invited to attend the Alumni Banquet from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in Galvan Community Hall. During the banquet, the president will give a university update, and awards will be presented to this year’s alumni honorees. Krista Wilkerson, principal at Schorlemmer Elementary School, will be honored as the Distinguished Alumna of the Year, and Baylea Wagener Cramer, a licensed professional counselor, will be honored as the Young Alumna of the Year. Tickets are $35 per person, and guests are encouraged to RSVP by Oct. 19. The link to the registration can be found at: https://tamuvalumni.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2073296.
Around the same time, students will enjoy a Casino Night event in the Commons Multi-Purpose Room, which will feature a variety of card games with the opportunity to win prizes. At 8 p.m., both students and attendees from the Alumni Banquet are invited to a magic show inside Walker Auditorium in University North. The magic show will feature Trent James, an award-winning comedian and magician.
“This year’s Homecoming will be a fresh beginning with so many new and exciting things,” said Freddie Cantu, director of Student Involvement. “This is our first time holding the event in the fall, and we have so many new students who are participating in events and are excited to be part of campus life. I look forward to seeing them experience Homecoming and have the chance to interact with our alumni.”
Saturday is the culmination of Homecoming Week with the President’s Tailgates and the Battle of the Big Cats soccer games of the A&M-Victoria Jaguars vs. the Texas A&M University-San Antonio Jaguars. The Tailgate will begin at 11 a.m. with a free lunch in the parking lot next to The Cage soccer field, followed by the women’s soccer game at noon. After the women’s game, the university will hold the crowning of the Homecoming Court and a ring ceremony for the baseball team, which won the conference championship last year. The men’s soccer game will begin at 3 p.m. Tailgate attendees are asked to RSVP at rsvp1@tamuv.edu.
In addition to the events, students will be able to show their school spirit throughout the week with Spirit Days, which will feature fun themes for students to dress up and participate in. The university also will offer a daily treasure hunt. Students will receive clues on how to find a hidden treasure, and the one who brings that day’s treasure back to the Student Involvement office will receive a prize worth $50.
For more information about the Homecoming events and festivities, contact Cantu at cantufe@tamuv.edu or go to https://www.tamuv.edu/homecoming/.
Texas A&M University-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the colleges of Business, Education & Health Professions, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, and Natural & Applied Science. A&M-Victoria provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as online classes that students can take from anywhere. The university supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.