I work in the Office of Communications at Shepherd University, and one of my favorite events is homecoming. It’s a time of celebration and a great opportunity for alumni to return to their Alma Mater–a place that played a major role in who they’ve become.
The Shepherd University Rams played the Notre Dame College of Ohio during the Sept. 26, 2015, homecoming game.
Homecoming at Shepherd includes a week’s worth of activities like a Jeopardy-like game starring an alum who actually appeared on the TV show, a luncheon for retired staff and faculty who have achieved emeritus status, and a founders day parade that winds its way across campus giving students, faculty, and staff a chance to have a little fun and to reflect on Shepherd’s past, present, and future.
But the highlight of homecoming is the Saturday football game and the activities surrounding it. My job is to take photos—starting with the alumni breakfast and parade in the morning. All day I wander around taking pictures of happy people adorned in blue and gold shirts, jackets, hats, and scarves that often feature the school’s mascot, the ram.
However homecoming is more than just a parade, or a tailgate party, or a chance to catch up with old classmates. It offers something that most all of us desire—a sense of belonging and community. Once a year members of ram nation come together on campus to relive fond memories, see friends and former classmates, and to celebrate traditions that are a thread connecting many generations of graduates. It’s a happy scenario that’s playing out at colleges and universities across the country at this time of the year.
CeceliaMasonWV 