Homecoming celebrations began in earnest last Friday with the announcement of the 2017 Homecoming Court.
The members of the 2017 Homecoming Court are: Mikaela Ashton, Maddy Donahue, Jack Duly, Kasey Flintoft, Nancy Haddad, Gabe Kasper, Mitchell Kennedy, Billy Nichols, Pedro Marin and Sydney VanPetten.
Homecoming 2017 officially began Sunday, Oct. 8, and will continue until Oct. 15. The week-long celebration will feature a slew of events for students.
The first preparation was selecting the candidates for Homecoming King and Queen. The Homecoming Court selection process began with interested students submitting a resume and a letter of recommendation from an SVSU faculty member. Applicants were then interviewed by faculty.
After the interview, applicants began campaigning. Candidates created campaign posters that were posted around campus, along with other lobbying attempts.
Last week, the entire student body was sent an email that allowed them to vote for the Homecoming Court. Students were able to choose two female and two male candidates.
Half of the contestants’ final score, which determined who will be on the Homecoming Court, was made up by the faculty interviews; the other half came from the student vote totals.
Ashton is a management major. She is proud of her studying abroad in Seville, Spain. She loves the Red Pride at SVSU and is a member of Forever Red, Alpha Phi Omega and Foundation Scholars. She also works as an admissions representative and a desk worker for Student Affairs.
Donahue is an exercise science major. She is proud of her position as the vice president of the Saginaw Valley Dance Team and placing fifth at the NDA Nationals 2017. She loves the community at SVSU, stating that it has made her the person she is today. She is also a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha, National Panhellenic Council at SVSU and the Pre-Chiropractic Club.
Duly is a nursing major. He is proud of his involvement in programs such as the Mr. SVSU man pageant, the De-stress Fest and Fresh Start Weekend. He loves the feeling that SVSU gives him of being part of a community, not just a statistic. He is a member of Peer Health Education, Orientation Programs, Student Association, Student Life and Pie Club.
Flintoft is an occupational therapy major. She is proud of her role as a resident assistant, creating a home for new residents at SVSU. She loves the community at SVSU and being able to walk down the hall and always see someone she knows. She is a member of Residential Life, Orientation Programs, Club Red, Alternative Breaks and the Student Occupational Therapy Association.
Haddad is a communication major. She is proud of her acceptance into the Roberts Fellowship program. What she loves about SVSU is walking down the hallway and knowing 10 people, but also seeing 20 that she doesn’t know. She is a member of Orientation Programs, Phi Sigma Sigma, Foundation Scholars, Law Club, Roberts Fellows, Moot Court and Forever Red and is an Alumni Relations Office intern.
“I am ecstatic to be on court,” Haddad said. “It really is such an honor to represent the place I call home. I’m humbled by the opportunity and I am so proud of all of the other Cardinals. It’s always a great day to be a Cardinal, and (on Friday), it was just a little sweeter.”
Kasper is a marketing major. He is proud of being named a Rising Leader at the 2017 Student Life Awards. He loves that SVSU feels like home. He is a member of Orientation Programs, Alpha Kappa Lambda, American Marketing Association, The Valley Vanguard, Cardinal Business Edge and Foundation Scholars.
Kennedy is an accounting major. He is proud of his contributions to fundraising efforts during I Heart SV Week. He loves SVSU for the familial environment. He is a member of Delta Sigma Pi, Foundation Scholars, Forever Red and Vitito Fellows.
“When I found the results online, I ran right to Student Life to get my sash,” Kennedy said. “I was so excited to get this opportunity to represent the SVSU community as a king candidate. I also felt privileged to follow in the footsteps of many other great leaders that came before me.”
Nichols is a Marketing major. He is proud of his transformation from transfer student to campus leader. He loves the family culture that defines Red Pride. He is a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon, Program Board, The Flock and the Resident Association in SEC.
Marin is a marketing major. He is proud of hosting a GLACURH Leadership conference at SVSU. He most loves the community of people at SVSU that empower one another. He is a member of RHA, NRHH, Club Red, FYRE and Alternative Breaks and is a residential assistant for Living Center Southwest.
VanPetten is a communication major. She is proud of being awarded the “110% Award” for Summer 2017 Orientation Leaders. She loves how the student body at SVSU makes the university feel like home. She is a member of Orientation Programs, Pie Club, Forever Red, Club Red, Intramural Sports, Alternative Breaks and is also a Housing Student Supervisor.
“When I saw my name and picture, I was so ecstatic and just happy as a clam,” VanPetten said. “I can’t wait to be able to represent the school on Homecoming Court. It’s an honor, and I’m so looking forward to a week filled with fun events.”
The final vote for Homecoming King and Queen will take place during Homecoming Week.
Homecoming Kick-off is Sunday, Oct. 8, at 1 p.m. at Braddock Field. RSOs will create “2017 Homecoming Flags” and present them at the soccer games that day.
Macho Volleyball takes place tonight at 7 p.m. in O’Neill Arena. This is a volleyball tournament that is played by teams consisting of six male players and one female coach. It is a single elimination tournament.
The RSO Fashion show “Strike a Pose” happens Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 9 p.m. in the TSAR. Each RSO is assigned a decade and must model styles from that decade.
There is a Lip Sync Contest Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 9 p.m. in the Hamilton Gym. RSOs will perform lip-synced musical acts from their assigned decades.
There is a service project Thursday, Oct. 12, at noon in the Student Life Center for Project Linus. Students who participate will help make blankets for hospitalized children.
ABC12 will be broadcasting the Spirit Competition taking place Friday, Oct. 13, at 5 p.m. in the O’Neill Arena. RSOs will be collecting non-perishable foods throughout the week to donate to a local food bank as part of this event.
Powder Puff Football takes place Saturday, Oct. 13, at 3 p.m. in the Intramural Fields. RSOs will have teams of 5 to 12 female participants and a male coach.
Also on Oct. 13, at 7 p.m. in the Malcolm Field Theatre, the improv comedy group The Second City will perform. Admission is free for students.
There is a Homecoming 5K on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 9 a.m., starting at the Bell Tower. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. The cost is $20 for students and $30 for alumni.
The Homecoming Parade is Saturday, Oct. 14, at 1:30 p.m. in Lot J2. The Alumni Tailgate is also Saturday, in parking lots C and C1.
The Homecoming 2017 celebration concludes with the SVSU vs. Ferris State football game on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 3 p.m. at Wickes Stadium.
