Luciana Rojo Rubio / Snapper. Millersville University cheerleaders march in the parade.
Morgan Huber
Editor-in-Chief
Millersville University celebrated its 90th annual Homecoming this past weekend. A tradition that began in the 1930s, Homecoming is a time when the university invites alumni to return to campus for various activities and to walk down memory lane.
A number of groups and departments planned events over the course of the weekend. Homecoming commenced on Friday with gatherings and dinners to welcome alumni back to campus. These included a Players for Pro golf outing, where alumni and golf athletes gathered to play golf, with proceeds benefiting the Players for Pro golf scholarship. In addition, the Archives & Special Collections department in the library opened an exhibit for alumni to look at old photographs, newspapers, and yearbooks from their school days. A welcome home kickoff party allowed alumni to gather at Raney Cellars Brewing Company in Millersville to connect over food and drinks. Friday evening concluded with the 10th annual Pridefest, where various campus and community organizations provided activities and resources in celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, followed by a drag show.
The second day of the Homecoming weekend witnessed the annual Millersville Community Parade. One of the largest such events in Lancaster County, hundreds of students, faculty, alumni, and residents gathered on the streets of Millersville in spite of the pouring rain. Various campus and community organizations, in addition to local businesses and political candidates, showed off their dedication and creativity through floats decorated to fit this year’s “Travel the World” theme.
Following the community parade was the block party, which was moved indoors due to weather conditions. Nonetheless, many gathered for free food and opportunities to reunite with former college classmates. Homecoming weekend culminated with the football game against Shepherd University. Although this year’s game ended with a loss, students and alumni cheered with excitement in the crowded Biemesderfer stadium. At halftime, the Homecoming Court – Dominick Delorenzo, Jeromy Gregory-D’Amico, Rebecca Hahn, Laura Haywood, Katie McKelvey, Camree Patterson, and Robert Truell – gathered on the field as the announcers declared this year’s Homecoming Royalty. This past week, students had the opportunity to vote online out of the seven nominees, with the two most popular votes being crowned. Seniors Dominick Delorenzo, a business management major, and Jeromy Gregory-D’Amico, a triple major studying biology, chemistry, and mathematics, were ultimately crowned as Homecoming Royalty. As a reward, both students were gifted $100 to the University Store and are required to participate in community events throughout the academic year.
This year’s Homecoming weekend provided ample opportunities for alumni to return to campus, reminiscing on their past experiences and bonding with current students and faculty, with many looking forward to next October in order to come back to the ‘Ville once more.
