Tent City will be making an official comeback this year as a new tradition to West Virginia University’s Homecoming Week as students camp on the Mountainlair Plaza from 8 a.m. Monday (Oct. 5) until noon on Friday (Oct. 9) in anticipation of the 2015 Homecoming football weekend.
The Mountaineers will take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Saturday (Oct. 10) at Milan Puskar Stadium with official kickoff time to be announced Sunday (Oct. 4).
“This is going to be exciting week for all of Mountaineer Nation as our football team prepares to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys Saturday and alumni return to campus for Homecoming,” said Tommy Skinner, a graduate student in the MBA/MPH dual degree program from West Grove, Pennsylvania, and the organizer of this year’s alcohol-free Tent City event.
“Tent City was such a great atmosphere when ESPN College GameDay came to campus last November, so we decided we should do it again,” he said.
Skinner is encouraging all participants to donate to Empty Bowls Monongalia, a local charity that raises money and public awareness of those who suffer from food insecurity in the county. Tent City T-shirts will be sold with the purpose of supporting the local charity, as two-thirds of all proceeds will go directly to Empty Bowls.
“As WVU works to move our campus forward in a positive direction, Tent City will provide our students with a safe, positive-spirited environment to celebrate game day and other upcoming Homecoming events,” Dean of Students Corey Farris said. “Then, on Saturday, students can take their excitement and Mountaineer spirit to Milan Puskar Stadium for the annual Homecoming football game.”
Students who camp out will be entered to win a pair of field passes for Saturday’s Homecoming football game. Music will be provided by WWVU-FM and food with be provided by WVUp All Night and other local sponsors throughout the week.
“Last year’s Tent City was one of the most memorable WVU experiences that my friends and I have had and we want to give other students an opportunity to have the same great experience while raising money for one of our local charities,” Skinner said.
Farris, immediate past president of Empty Bowls Monongalia, said he is proud of the WVU students for not only recognizing that food insecurity exists in our community but also for raising money and awareness for this great organization.
The annual Homecoming Parade will begin at 6:30 p.m. on High Street Friday evening, Oct 9.
For information, contact Skinner at tommy.skinner@mail.wvu.edu, “like” Tent City on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WVUTentCity or follow @WVUTentCity on Twitter.
-WVU-
ta/09/30/15
CONTACT: Sabrina Cave; Student Life
304.293.2506; Sabrina.cave@mail.wvu.edu
Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.