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WVU’s Homecoming takes on special meaning in 2021, embracing new traditions while honoring the past

six people stand in front of large brick building

Morgan Glass, Raimah Hossain, Ethan Cade, Ally Simon, Kylie A. Parker, Makenna Myers. Not pictured: Hunter Moore. (WVU Photo/Sean Hines)

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Alumni near and far will return to Morgantown this weekend (Oct. 1-2) to reminisce and embrace new traditions while honoring the old in celebration of West Virginia University’s 2021 Homecoming.

Attendees will reunite in a combination of in-person and virtual events in a welcoming and inclusive environment starting with the annual Homecoming Parade Friday (Oct. 1) beginning at 6:30 p.m. on High Street featuring the recipients of the WVU Alumni Association Homecoming and Alumni services awards (to be announced later this week).

The University will also begin a new tradition this year naming two students “Homecoming Royalty” during a halftime ceremony at the “Stripe the Stadium” football game against Texas Tech on Saturday (Oct. 2) at Milan Puskar Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN2.

Homecoming Court candidates include: Ethan Cade, a senior environmental geoscience major and member of the Honors College from Wayne; Morgan Glass, a senior biochemistry major and member of the Honors College from Wheeling; Raimah Hossain, a senior biomedical engineering major from Starkville, Mississippi; Hunter Moore, a senior mechanical and aerospace engineering from West Milford; Makenna Myers, a senior global supply chain management major from Ruffs Dale, Pennsylvania; Kylie A. Parker, a senior exercise physiology major and member of the Honors EXCEL Program from Wheeling; and Ally Simon, a senior industrial engineering major and member of the Honors College from Elkins.

Students can vote for the “Homecoming Royalty” on WVUENGAGE using their accounts on their own electronic devices Sept. 28-29 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Other activities include a special Homecoming Tailgate Saturday at Tent City hosted by the Center for Black Culture and Research and The Student Lot, and the Alumni Association will host a tailgate for members of Hail WV at the Erickson Alumni Center. Both events will begin at 12:30 p.m.

The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Student Government Association will also join forces to host a tailgate located at the University Park Courtyard at noon. The duo will incorporate fun activities to help promote the awareness of sexual assault while students and alumni mingle and enjoy food and music.

WVU strongly encourages all attendees to be vaccinated. All individuals, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear a mask indoors in University buildings and facilities through Oct. 6, when public health conditions will be reevaluated.

Because it is primarily an outdoor event, this mask requirement also does not include areas of Milan Puskar Stadium (i.e., restrooms, suites, press box) at this time. However, WVU continues to strongly encourage masks to be worn in the Hall of Traditions, suites, restrooms or other indoor areas at the stadium.

Masks continue to be required on the PRT and WVU buses through Jan. 18, 2022, under federal guidelines from the Transportation Security Administration.

Visit the 2021 Homecoming website for more information and the full schedule of events.

-WVU-

ta/09/27/21

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