Wright State students and alumni alike can gather this week for Homecoming Events including a cardboard boat race, a dance, a casino night, a chili cook-off and a tailgate event before the Homecoming game on Saturday.
“The Cardboard Boat Race is a collaboration between the University Activities Board and Black Men on the Move,” said Jack Pence, assistant director for the Office of Student Activities . “Teams of 3 to 5 can sign up to build a boat, and UAB provides all the cardboard…and duct tape and scissors.”
Pence said the Cardboard Boat Race has become a Homecoming staple for Wright State.
“It’s a fun, traditional event aside from the dance that has been going on for a while during Homecoming,” said Pence.
The Cardboard Boat Race will be held in the Student Union Natatorium following boatbuilding in the Atrium beginning at 6 p.m.
Following the race is Black Men on the Move’s pool party.
“They’ll have different games and competitions that you do in the pool,” said Pence.
Two major homecoming events are the Homecoming Dance from UAB and the Residential Community Association’s Casino Night. The dance begins at 8 p.m. in the Apollo Room and Casino Night begins at 9 p.m. in the Endeavor Room.
“This year the theme is decades—Dancing to the Decades,” said Pence. “UAB’s done some different things so students enter a ‘time warp’ on their way into the dance." The dance will also feature music from different decades as well as a lot of “light technical illusions,” according to Pence.
Pence said that decade-themed costumes were encouraged.
“Come dressed up and ready to dance within your decade that you want or in regular homecoming clothes,” said Pence.
This year’s Homecoming Court will also be announced at the dance.
“In the past we’ve announced the court at the game,” said Pence. “Because the team WSU is playing couldn’t come on Friday, we had to switch it around a little bit, which leaves Saturday being more about the Homecoming games.”
At noon on Saturday, Alumni Relations will host a Club Football Tailgate in the parking lot outside the Rinzler Sports Complex. “We’re working [the Tailgate] into Homecoming as an annual event,” said Assistant Director of Alumni Relations Holly Gersbacher. “We’ll be doing heavy appetizers, and people who are of age will get two drink tickets with their admission.”
There will also be televisions set up around the area so attendees can watch Saturday football, Gersbacher said.
“Students can come in and pay at the door,” said Gersbacher. “It’s open to students, although we’re definitely targeting alumni.”
Student tickets to the event are $7.
Jack Pence also weighed in on the tailgate.
“It’s something that [the Alumni Association] wants to try to revolutionize to make it more of a traditional Homecoming tailgate where it really is friendly to families and alumni and it gives them an opportunity to get them to the games,” said Pence. “Where we collaborate is with the festival, the Chili Cook-Off, which happens between the football game and the soccer game.”
The Chili Cook-off will be held from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Rinzler Sports Complex. Students, faculty and staff can “make their chili and debut it there,” said Pence.
