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HOMECOMING 2014 PAGE 3
Steering Committee, advisers look forward to impact
MARIA SANCHEZ
@MariaSanchezKU
When senior Caleb Johnsor from Basehor was little, he would come to the University of Kansas with his family in the fall. There they would watch the Homecoming parade and enjoy the atmosphere. Now, Johnson is one of two parade chairs on the 2014 Homecoming Steering Committee at the University.
Johnson became involved with Homecoming festivities first hand at his high school when he was thrown into building floats because he knew power tools. After high school, his experience placed him in a similar situation.
"When I came up to KU and I rushed, the first thing my fraternity did was throw me on the Homecoming committee because they had heard I had experience from high school," Johnson said. "After that I was just hooked, and I knew eventually at some point I wanted to apply for Steering. It's always been something near and dear to my heart. This time of the year is great."
Senior Caleb Johnson and Paige Hofer sit outside the Adams Alumni Center planning for Homecoming events on Sunday. Johnson is one of the Parade Chairs on the Steering Committee and Hofer is the co-adviser of the Steering Committee.
Johnson is not the only one who has a special place for this time of year. Jacey Krehbiel, a 2012 KU graduate from McPherson and coordinator of Alumni Programs and co-adviser of the Steering Commit-
ideas, and we have to narrow it down to our top three to present [to the Alumni Association]," Johnson said. "This year presenting stuff, and then the alumni staff telling us start over again, kind of made things a little hectic for a few weeks trying to get the theme hammered out."
The committee landed on the theme 'Roll with the Hawks', which incorporates mainly board games into this year's events. Coordinator of Student Programs and co-adviser of the Steering Committee, Paige Hofer said the theme is meant to leave room for imagination.
"We always try to pick a theme that's fun but that people can be creative with it," Hofer said. "We chose this one to be more of a board game type, so that's why we are doing the live Clue game to embrace that idea rather than dice and gambling.
The theme was chosen after committee members decided that playing a live game could be a breath of fresh air for students. Although the theme is inspiring new events, like the residence hall video game tournaments, Johnson said some students had doubts starting out.
"I think at first students weren't sure of the theme just because of trying to think of different ways to incorporate the theme for their competi-
--tee, said she thoroughly enjoyed Homecoming when she attended the University.
"We always try to pick a theme that's fun but that people can be creative with it."
PAIGE HOFER
Steering Committee
co-adviser
"It was my favorite week as a student," Krehbiel said. "If I could help other students enjoy it just as much then that's the whole point."
tions, but everyone I've talked to recently is really excited," Johnson said. "It lets you expand and think outside the box, and have a little bit more freedom to do whatever you want with the theme versus being very rigid with something."
"We started with a list of probably 100 different theme
Johnson said this process was time-consuming but always interesting.
The planning process for this year's Homecoming began in January after the 10-member Steering Committee was selected. After the students returned from winter break they began deciding on a theme. The committee met every week until the spring semester ended. After classes began this fall, the meetings resumed.
Along with new events, some events are making a comeback or being changed. "Stuff The Bus" is returning to Homecoming Week after being absent from last year's events and "Murals," a traditional event where students decorate a canvas, is evolving this year.
"I'm excited to see the change," Hofer said. "Instead of murals we're doing signs, and they are plywood signs so they'll be bigger out on the lawn of Fraser."
"I think residence hall students probably don't hear about Homecoming unless
Krehbiel said she is excited for how these new events, like the residence halls video game tournament event, will get a wide range of students involved.
they're directly involved with other student organizations," Krehbiel said. "We hope to have them jump on the Homecoming band wagon."
Hofer added that she encourages all students to be involved in the Homecoming experience, even if they only participate in one event.
Johnson said he sees the experience as a way for students to show their spirit for the University.
"I just want them to be able to come out," Johnson said. "It's a week where we can all celebrate being Jayhawks, going to the greatest university in the country and be excited about the fact that we're here."
For Krehbiel, Homecoming is not just for spirit but also a time when a strong bond is waiting to be made.
"You experience a lot of diversity, and a lot of just differing views and opinions," Krehbiel said. "It's one of those things where Homecoming is for future Jayhawks, it's for current Jayhawks and it's for alumni. So, out of all the events that happen throughout the year, it is one that certainly brings everyone together in their one common bond of being a Jayhawk."
Edited by Ben Carroll
@KANSANNEWS
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