Registration has opened for the Homecoming Parade and the Alumni Tailgate Competition!

One of the best ways to get involved in Homecoming, the Parade showcases floats designed by student organizations, chapters of the Alumni Association, and unofficial alumni groups. Whether you are eager to “pomp” a float or just want to take in the spectacle from the sidelines, the parade is a great way to feel the spirit of Penn State Homecoming. The Parade will be held on Friday, October 17 at 6pm. Register here before September 26 at 5 pm and get ready to show the community how you’ve been ‘Inspired By Tradition’!

If pomping doesn’t strike your fancy (or even if it does!), consider showing how you’re inspired at the Alumni Tailgate Competition. As any Penn Stater knows, we take tailgating seriously in Happy Valley. In 2005, Sports Illustrated’s Tailgate Nation named Penn State the “Ultimate Tailgating Venue.” If you know your tailgates have helped Penn State earn this rating, register here for a shot at being one of 10 tailgate competitors on Homecoming game day. Tailgates will be judged in “Best Spirit,” “Best Food” and “Best Decoration” categories.

Stay tuned for more pre-Homecoming coverage as the school year starts. We’re less than two months away from one of the best celebrations at Penn State!

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Did you know that Penn State boasts the largest alumni network in the country, capping at over 460,000 living graduates? As a Penn Stater, you’re a member of the biggest collegiate family in the US, and Homecoming is a great time to celebrate your pride with hundreds of thousands of your family members! The Alumni Relations (AR) Committee is working hard to ensure that graduates have a great weekend. “We want [alumni] to be just as excited about Homecoming as they were when they were first year students,” Alumni Relations Overall Samantha Kulp said. Along with the Alumni Association, the AR Committee is working to make two past Homecoming favorites even better this year: the Student/Alumni Ice Cream Social and the Alumni Tailgate Contest.

What could be better than eating free Creamery ice cream with the Nittany Lion and Penn State cheerleaders? Come out to the Hintz Family Alumni Center for the Student/Alumni Ice Cream Social on October 17 from 1:30 to 4:30 to meet past and present students, try your luck at winning prizes, and indulge in the famous PSU tradition of eating from The Creamery. After all, eating Peachy Paterno ice cream was ranked #50 on Sports Illustrated’s list of 100 Things You Gotta Do Before You Graduate, so come out and check that off your list!

Any proud alums that know their tailgates are something to brag about should consider entering the Alumni Tailgate Competition! Held on Saturday, October 18 before the Homecoming game, tailgates will be judged and prizes will be rewarded! Participants can register on the Homecoming Website starting Monday, August 18th.

Alums, what’s your favorite part about Homecoming? Let us know and we’ll be sure to feature it on the blog in the fall!

Save the date:

Student/Alumni Ice Cream Social- Friday, October 17 1:30-4:30 pm

Alumni Tailgate Competition- Saturday, October 18 before the Homecoming game

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Marching through the streets of State College you see them.
Walkie talkies in hand.

Homecoming security makes events like the parade smooth and safe.

They are the officials.
They are the enforcers.
They are…
The 2008 Homecoming Security Committee.

Stopping the cities of State College and University Park is no small task. Working with the Police Departments, the State College Borough, CATA and various University officials, the Security committee must work hard to ensure that Homecoming 2008 runs smoothly by rising above the tough standards required by all parties involved. Permits and approvals, signatures and stamps - everything must be authorized, confirmed, and approved before any float rolls down College Avenue.

They are there to protect not only students, but also faculty, returning alumni, families, and members of the State College community. Almost 400 committee members will be in attendance on parade day for the protection of these parties. They are also in full force for all of the Homecoming sponsored events to ensure a safe week for everyone.

This year Security was also in charge of the Captain Olympics in the spring, and will be planning new captain events in the fall. These events allow the 100+ Homecoming Captains a chance to relax and unwind during the weeks before Homecoming.

If you are interested in being one of the protectors, the elite, the red shirts - stay tuned for updates about when you can sign up!

Kyle Thomas - Homecoming 2008 Security Overall Chair

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Did you know that Homecoming is more than just a weekend event? While the Parade and football game culminate the Homecoming experience, there is so much more to see!

Throughout Homecoming Week, Penn Staters young and old are treated to a variety of events put on by the Special Events committee, including Airbands, Nittany Pursuit, Raise the Song Band Bash, and the Pep Rally. This year, Special Events has been working hard to make the events bigger and better, so come out and make sure you don’t miss some of the best events of Homecoming Week!

Last year's airbands winner, The Lion Ambassadors, presented a musical performance telling all about Penn State history.

Airbands is one of the most popular and anticipated events each year, and this year it is going to be even better! During Airbands, student groups compete for points by choreographing and lip syncing to their favorite songs.  Special Events is cooking up some fun surprises and lots of laughs, so it is important to come early and get a good seat!

Nittany Pursuit (a campus-wide scavenger hunt) is another fun event. This year’s activities will be challenging and action-packed, so get excited!

The Band Bash is a competition between student bands. The winning band will get the amazing opportunity to perform on stage at THON 2009.

The Pep Rally closes Homecoming week’s festivities before the big game, and is sure to excite people of all ages! The cheerleaders, Blue Band, and sports teams will be there to pump everyone up for Saturday’s game against Michigan! At the conclusion of the Pep Rally, we will crown the 2008 Homecoming King and Queen!

Special Events has been working really hard to ensure that you will enjoy all that Homecoming week has to over. So come early, be loud, and get excited for the best Homecoming week you’ve ever had!

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Have you heard about Homecoming 2008? Of course you have! Because Homecoming 2008’s Public Relations committee has been hard at work to make sure you get the whole story on Homecoming.

This year PR will be upping the use of their Street Team, who you will see hanging around campus and getting you pumped about all of Homecoming’s festivities. You will also be seeing more promotions in the surrounding areas around campus, including in front of McLanahan’s and other downtown businesses. Public Relations has also been working hard on a new mode of Internet communication for alumni, students, and friends with the Technology Committee called a “blog” (which you are reading right now!)

Homecoming Night Out on October 15th has also gotten help from PR with the selection of three amazing bands. They have also been working hard on Homecoming’s annual blood drive, courtesy of the Red Cross. Keep a look out for flyers and banners in the fall about these events and others or talk to a member of the PR Street Team when you see them around campus!

PR has also secured radio sponsor, 3WZ, and television sponsor, WTAJ in order to help promote the fall Homecoming events to the rest of the Penn State community. Make sure to tune into them during Homecoming week to stay up to date on all that is Penn State Homecoming!

Public Relations has been spreading the excitement to make sure you know all about Homecoming and have a great time.  Listen up and they will give you the word on Homecoming!

For more Homecoming events go to the Homecoming Calendar

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The clanking sound of change and rustling of dollar bills can only come from one group of individuals, the homecoming finance committee of 2008. This year’s finance committee has dedicated themselves to the glory of homecoming by doing the first ever Homecoming fiscal report, which will require a complete financial analysis of Homecoming 2008.

The finance committee is excited to announce the expansion of the merchandising outlets, so more students can get cozy this fall in their Penn State homecoming gear. The committee has also been working hard on making homecoming’s finances more transparent to the rest of the organization. They also hope to increase university-wide involvement in homecoming and expand each homecoming event. You can thank the finance committee for thinking of you first when it comes to fundraising, merchandising, and the overall homecoming experience! Here are a few events that the Finance committee has set up for Penn State enjoyment and fundraising!

Homecoming Night Out-

Café 210

Sunday, September 18^th

(8PM to close)

Homecoming Cold Stone Fundraiser          

Cold Stone

Monday, October 6^th

( 6PM- 9PM)

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It is well known that Penn State has one of the richest senses of tradition in the world. Just like this past weekend’s Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts (more commonly known as Arts Fest), Homecoming is a celebration that ignites the passion and glory of Old State in all of its alumni, students, and fans. As we have just passed the 100 days till Homecoming mark, I felt as though we needed a reminder as to why we are celebrating such a great tradition.

The tradition for alumni to return to Penn State was started shortly after the Civil War in July of 1869. At that time, Penn State was known as the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania, and a new event called “Harvest Home” was established. The celebration was a bit different than it is today; complete with candles and lectures on agriculture (could you imagine if we did that today?) In 1869 almost 100 people arrived to celebrate, and like most Penn State traditions Harvest Home began to flourish. One year later over 2,000 came back to honor Penn State.

Penn State’s first Homecoming football game was played in September of 1920 against Ivy League School Dartmouth. The Lions won 14-7, making head coach Hugo Bezdeck proud of the Nittany Lions. The tradition was then set in stone; we were on our way to an outstanding homecoming experience. Today, more than 130 years later, thousands of alumni and fans that come back to State College to celebrate, and it would be hard to imagine Homecoming without them.

Each year, a team of students works hard for their peers to make Homecoming the best it can possibly be. They work all through the Spring, Summer, and Fall to create the best experience possible, simply because they have such a love for their school and its rich tradition. The next few weeks, we will be thanking those people and learning more about what they are doing for us as well as what new things they are planning for Homecoming this year. As for now, get excited for a few of the upcoming events.

TailGreat
Saturday, August 30^th
9am-kickoff
Bryce Jordan Center

Homecoming Night Out
Thursday, September 18^th
8pm-close
Café 210

Homecoming Day of Service
Sunday, September 21^st
10am
Alumni Hall

For a list of more events, check out http://homecoming.psu.edu/calendar.php

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Hey Penn State! Hopefully, you all remembered to pre-register for your football tickets! Just a reminder seniors will buy on June 16^th, juniors will be on the 17^th, sophomores will be on the 18^th, and freshmen don’t forget on the 19^th!  Grad students will be on the 20^th.  Make sure you get up bright and early so you can be there for the big homecoming celebration.  I want to thank those of you who gave us feedback, it was very much appreciated!  Keep up the comments, and let us know anything you would like to read about.

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The title says it all - Penn State Homecoming is one of the greatest traditions in Penn State’s history and we are looking for your feedback in making Homecoming 2008 the best it can be.

One of our first ventures into this new arena has been this blog. While it did start off at a slow crawl, rest assured we will be running full speed starting this September as the Homecoming season takes off.

For this to be possible, we are missing one critical ingredient - YOU!

We need your feedback to make this blog and Homecoming 2008 the best it can be. Students can already look forward to a number of changes this upcoming year, and plans are in the works to make the Pep Rally the best we’ve ever had, but we still need your help.

• What events would you like to see when you arrive in Happy Valley Homecoming weekend?
• What do you love/hate about Homecomings in the past?
• What would you like to see on this blog?

Starting in June we will also be inviting guest writers to blog about their own Homecoming traditions and memories!

If you have any feedback, please leave us a comment or feel free to send me an email at TechHomecoming@psu.edu.

For the Glory!

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Homecoming 2008 stirred up even more excitement at the Blue and White game last weekend with the revealing of this year’s logo. In accordance with the theme, “Inspired by Tradition,” designer and Penn State junior Nicole Angelica said she was inspired by the Blue Band, a tradition that “alumni, students, and faculty can all relate to.”

The Blue and White game really lends itself to the traditional logo reveal because, as Homecoming Overall Jehan Arafa puts it, “people who come back to watch a scrimmage are people who really care about Penn State.” Our alumni base is a huge part of our school identity, and we are lucky to be able to share the early excitement of Homecoming with so many members of the Penn State family! In case you weren’t able to make it back for the game, check out the logo here.

Angelica’s design is the first to incorporate a Blue Band member, so don’t miss out on getting the first Homecoming clothing to honor our musicians.  Merchandise will be available in the fall, which Angelica said she is anxiously awaiting.

“I warned everyone I know- you all have to buy everything now!” Angelica said, laughing.

Check back in the fall for links to purchase Homecoming merchandise and show everyone how you are “Inspired by Tradition!”

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