Do you bleed BLUE and WHITE?! Apply to be a 2009 Homecoming Captain today! Applications can be found in 209 HUB or at homecoming.psu.edu. Captain positions are available for 13 different committees. Applications will be accepted from February 13th to February 27th. Don’t miss out on becoming part of Penn State HISTORY! If you have any questions, contact Anna Sofio at publicrelationshomecoming@psu.edu.
Thanks to everyone who helped to make Homecoming 2008 such a success! It was clear that the entire Penn State community was ‘inspired by tradition’; from the 2-hour long parade to the amazing 46-17 win against Michigan, Penn State energy was everywhere! Special congratulations go out to Theta Chi and Omega Phi Alpha, this year’s winning pair for both Spirit and Overall points, as well as Homecoming King and Queen Anthony Estes and Elizabeth Kernion! Thanks for all your support this Homecoming season; feel free to leave us any feedback on what you liked and/or what you’d like to see next year on the blog. Keep showing how Penn State tradition inspires you all year long, and we’ll see you next Homecoming!
We’re already halfway through Homecoming week! Hopefully you’ve been able to enjoy the activities so far, but if not, Wednesday is a great day to start! Nittany Pursuit, a campus-wide trivia scavenger hunt, starts at 5 pm at East Halls for registered organizations. A scavenger hunt to “test your stamina, smarts and Penn State pride,” it will also be another chance to meet the Homecoming Court in person! If you haven’t cast your vote yet, come out to East to make your final decisions. Remember, the polls close at 5pm on Friday!
After getting a workout at Nittany Pursuit, anyone 21 and older can celebrate at The Gingerbread Man for the second Homecoming Night Out! From 10pm-2pm, stop by and enjoy live music by The Original Cover Band, Acalasia and Audio Imagery. A portion of the cover charge will go to Homecoming, so come out and show your support! For anyone in organizations competing in Homecoming, spirit points will also be rewarded! (As of 10:15 tonight, Theta Chi and Omega Phi Alpha were in the lead for spirit points, with Alpha Kappa Lambda and Gamma Sigma Sigma in second and Orchesis Dance Company and Theta Delta Chi finishing in third.) Thanks everyone! Happy Homecoming week!
Welcome to Homecoming week! After months of anticipation, Homecoming activities start tomorrow with the East Halls celebration from 4pm-8pm. The official kick-off of the week, all students are encouraged to come to East for free food, games, prizes and entertainment. Among the guest appearances and performances will be the Nittany Lion, Penn State cheerleaders and other athletes!
Also, don’t forget to vote for Homecoming King and Queen! Polls open at 8am Monday. Click here to read extended biographies of the nominees and to cast your vote!
Stay tuned for more upcoming events; we’ll always let you know in advance so you can be “Inspired by Tradition” and celebrate Homecoming all week!
Meet Elizabeth Kernion and George Khoury, members of the final Homecoming Court pair for 2008!
Elizabeth is an Economics major from Wexford, PA. A lover of Pad Thai and chocolate chip cookies from West Commons, Elizabeth also enjoys tailgating and singing “Hey Baby” at football games. Self-proclaimed as motivated, happy and fun-loving, Elizabeth thinks she was nominated for her “genuine love for Penn State and willingness to give back to the university. Oh, and so my friends could take pictures with the life-sized cardboard cutout in the HUB.”
Last Look: Elizabeth wants you to consider all choices for Homecoming Queen. “I think any of us on court would be a great King or Queen because each of us embodies a different facet of Penn State, and I hope that people vote for the candidate they feel most drawn to.”
George, a Chemical Engineering major, hails from Allentown, PA. Penn State proud, his favorite things across the board are blue and white, football games and singing the Penn State Alma Mater. George describes himself as smart, fun and caring, and thinks he “embodies the Penn State spirit.” Says George, “I inspire those around me to do their best and try to bring out the good in everyone. I believe I best represent the common student.”
Last Look: George has both logical and magical reasons for wanting to be your Homecoming King. “If I were King and could wave a magic wand and change one thing about Penn State, I would lower tuition. As King, I would work to further complete the goals of the students we serve.”
You’ve read about all your Homecoming nominees; now it’s almost time to vote! Check out homecoming.psu.edu from Monday, October 13 to Friday, October 17 to cast your votes for King and Queen. With these ten great nominees, it could be a close race so make sure to vote!
Meet Karly Mozdzen and John Sladewski, Homecoming Court pair #4!
Karly, from Pittsburgh, PA, is studying to be a Physical Health Education Teacher. A lover of pizza, wings and Penn State’s squirrels, Karly says she’s easy-going, awkward and always smiling. Her favorite song to belt out is “Lose Your Love Tonight,” by The Outfield. Above all, Karly says, “I’m an adventurous person who really cares about people and enjoys life.”
Last Look: Karly thinks her activities over the past four years have set her up to be a good Homecoming Queen. “I love Penn State and love giving back to the community. I think my involvement on campus and my academic progress make a good representation for Penn State. I would love to meet more people and remain a part of Penn State for a lifetime.”
John is a Human Development and Family Studies major from Marlboro, NJ. He loves Penn State traditions like frequenting Are U Hungry? for his favorite “fat sandwiches” and home football weekends, which he says he spends at the Farmer’s Market on Friday, tailgating and the game Saturday, and Mt. Nittany on Sunday. John describes himself as genuine, passionate and spontaneous, traits which might shine through when singing his favorite song to belt out to, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
Last Look: John wants to be your Homecoming King because of his passion for the school. “I hope to give back to Penn State, since it has given me so much. I hope to help perpetuate the traditions of this university and its Homecoming week.”
Stay tuned to meet the last Homecoming Court pair this weekend. Homecoming week debuts in 4 days!
A flock of students came walking downtown Monday night to get their daily dose of Cold Stone Ice Cream, for Old State! The Homecoming Cold Stone Fundraiser turned out to be a huge success with a line to the next building the whole night. All together, the fundraiser brought Cold Stone 1229.82 dollars, which is the highest amount any student organization has ever made for Cold Stone! With Homecoming taking home 35% of the profit, a grand total of 430.44 dollars was donated toward Homecoming! Congratulations everyone and thanks for your support!
Want to make a big difference in someone’s life, support Penn State Homecoming AND get free food and prizes? Come out to the annual Homecoming blood drive tomorrow! Held at Alumni Hall in the HUB, everyone is invited to give walk-in donations from 11 am-5 pm. After giving blood, there will be Papa John’s pizza and Rita’s Italian Ice to help you replenish, as well as Homecoming merchandise giveaways and a raffle for a $1,000 gift card! Make a difference, get free lunch, and come out and celebrate how close we are to Homecoming week!
Introducing Kristin Schappell and Anthony Estes, members of Homecoming Court Pair #3!
Kristin Schappell, of Garnet Valley, PA, is a Finance major. Some of her favorite things include Chicken Parmesan with angel hair pasta, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing”, and, like a true Penn Stater, the color blue. Self-described as passionate, dependable and outgoing, Kristin says she’s proud of Penn State’s “unity amongst the student body.” She believes that her involvement over the past four years played a part in her nomination. “By getting involved in a variety of different organizations and activities, I met people who saw my passion for Penn State and making a differen[ce]. To me, the most important thing I can accomplish in my four years is to inspire those around me, and it is my hope that when I graduate in the spring that I will have made a difference in the life of at least one individual.”
Last Look: Kristen believes she should be your Homecoming Queen because she “represents what a true Penn Stater is- someone who gets involved, works hard, and gives back to the community – but who loves Penn State athletics, THON, and the Creamery.”
Anthony Estes is a Crime, Law and Justice major from Philadelphia, PA. According to Anthony, he’s smooth, calm and giving, and enjoys pizza, cheesecake, and singing the Nittany Lion song. His favorite thing about Penn State is the pride, saying ” the fact that we have a chant is awesome. When we yell “We are …” I think it’s more than a chant but a way of expressing our dedication to each other.” Anthony hopes he will leave Penn State better than he found it: ”Every organization that I have ever been involved with, I try to leave a positive impact. Penn State has been my main focus when trying to leave an impact.”
Last Look: Anthony says he would make a good Homecoming King because of his ”dedication to impact/influence everyone that I come in contact with. I am truly dedicated to showing all individuals that no matter how tough a situation is, you can overcome anything with hard work and positive thought!”
Wondering where all of the wonderful faces of Homecoming nominees are coming from? The King and Queen Committee for 2008 has been hard at work with the nominations as well as the future voting for the Homecoming court selection. The Committee was driven to se
lect a diverse Homecoming Court this year, and feels they have had success with the ten members of the Homecoming court (keep checking the blog for a little information on the pairs!)
Publicizing the court nominees is another of the King and Queen Committees big goals. Several modes of this is the blog (obviously), videos, the website, and maybe even a cutout of the court representative! The committee hopes that they were successful in providing a court that truly represents the diverse population of Penn State. Got comments? Ideas? Let us know!
