Penn State Stories

Administrative Assistant (1)

This captain will act as the Administrative Assistant and inter-committee liaison. As the Administrative Assistant they will work closely with the Alumni Relations Director in organizing team building events and acting as the main connection between Alumni Relations and other committees. Their responsiblities will include taking meeting minutes, checking and collaborating with other captains, sending out reminders, and designing/ordering all Alumni Relations Committee merchandise. This captain will also act as the liaison between Alumni Relations and Financial Management , working with the Financial Managmenet Fiscal Tracking Captains to track the committee’s expenses throughout the year. This individual must demonstrate creativity and an ability to work through event planning logistics while being organized and have strong communication skills.

Alumni Court (1)  

This captain is in charge of all logistics pertaining to the Penn State Homecoming Alumni Court. This individual will oversee the publicizing of the court, as well as the application and interview process. This individual will be responsible for maintaining and promoting good relationships between any Alumni chapters and groups involved in the process. Once the Alumni Court is selected, this individual is tasked with acting as the liaison between Homecoming and the Alumni Court. During Homecoming Week, this captain will go to Court Reception (along with your GM/HGM Liaison) to introduce the court to the audience. They will also escort the court to Vehicle Grounds and meet them at the end of the route to escort them to F&FT on Parade Day.

Alumni Engagement: Events (2)  

These captains will be in charge of working with the Alumni Association as well as the two Alumni Association student organizations to promote student engagement with alumni beyond just Homecoming Week, including guest speakers, luncheons and networking events. They will help to plan the Student-Alumni Ice Cream Social, working with the Alumni Association to formulate the event layout, entertainment and activities, and the timeline. This captain will be responsible for reaching out to performing organizations, student organizations, and the student population in order to increase attendance and help advertise the event. They will work closely with the Administrative Assistant, as well as the Alumni Association, to create new events and initiatives that will further engage students and alumni. They will also work with their director to continue to grow AlumniTalks. They should be ambitious in their efforts to stay engaged with and highlight the successes of alumni, and will be in charge of creating new ways to showcase our alumni throughout the year Homecoming season. This captain should demonstrate professionalism and have strong communication skills to other Homecoming volunteers and incoming Alumni.

Grand Marshal/Honorary Grand Marshal Captain (1)

This captain will be in charge of maintaining contact with Homecoming’s Grand Marshal and Honorary Grand Marshal prior to and throughout Homecoming Week, ensuring that they are aware of the timeline and other important information. They are in charge of promoting the Grand Marshal and Honorary Grand Marshal to the Penn State population, including planning how they will be revealed and sharing how these individuals have contributed to the Penn State community. This individual must be organized, demonstrate professionalism, and have strong communication skills. During Homecoming Week, this captain will go to Court Reception (along with your Alumni Court Captain) to introduce the GM and HGM. Additionally, this captain will escort the GM and HGM to Vehicle Grounds and F&FT on Parade Day.

Point Master (1) 

The Point Master Captain is required to attend all events at which Spirit and/or Competition Points are available and will oversee signing in organization members to receive points. They are required to create detailed spreadsheets that will be used by themselves as well as Competition Captains to keep track of all Competition and Spirit Points for each specific event. These captains should be organized, prompt, and have some experience in creating spreadsheets (Excel).

Events & Registration (1) 

The Event Captain should be outgoing, organized, have good communication skills, and be willing to reach out to distinguished Penn State students, faculty,and alumni. The Events/Registration Captain is responsible for the organization of the Madhatter Competition, Banner Competition, and Competitor Registration. This captain is also responsible for being present to greet the judges and explain the scoring process of Banner Competition. This Captain will also oversee the execution of all areas of the Madhatter Competition. This Captain will also be working with the financial Management Director on Competitor Registration.

Organization Liaisons (3) 

The Organization Liaisons serve as the main point of communication for all Penn State Homecoming Competitors. The Liaisons will be working to further outreach to more organizations on campus. These Captains must have a vast knowledge ofeverything involved with Competition and Homecoming, including, events, rules, dates, and scoring and will need to be prepared to answer Competitor questions at any time. They will be responsible for the planning and execution of the Spring and Fall Homecoming Information Meetings. The Competing pairs will be split, and each Organization Liaison will be given a group of Competitors for which they will provide information and send reminders to. These Captains must be responsible, organized, have strong communication skills, and be prepared to work with many individuals.

Rules & Regulations (1)

The Rules & Regulations Captain will be responsible for administering deductions according to the rules set forth in the Rulebook and will be required to create Rulebook quizzes that will be given to Competition Captains as well as Homecoming Chairs of each organization. This captain is also responsible for overseeing the making of rubrics for the events as well as competitor inspections. This captain should be organized and will work with Parade on all requirements for the Float Competition.

Training Development: (1)

The Training & Development Captain will spearhead internal development of their fellow Captains and Committee Members. They will manage professional development and team building in order to promote a cohesive, collected, and professional OPP unit prior to Homecoming Week. This role will work closely with all Captains. This Captain should be collaborative, self-assured, and willing to help others be the most professional version of themselves.

Inventory Liaison / Special Projects: (3)

The Special Projects/Inventory Liaison Captains will be responsible for any projects that fall outside the normal responsibilities of the OPP committee. They will design and construct all structures requested from other committees. These individuals should be creative and comfortable using basic tools necessary for construction. They will need to work with the rest of the OPP committee, and with all other committees throughout Homecoming. They will process requests from these individuals, and work directly with the Inventory Development Captain to understand what inventory we currently have, and what to allocate. These 3 captains will need to have an in-depth understanding of our inventory, be very organized, and can work well with others.

Inventory Development: (1)

The Inventory Development Captain will be responsible for developing and optimizing an Inventory Management system for internal Homecoming and OPP use. This Captain will be expected to work with the Special Projects/Inventory Liaison and Purchasing Captains to understand current inventory and update the inventory management system throughout the year. Their main project will be Inventory Day in which they lead the organization of the off campus storage closet. This Captain needs to be organized and data-oriented and have a sound knowledge of Excel or other data management software.

Equipment Logistics: (1)

The Equipment Logistics Captain is responsible for sourcing all materials and equipment, including tables, chairs, and vehicles needed for Homecoming Week. They will work closely with Penn State OPP and will be in constant contact with outside vendors and with other Homecoming Committees fulfilling their needs for events. This Captain will be working constantly with the Setup/Teardown and PDFG Captains to plan each event. They will be a leader during event Set Up and Teardown to ensure all equipment is handled properly. This Captain must be organized and reliable, since they need to have a holistic idea of everything happening with the larger inventory items.

Procurement-Purchasing (1)

Purchasing Captains will be responsible for acquiring all supplies for Homecoming. The Purchasing Captain will be responsible for ordering all materials needed to create Homecoming floats and meet other requested supplies such as rental agreements. They will also research quotes from various vendors and will work to find sustainable alternatives to common supplies. They will also be expected to attend Fiscal Tracking Focus Groups. This Captain will work alongside the Inventory Development and Special Projects/Inventory Liaison Captains. This Captain should be organized and have good communication skills. Overall this captain will focus on purchasing items to allocate and fuel all of Homecoming!

Inter-Committee Liaison (1) 

This captain will be responsible for taking meeting minutes, organizing team building activities, and maintaining the organization of the Financial Management committee merchandise ordering process. This captain will also act as a liaison between the Financial Management committee and all other committees. The ICL will also be responsible for assisting the Alternative Fundraising Captain when necessary. Strong organization, collaboration, and communication skills are preferred.

Fiscal Tracking (2)

These captains are responsible for tracking all internal expenses and profits of Homecoming. They will also work closely with the Financial Management Director to manage various committee budgets and fiscal reports for the year. Responsibilities include merchandise profit analysis, profit/expense report tracking, and committee budget management. This position will entail educating all Inter-Committee Liaisons and Financial Management Liaisons on proper financial recording methods and fiscal tracking. These Captains will be responsible for tracking the budgets for fiscal focused committees which includes the Distribution Management, Internal Development, OPPerations, Parade, Pride Events, Public Relations, Talent Relations, and University Relations committees. These captains will help the Financial Management Director lead the Fiscal Tracking Group in meetings. There will be extra meetings for this position. Detail orientation and Excel experience are preferred skills.

Corporate Fundraising: (1)

This captain will be responsible for establishing and developing fundraising events with businesses in State College for Homecoming. They will be required to organize and manage fundraisers, contact various businesses and corporations, and make trips to businesses to strengthen Homecoming’s relationship with them. This Captain will also act as a liaison between Homecoming and the Bryce Jordan Center in coordinating concession stand fundraising events. This Captain will work closely with the Internal Development Director in communicating all of Homecoming’s fundraising efforts to all committees. Strong creativity, communication, and organizational skills are preferred.

Donation Development: (1)

The Donation Development Captain is responsible for spreading awareness of Homecoming sponsorship opportunities. This includes keeping track of all donations to Homecoming by improving and maintaining the donation tracker. They are in charge of planning and implementing new strategies to better suit both our current donors and potential future donors. This captain will also work closely with Public Relations committee and the Benefitting Captain in order to develop a new benefitting packet. Communication skills, creativity, and the ability to express the importance of Homecoming are the most pertinent skills necessary to succeed as the Donation Development Captain.

Benefitting: (1)

The Benefitting Captain will develop a new Benefitting Packet for Homecoming 2022. This project will be the vast majority of this Captain’s role in the Spring semester. This captain will work closely with Public Relations. The Benefitting Captain is responsible for thanking donors and sponsors of Homecoming which mainly takes place in the Spring. They will need to be conscious of donation follow-up protocol. They will put together sponsor packets and work with other committees to coordinate corporate sponsorships and other necessary donations. This captain will also be responsible for coordinating parade day donations and managing the Donor Tent with the Donation Development Captain. Some aspects of this may include supervising tent set up, ordering catering, decorating the tent, developing the invitation list, inviting donors, networking during the parade, and supervising tent tear-down. They will work closely with Internal Development’s Friends and Family Tent Captain(s) and OPPerations captains to ensure that the parade day tent is run smoothly. Professionalism, promptness and good communication skills are needed in order to be successful in this position.

Alternative Fundraising (2)

This Captain will be responsible for creating and coordinating alternative fundraisers for Homecoming. The Alternative Fundraising Captains should be creative and driven to pursue projects of their own creation throughout the year. These captains will also be in charge of implementing the Gift Card Initiative across Homecoming. They will be in charge of drafting an email and sending it out to different stores in State College and across the state of Pennsylvania. They will try to get gift cards from stores such as Walmart, Target, grocery stores, Home Depot, and more! These Captains should have innovative ideas and strong communication skills.

Alumni & University Liaison

This Captain will work with the Alumni Relations Committee to spread awareness to alumni of sponsorship opportunities for Homecoming 2022. This captain will work closely with the Financial Management Director to develop more prevalent donation funds. They will work with the Benefitting Captain to improve on the Benefitting structure for Alumni donors. The Alumni & University Liaison will also work with the university to determine how they can help Homecoming. This Captain should be creative, have good communication skills, and have knowledge of the Alumni Association.

Administrative Assistant (1)

The Administrate Assistant will be responsible for the organizational and financial aspects of the Merchandise Committee throughout the year. This Captain will understand the inner workings of their Committee and work closely with their Director to be knowledgeable about all operational aspects of their Committee. The Administrative Assistant will oversee recording meeting minutes, sending recap and reminder emails, and designing committee merchandise. This Captain will also be responsible for planning all committee gatherings such as retreat, and committee bonding events. Additionally, this Captain will serve as a liaison between the Merchandise and the Financial Management Committees. The Administrative Assistant will be responsible for maintaining a financial tracking database and creating reports using that information for the Director. They must be able to create income statements, expense reports, and invoices in Excel to analyze merchandise sales. Keeping track of finances is crucial to ensuring our success as a committee, so this Captain will also assist in keeping track of Committee-specific merchandise ordered throughout the year. They will work to assist in cost analysis for inventory and for promotions. This Captain will also work with the Merchandise Director and Financial Management Committee to create a standard system for tracking merchandise financials from year to year. Additionally, they will be expected to work with Financial Management’s Fiscal Tracking Captains to track the committee’s expenses throughout the year and to attend Fiscal Tracking Focus Groups. A background in finance and accounting, or proficiency in Excel or other spreadsheet programs is preferred for this position. The Administrative Assistant should be very organized, prompt with emails, adaptable and eager to learn.

Graphic Design: (1)

The Graphic Design Captain will be in charge of all the graphic design needs that the Merchandise committee may have. They will work to share ideas and develop new items and logos for Homecoming gear. This Captain may also be assigned to individual tasks such as designing specific-committee merchandise, or graphics. The Graphic Design Captain will act as a liaison to the Public Relations Committee to ensure Homecoming’s brand pervasiveness and consistency across the Penn State community. This Captain will also be asked to design the posters for merch sales as well as promotional materials to be posted on Homecoming’s social media platforms. Lastly, the Graphic Designer will also be aiding the Director with reviewing all Homecoming competitors’ merchandise before participating in Homecoming events to make sure all attire is Homecoming appropriate. The ideal candidate should be extremely creative and dedicated and have an interest in fashion and design. This Captain must be proficient in using Photoshop or other graphic design programs and must provide a portfolio with at least three pieces of work with the application.

Inventory (Logistics): (1)

The major responsibility of the Logistical Inventory Captain is to ensure all sales locations are supplied with merchandise. Merchandise needs to be inventoried after every sale; therefore, they will be asked to keep accurate records of inventory, spot any trends in selling to communicate with the Ordering Captain, and work together with the Financial Management Liaison Captain to produce reports on all items sold. This includes working with the Ordering Captain to establish a logical system to determine how much inventory to order. This Captain must also have a way to record the quantity of each item sold at each sale. The Inventory Captains will also assist in the organization and maintenance of the merchandise storage room. Additionally, the Inventory Captains will work with the Head of Sales Captains to ensure all sales and display bins are accurately stocked before and after each sale. This Captain must be very organized, proficient with Excel (or other spreadsheet software), strong communication skills, and flexible.

Inventory (Outreach): (1)

The major responsibility of the Outreach Inventory Captain is to ensure all sales locations are supplied with merchandise. Merchandise needs to be inventoried after every sale; therefore, they will be asked to keep accurate records of inventory with the other Inventory Captain. This position will also involve managing the merchandise online store. Online store responsibilities include packing and shipping all online orders and responding to customer service questions via e-mail. The Inventory Captains will also assist in the organization and maintenance of the merchandise storage room. This Captain will be responsible for distributing all internal Homecoming merchandise (e.g., on-shift shirts and Forever shirts). Additionally, the Inventory Captains will work with the Head of Sales Captains to ensure all sales and display bins are accurately stocked before and after each sale. This Captain must be very organized, be able to respond to e-mails adequately, proficient with Excel (or other spreadsheet software), strong communication skills, and adaptable.

Ordering: (1)

The Ordering Captain will be responsible for placing all orders for Homecoming specific merchandise. This Captain will work closely with the Merchandise Director and our vendors to ensure that all merchandise orders are correct. This position will also involve preparing the order sheets to be sent out to the vendors in a neat Excel Spreadsheet. This Captain will work with the Inventory Outreach Captain to establish a logical system to determine how much inventory to order. Lastly, this Captain will work closely with the Merchandise Director to ensure the accurately of the orders and to ensure timely delivery/pickup. This Captain must be organized, be able to respond to e-mails promptly, have a strong attention to detail, and be very patient.

Head of Sales: (2)

The Head of Sales Captains will be responsible for selecting the members of the Merchandise Committee, who will help work sales in the HUB and at Homecoming events. They will help build unity within the Merchandise Committee and work with the Inter-Committee Liaison to plan activities with the Captains and Committee Members. These Captains must be creative in finding ways to keep committee members involved in Homecoming throughout the year. The Head of Sales Captains will not only attend weekly meetings with the Merchandise Director and Captains, but they will also be expected to hold weekly meetings with their Merchandise Committee. They will also be responsible for creating a schedule for Committee Members and Captains to ensure that sales are manned at all times and lead set-up and tear-down procedures. These Captains will make sure all Captains and Committee Members are aware of the sale procedures by working with the Merchandise Director to teach the skills necessary to best sell our products. Additionally, these Captains will work with the Inventory Captains to ensure all sales and display bins are accurately stocked before and after each sale. The Head of Sales Captains must be strong leaders and great role models for their Committee.

Public Relations Liaison (1)

The Public Relations Liaison will be responsible for all promotional, advertising, marketing and public relations materials for the Merchandise Committee. This Captain will work with the Public Relations Committee to plan and organize merchandise photo shoots. They will also be responsible for developing ideas for merchandise commercials and creating ideas on how to further promote merchandise both at in-person sales as well as with the online store. This Captain will work closely with the Graphic Design Captain to create marketing materials and develop ideas to push sales. Additionally, this Captain will work alongside the Director to develop social media pages to advertise merchandise. This Captain must be creative, organized, communicable, and eager to learn and promote merchandise. Familiarity with advertising, marketing or public relations and with Photoshop or other graphic design program is preferred.

Inter Committee Liaison: (1)

This Captain will assist the Director by keeping the committee informed on all things Homecoming and by being the point of contact for any in-house questions. He or she will be responsible for taking meeting minutes, sending emails, ordering committee merchandise, maintaining the OPP Budget and creating the OPPerations Homecoming Week Survival Guide. In addition, they will organize and plan the OPP Captain and Committee retreat as well as other OPP bonding events. This captain will attend weekly meetings led by the Internal Development Director. They will serve as a Sustainability Ambassador for their committee and will be responsible for organizing the Sustainability Seminar and creating Sustainability educational resources for all ICLs to share with their committees each week. The ICL should be very organized, comfortable with appropriate technologies, and confident in their writing abilities.

Equipment Logistics: (1)

The Equipment Logistics Captain is responsible for sourcing all materials and equipment, including tables, chairs, and vehicles needed for Homecoming Week. They will work closely with Penn State OPP and will be in constant contact with outside vendors and with other Homecoming Committees fulfilling their needs for events. This Captain will be working constantly with the Set Up/Teardown and PDFG Captains to plan each event. They will be a leader during event Set Up and Teardown to ensure all equipment is handled properly. This Captain must be organized and reliable.

Parade Logistics: (2)

The Parade Logistics Captains are responsible for roping and staking the Parade Route. These Captains will develop a Parade Security layout that displays the exact placement of all stakes and ropes on Parade Day. These Captains will also act as OPP Liaisons at the Parade Day Focus Group Meetings. In addition, these two will serve as the Captains for the OPP Committee Members. They will be required to hold committee meetings and organize committee bonding events. These Captains must be organized, detail-oriented, and strong leaders.

PDFG Liaison: (1)

This Captain will lead the PDFG (Parade Day Focus Group) Meetings involving the Parade, and Distribution Management committees. He or she will be responsible for creating the master timeline for Parade Day. They will work closely with the Set Up/Teardown and Logistics Captains to plan the OPP timeline for Parade Day, specifically focusing on Set Up and Teardown of the Parade Route. This Captain will be a leader throughout Parade Day and will be the point of contact for other Committees. This Captain should be an effective communicator in groups.

Police & Security Liaison: (1)

This Captain serves as the liaison between Homecoming and various Police Departments. This Captain will attend meetings with the Police to ensure that Homecoming is following all protocols and fulfilling all security obligations necessary to run a successful Homecoming. This Captain will also act as an OPP Liaison at the Parade Day Focus Group Meetings. Additionally, they will also be in charge of handling all driving records required for vehicle usage. This Captain is also responsible for coordinating and communicating with all Parade Day Volunteers. This Captain should be an effective communicator.

Special Projects: (2)

These Captains will be responsible for any projects that fall outside the normal responsibilities of the OPP committee. They will design and construct all structures requested from other committees. These individuals should be creative and comfortable using basic tools necessary for construction. They will also keep inventory of the OPP Off Campus Storage Unit. These Captains should be organized, reliable, and be willing to dedicate many hours to construction.

Set Up/Teardown: (1)

This Captain is responsible for creating the OPP timelines for every Homecoming event. They will work throughout the year to logistically prepare for OPP’s biggest responsibility, the Set Up and Teardown of each event, and will work closely with the Logistics and PDFG Captains to effectively coordinate Parade Day. This Captain should not only be an effective leader but possess good problem solving skills and have sufficient knowledge of all Homecoming events.

Waste Management: (1)

This Captain’s focus will be on the environmental impact of Homecoming and will spread Homecoming’s sustainability efforts and mission. Throughout the year, this Captain will help lead Inter-Committee Liasons in their Sustainability efforts. This person will be responsible for ensuring proper waste management at all Homecoming Events as well as leading Homecoming’s effort to become a zero-waste organization. This Captain will be in charge of planning Recycle Your Float Event and Homecoming OPPerations Protecting the Environment (HOPE), a campus-wide Recycling Effort. This Captain should be creative, have good organization and communication skills, and have a desire to make an impact.

ICL/Walking Grounds Coordinator (ICL): (1)

This Captain will be responsible for the organizational aspect of the Parade Committee throughout the year. This Captain will be responsible for all communication with the other Committees in Homecoming. They will oversee recording meeting minutes, send reminder emails,and order merchandise. They will attend bi-weekly meetings lead by the Internal Development Director. Additionally, this Captain will work with the Director and Financial Management’s Fiscal Tracking Captains to track the committee’s expenses throughout the year. They will also attend Fiscal Tracking Focus Groups. This Captain will be responsible for the Student Walking Grounds. They will create diagrams of their staging grounds, assign participating organizations a check-in location and time for Parade Day, secure staging ground reservations with the University. They will also be responsible for the set up and tear down of the Student Walking Grounds. This Captain should be detailed oriented, organized, and possess excellent communication skills

Alumni Liaison: (1) 

This Captain will communicate deadlines, policies, procedures, and information to all alumni participating in the parade. They will manage the intake of final registration. They will send confirmation, check-in, and reminder emails throughout the year. They will be responsible for answering alumni questions concerning their participation in the parade. They will also be responsible for the set up and tear down of the Alumni Walking Grounds. This position requires professionalism, organization, and excellent communication skills.

Community Liaison: (1)

This Captain is responsible for the procedures, and information to all community groups participating in the parade. They will manage the intake of final registration. They will send confirmation, check-in, and reminder emails throughout the year. They will be responsible for answering community questions concerning their participation in the parade. They will also be responsible for the set up and tear down of the Student/Community Walking Grounds. This position requires professionalism, organization, and excellent communication skills.

Student Organization Liaison: (1) 

This Captain will communicate deadlines, policies, procedures, and information to all student organizations participating in the parade. They will manage the intake of final registration. They will communicate confirmation, check-in, and reminders throughout the year. They will be responsible for answering student organizations’ questions concerning their participation in the parade. They will work closely with the Competition Committee to communicate information to all student organizations competing in Homecoming. This position requires organization, responsibility, excellent communication skills, experience working with excel, and the ability to work professionally in stressful situations.

VIP/ Vehicle Grounds Coordinator: (1) 

This Captain will be responsible for coordinating the participation of student, alumni, and government VIPs in the parade. They will develop the list of potential invitees, send invitations, and track RSVPs. They will work closely with the Community/Donor Relations Liaison to secure vehicles for VIPs in the parade. This Captain will also be responsible for the Vehicle Grounds. They will secure staging ground reservations with the university. They will create diagrams of their staging grounds, assign participating organizations a check-in location and time on Parade Day, and manage a timely departure to the Parade Route. They will oversee the set up and tear down of the Vehicle Grounds. This Captain should be detail oriented, organized, and possess excellent professional communication skills.

Floats Grounds Coordinator: (1) 

This Captain will be responsible for the Float Grounds. They will secure staging ground reservations with the university. They will handle all grounds paperwork with the university. They will create diagrams of their staging grounds, assign participating organizations a check-in location and time on Parade Day, and manage a timely departure of the Float Grounds to the Parade Route. They will oversee the set up and tear down of the Float Grounds. Also, they will be in charge of planning and overseeing Recycle Your Float. This Captain should be detail oriented, organized, and possess excellent communication skills.

Student Safety Captain: (1) 

This Captain will serve as the primary liaison to the parade flatbed vendor. They will coordinate the delivery of all flatbeds and flatbed supplies to participants. They will communicate flatbed safety regulations to student organizations. They will plan and organize the Parade Float Safety Inspections. Also, they will be in charge of handling all security paperwork for the parade. This Captain will also attend police meetings. They will attend weekly meetings for the Parade Day Focus Group. On Parade day, they will work with the VIP/Vehicle Grounds Coordinator to oversee the Vehicle Grounds.This Captain should have excellent communication skills, be detailed oriented, organized, and able to act professionally.

Virtual Engagement Captain: (1)

This Captain will be responsible for the virtual nature of the parade in whatever capacity that occurs in. They will oversee planning and execution on virtual events throughout the year and during the parade. Additionally, this Captain will work and communicate with other captain committees to acquire all materials and communicate with appropriate vendors. This Captain will be responsible for the Virtual Grounds. They will create diagrams of their staging grounds, assign participating vendors and activities a check-in location and time for Parade Day, secure virtual grounds reservations with the University. They will also be responsible for the set up and tear down of the Virtual Grounds. This Captain should be flexible, detailed oriented, organized, and possess excellent communication skills.

Inter-committee Liaison (ICL) (1) 

The ICL will be responsible for the organizational aspect of the Pride Events Committee throughout the year. As an ICL, this Captain will know the inner workings of their committee, work closely with their Director to be knowledgeable about all operational aspects of their committee, and be able to readily relay information regarding their committee to other ICLs and all Homecoming Captains. The ICL will record meeting minutes, send reminder emails, act as a liaison for the Pride Events committee, and create and order internal merchandise. They will attend weekly meetings lead by the Internal Development ICL and share relevant information from these meetings with their committee. The ICL will serve as the primary Sustainability Ambassador for their committee and will be responsible for educating their Committee on Homecoming’s Sustainability efforts and mission each week. In addition, they will plan Nittany Night in the fall. The ICL should be very organized, comfortable with appropriate technologies, and confident in their writing abilities.

Celebration Captains (2) 

These captains are responsible for planning and executing the Homecoming Legacy and Past to Present events. The focus of Legacy Celebration is to celebrate the new Homecoming Logo with the Penn State Community and signify that Homecoming is a year-long celebration. This event occurs in the spring semester; moreover, these captains must be prepared for fast pace planning, and must come prepared with creative and innovative ideas for this event. Past to Present Celebration is an event that takes place in the Fall and encompasses the history of Penn State and how it has developed into the Penn State we see today. These Captains must be dedicated in the pursuit of spreading Homecoming and Penn State pride throughout the entire year. The applicants for this position must possess efficient communication and interpersonal skills, organizational abilities, creativity and originality.

Allen Street Jam Captain (2) 

These captains are responsible for planning and executing the Allen Street Jam event. This event will be a small festival for the Penn State community to have fun and kick off Homecoming week in the Downtown area. This captain will be in charge of all aspects of the event, including, but not limited to, organizing the layout of the event, working on a timeline for the entertainment, gathering and reaching out to potential vendors and organizations for booths, along with set up and tear down of the event. These captains should have a strong work ethic, interpersonal skills, creativity and organizational skills.

Best of Penn State Carnival Captain (2) 

These captains will be responsible for planning and executing the annual Best of Penn State Carnival (BOPS Carnival). These Captains will be in charge of all aspects of the event, including, but not limited to, gathering a list of potential booths and coordinating them, finding large amusements and attractions, planning a layout of the carnival, working on the timeline for the entertainment, helping with set-up, overseeing the event itself and assisting with tear-down of the event. These captains must come prepared with innovative and creative ideas for the future of this event. Applicants must possess strong work ethic, efficient communication skills and excellent organizational abilities.

Inter-Committee Liaison (1)  

The ICL will be responsible for the organizational aspect of the Public Relations Committee throughout the year. As an ICL, this Captain will know the inner workings of their committee, work closely with their Director to be knowledgeable about all operational aspects of their committee, and be able to readily relay information regarding their committee to other ICLs and all Homecoming Captains. The ICL will oversee recording meeting minutes, sending reminder emails, acting as an intra-committee liaison, and ordering merchandise. They will attend weekly meetings lead by the Internal Development Director. The ICL will serve as the primary Sustainability Ambassador for their committee and will be responsible for educating their Committee on Homecoming’s Sustainability efforts and mission each week. This captain will also act as the liaison between Public Relations and Financial Management. They will be expected to work with Financial Management’s Fiscal Tracking Captains to track the committee’s expenses throughout the year. They will also be expected to attend Fiscal Tracking Focus Groups. The ICL should be very organized, comfortable with appropriate technologies, and confident in their writing abilities. In addition, the Inter Committee Liaison is responsible for writing and managing the Penn State Homecoming Blog along with writing and sending out the monthly newsletter. Applicants should be organized, have strong writing and communication skills, and be team-oriented.

 Social Media Captain (2) 

The Social Media Captains will be in charge of maintaining the Homecoming Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. These captains should be interested in ways to broaden the Homecoming appearance in alternative media and should be prepared to work closely with other committees to promote events and share Homecoming news and updates. The Social Media Captains will also be in charge of maintaining the brand image and voice of Penn State Homecoming. Applicants should have a strong background in social media, possess creativity, excellent writing and communication skills, and a strong voice.

Media Relations Captains (2) 

The Media Relations Captains’ responsibilities include writing press releases, media advisories, PSAs, and feature articles to be sent to local and state newspapers. These Captains will also work closely with Homecoming”s contacts and assist media and print networks during all Homecoming events. This position also encourages Captains to broaden Homecoming’s reach and welcoming new outlets. The Media Relations Captains will also be in charge of creating the 2022 Homecoming Press Kit, Press FAQ Sheet, and Crisis Communication Plan. Applicants should have excellent writing, communication, and time management skills. Applicants are encouraged to have a strong background in public relations.

Photography Captains (2) 

The Photography Captains will be in charge of documenting all Homecoming events throughout the year by taking photos. In addition, they will be responsible for editing and uploading these pictures in a timely manner. These captains will also be responsible for overseeing a the photography and production committee with their fellow production captain. These captains will work closely with the Social Media Captains, Graphic Design Captains, and the Technology Committee. Applicants should have prior photography experience, possess creativity, have a strong understanding of Homecoming’s image, and have strong leadership skills. Applicants should present a portfolio.

Graphic Design Captains (3) 

The Graphic Design Captains are responsible for designing and creating advertisements that will appear in various publications and places across campus using Homecoming’s brand guidelines. These captains will also create designs for balloons, flyers, and posters used to promote Homecoming. Applicants should have prior experience using Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator and have knowledge of graphic design. Majors in graphic design and advertising are encouraged to apply. Applicants should present a portfolio.

Marketing Captain (2) 

The Marketing Captains will be responsible for developing marketing campiagns for various Homecoming events and a larger campiagn dedicated toward this year’s theme. These Captains will work closely with the Public Relations Director and many other positions to create big picture plans. The Marketing Captains will be the main point of contact between the Public Relations committee and the rest of the Homecoming committees to ensure everyone has the information needed to promote all Homecoming events. Applicants should be organized, dedicated, driven, and have marketing experience. Marketing majors are encouraged to apply.

Production Captains (3) 

The Video Media Captains are responsible for filming, producing, and editing all Homecoming videos such as: the Emcee Announcement, Logo Reveal, Grand Marshal Reveal as well as many others. They will also develop various promotional materials or virtual video experiences. These Captains will also be responsible for overseeing a committee while working closely with Social Media to produce content. Applicants should be knowledgeable in or eager to learn about DSLR cameras, Adobe Premiere or other video editing software. Applicants should be creative, self-motivated, and collaborative. Applicants should present a portfolio.

Inter-Committee  Liaison  and Parade Day Celebration Captain: (1)   

This captain will be responsible for organizing several aspects of the committee. They will work with the ICL’s of the other committees across homecoming to coordinate efforts and create efficiency throughout the organization, as well as managing outreach for the committee. Our ICL is also responsible for taking meeting minutes and fostering morale and bonding within the committee. The ICL will also double as our Parade Day Celebration Captain, who is in charge of planning the Courts Tent for Parade Day. This captain will work closely with the Parade Day Celebration Captain of Internal Development in order to create a comfortable atmosphere for the family and friends of the courts throughout the parade.

Event Captains (2)  

The Events Captains are responsible for planning events in celebration of the selection of the 2022 Homecoming Court. This includes the Court Reception, Court Workshop, and Court Crash. They also communicate with the Alumni Association and Staff at the Hintz Center to prepare for these events.

Student Court Captains (2)  

These captains will work together to coordinate all efforts involving the Student Court. This includes communicating with the past court and involving them in Spring events for Homecoming. It also entails the nomination, application, voting, and selection of the Student Court for Homecoming 2022. This also involves assisting in the coordination of the Faculty Panel and ensuring the appearance of the Homecoming court at events throughout Homecoming Week.

University Court Captain (1)  

The University Court Captain is involved in the coordination of all things surrounding the University Court. This includes the nomination and selection of Court as well as the appearance of the court at events throughout Homecoming Week. This captain will also work with the Graduate Court Captain to select a Student Panel.

Graduate Court Captain (1)  

The Graduate Court captain is in charge of the coordination of all things surrounding the Graduate Court. This includes the nomination and selection of Court as well as the appearance of the court at events throughout Homecoming Week. This will include outreach efforts to different graduate organizations to make them aware of nominations. This captain will also work with the University Court Captain to select a Student Panel.

Talent Coordinator: (2)

The Talent Coordinators are responsible for forming relationships with various performance groups for Homecoming events, including but not limited to bands, artists, dance teams, poetry, and comedy acts. These Captains will be in constant communication with performance groups and ensure that they are prepared to perform at events during Homecoming week but also throughout the year. This Captain should be organized, confident communicating with others, and a good planner.

DJ Captains (2):

The DJ Captains are responsible for coordinating the music played at all Homecoming events. This includes internal Homecoming events throughout the year, as well as the music played at Homecoming events. These Captains will collaborate with other members of internal Homecoming to secure music at each specific event, and work with the Talent Coordinators and Events Captains to acquire specific tracks for performers. The DJs should have previous DJ experience and it is recommended but not necessary to own DJ equipment.

Emcee Coordinator (1):

The Emcee Coordinator Captain will be responsible for acquiring Emcee talent as well as writing scripts throughout the year. This Captain will be conducting Emcee interviews and will work very closely with the Emcees to ensure they are prepared for events and comfortable with their scripts. The Emcee Coordinator will also act as the liaison to other committees throughout the year to assist with performance organization and development. This Captain should be confident in their script writing abilities and capable of working well with others.

Inter-committee Liaison (1): 

The ICL is responsible for the organizational aspect of the Talent Relations Committee throughout the year. As an ICL, this Captain will know the inner workings of the committee, work closely with the Talent Relations Director to be knowledgeable about all operational aspects of their committee, and be able to readily relay information regarding their committee to other ICLs and all Homecoming Captains. The ICL will record meeting minutes, send reminder emails, act as an intra-committee liaison, facilitate committee bonding, and order merchandise. They will attend biweekly meetings lead by the Internal Development Director. The ICL should be very organized, comfortable with appropriate technologies, and confident in their writing abilities.

Events (2):

The Events Captains are responsible for the logistics and planning of the For the Glory Talent Show and the Homecoming Dance Competition in the fall. These Captains will work closely with the Emcee Coordinator Captain, in preparing scripts for the Emcees to deliver at these events. These Captains will be working throughout the year to find new and exciting talent, as well as create a timeline and schedule for both events. These Captains must be organized, well spoken, and confident in their event planning skills.

Involvement: (2)

These Captains will work towards increasing Homecoming involvement with the incoming freshmen. This will primarily be done by overseeing the First Year Involvement Committee (FYIC). These Captains will promote applications for the committee, review the applications, hold meetings and plan events for them. These Captains will work with other committees to engage FYIC in Homecoming week events and find new and innovative tasks that FYIC can undertake. These Captains should dedicate time after Homecoming week to encourage FYIC members to stay involved with Homecoming next season. In addition to the work done with FYIC, these Captains will work to produce new material to get organizations and students involved with Homecoming on campus and present this material at involvement fairs and recruiting activities. The Involvement Captains will also work with the ICL to help coordinate and promote the Involvement Committee. These Captains should be outgoing, creative and passionate about spreading the mission of Homecoming.

Athletic Engagement: (1)

This Captain will help to coordinate and plan Homecoming athletic events. This Captain will be expected to be in contact with the Penn State Athletics Marketing Department to help coordinate existing and future participation in athletic events, including but not limited to, the Homecoming Basketball, Field Hockey/Lacrosse, Soccer, Hockey, Wrestling, and Golf events. This Captain will also be responsible for coming up with new and innovative ways of getting student, faculty and alumni involved at athletic events. This Captain should also develop creative opportunities for all Penn State athletes to be involved in Homecoming Events. This Captain should be able to communicate creative ideas to Public Relations for promoting events and be innovative when producing programming and activities in limited space at athletic venues. This Captain should be prepared to work on multiple projects at once, have strong communication skills and be excited about Penn State Athletics.

Tailgate Competition and Athletics Liaison: (1)

This Captain will organize the Homecoming Tailgate Competitions held at the Blue and White Game and on Homecoming Gameday. They will be responsible for preparing the competition’s rules, categories, and scoring rubric, contacting potential alumni contestants and student organizations, and creating a timeline for the day of judging. In addition, this Captain will oversee coordinating the Blue and White Tailgate Competition by creating a series of small, interactive games to help increase Penn State Tailgate involvement in school pride. This Captain will also work with the Sustainability Institute to coordinate Homecoming’s involvement in the Tailgate Ambassadors program. In addition to their tailgate focused responsibilities, this Captain will work with the Athletic Engagement Captain and Penn State Sports Marketing to coordinate Homecoming Baseball and Women’s Volleyball. This Captain should be able to communicate creative ideas to Public Relations for promoting events and be innovative when producing programming and activities in limited space at athletic venues. This Captain should have great organizational skills and be capable of communicating with many contacts at once.

Faculty Outreach and Administrative Assistant Captain: (1)

The Faculty Outreach and Admin Assistant Captain captain will be responsible for the organizational aspect of the University Relations Committee throughout the year. This captain will oversee recording meeting minutes, sending reminder emails, and ordering merchandise. The Faculty Outreach and Admin Assistant Captain will work closely with the Student Outreach Captain when creating and disseminating promotional material. This Captain will be communicating with various university contacts throughout the year to encourage involvement of Penn State faculty in our Homecoming celebration. This Captain will contact academic colleges to engage with faculty, present educational material about Homecoming, and provide unique opportunities to participate in our Homecoming celebration. The Faculty Outreach and Admin Assistant Captain will be responsible for assisting in the planning and promotion of the Homecoming Office Competitions and faculty events. This Captain will be expected to work with Financial Management’s Fiscal Tracking Captains to track the committee’s expenses throughout the year. This Captain will have creative freedom to produce any new programs or initiatives, with the aim to increase the involvement of faculty. The Faculty Outreach and Admin Assistant captain should be very creative, organized, and have excellent communication skills.

Student Outreach: (1)

This Captain will be communicating with various student organizations throughout the year to incorporate more students in our Homecoming celebration. This Captain will also oversee contacting academic colleges to encourage the promotion of Homecoming to their students. The Student Outreach Captain will be responsible for assisting in the planning and promotion of the Homecoming Office Competitions. This Captain will also have creative freedom to produce any new programs with the aim to increase Homecoming’s inclusivity planning. In addition, this Captain will organize newsletters and releases to inform students of Homecoming events and spotlight different student organizations. The Student Outreach Captain will work closely with the Faculty Outreach Captain when creating and disseminating promotional material. This Captain should have superb communication skills, be creative and organized.

Special Events (2)

These Captains will work with closely with the University Relations Director, Penn State officials, and student organizations to plan events that promote the values of Homecoming such as the annual Day of Service and the Past to Present Tour. Their primary responsibilities will include planning locations, bus routes, and activities for Day of Service as well as helping the Athletic Engagement captain brainstorm ideas for Homecoming’s different athletic events. These Captains will also be responsible for other events leading up to and throughout Homecoming Week such as working with SPA for the Homecoming Concert, and coordinating food and blood drives across campus. These Captains should be prepared to assume immediate responsibilities, and should be very passionate about the Penn State community, event planning, and logistics.

Web Developer Captains: (2)

These captains will be responsible for maintaining active development on the Homecoming website. These Captains must be technologically innovative and must think outside of the box when it comes to Homecoming’s use of technology. These Captains should be technically-minded, have strong communication skills, and a willingness to learn. While not required by any means, a knowledge of HTML and WordPress is useful for this position.

UX/UI Developer Captain: (2)

This captain will be responsible for all front-end develpment and improvement of the Homecoming website. This captain will ensure that the website is user-friendly by utilizing feedback mechanisms, navigational components, and researching user-centered design patterns to further improve website usability. Captains in this role must have strong communication skills and analyze and incorporate user feedback effectively. Previous expereince in UX/UI is encouraged but not required by any means. Additional experience with WordPress, HTML and CSS will be useful for this position.

Systems Administrator Captain: (1)

This captain will be responsible for managing elements of the Homecoming website to ensure the reliability of the site. As the Systems Administrator Captain, you will be responsible for performing weekly backups of the website and database, testing and performing updates, and conducting security assessments. This captain should have a technical mindset, strong communication skills, and a willingness to learn. Experience with Linux or Unix-based systems and information security concepts is useful for this position.

Special Projects Lead Captain: (1)

This captain will help lead any special project for Homecoming. This captain is required to have intermediate programming skills in languages such as Java, Python, or C++. This captain will also work directly with the Penn State Go team to research and develop ways the app could benefit Homecoming as a whole. This captain should have excellent project management skills, and be able to effectively communicate their vision to the tech committee and the special project developers.

Special Projects Developer Captains: (2)

These captains will help develop any special projects for Homecoming. These captains need to have intermediate programming skills. They should be creative and have a background knowledge and experience with application and web development. Expereince with HTML, WordPress and CSS is encouraged.

Administrative Assistant (1)

This captain will work closely with the Alumni Relations Director in a variety of organization and team-building roles. They are responsible for taking meeting minutes, sending out reminder emails, and creating timelines for week-of events. The Administrative Assistant will also order all Alumni Relations committee merchandise, work closely with fellow captains, especially the Alumni Engagement captain, in creating new ways to increase student-alumni engagement, and organize team-building activities. It is important for this captain to be organized and have strong communication skills.

Grand Marshal/Honorary Grand Marshal Liaison (1)

This captain will be in charge of maintaining contact with Homecoming’s Grand Marshal and Honorary Grand Marshal prior to and throughout Homecoming Week, ensuring that they are aware of the timeline and other important information. They are in charge of promoting the Grand Marshal and Honorary Grand Marshal to the Penn State population, including planning how they will be revealed and sharing how these individuals have contributed to the Penn State community. This individual must be organized, demonstrate professionalism, and have strong communication skills.

Student-Alumni Ice Cream Social Captains (1)

This captain will plan the Student-Alumni Ice Cream Social. They will work closely with the Alumni Association to formulate the event layout, entertainment and activities, and the timeline. This captain will be responsible for reaching out to performing organizations, student organizations, and the student population in order to increase attendance and help advertise the event. This individual must demonstrate creativity and an ability to work through event planning logistics.

Tailgate Competition Captain (1)

This captain will organize the Tailgate Competition held on Homecoming Gameday, as well as advertise it to recruit more participants. They will be responsible for preparing the competition’s rules, categories, and scoring rubric, contacting potential alumni contestants and student organizations, and creating a timeline for the day of judging. The Tailgate Competition Captain will solidify prizes and promotional material, oversee registration, and help judge tailgates on the day of. This captain should be able to communicate creative ideas to PR for promoting the event and be willing to brainstorm ways to encourage the registration of new participants.

Alumni Engagement (1)

This captain will be in charge of working with the Alumni Association to promote student engagement with alumni beyond just Homecoming Week, including guest speakers, luncheons and networking events. They will also work with PR to feature alumni through the Alumni Spotlight Initiative on social media. This captain will work closely with the Administrative Assistant, as well as the Alumni Association, to create new events and initiatives that will further engage students and alumni. They should be ambitious in their efforts to stay engaged with and highlight the successes of alumni, and will be in charge of creating new ways to showcase our alumni throughout the Homecoming season.