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Privacy & Legal Statements
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Jenny Monteith
Alumni Relations Director
As a senior in high school I was convinced that I wanted to go to UConn, and my second choice was Penn State. Sadly, I got rejected from UConn and was conflicted because if I went to Penn State I would have had to go to summer session. Although I was nervous to come here during the summer and leave everyone at home, I decided to take the leap of faith and come to Penn State. So, there I was, one day after graduating from high school on my way to dear old state for my first day of college. I was a young 18-year-old with no clue what these next few years had in store, and how this place would shape me to be the person I am today.
When I thought of Penn State I was nervous about how big this school was, and I was worried that I would get lost in the shuffle. But, luckily enough I got placed on 7th floor Sproul where I found the girls who would turn out to be my best friends. Shout out Penn State Housing you really helped me out there. Besides finding amazing friends, I was lucky enough to find Homecoming and THON, which has given me leadership experience, endless opportunities, and friendships that will last long past college. Being the Alumni Relations Director this year for Homecoming has given the opportunity to meet so many unique Alumni and hear about all of their amazing experiences they had at Penn State. One thing that I find so amazing about being the Alumni Relations Director is that every person I talk to say they would do anything to relive their college days and talk about Penn State in such a positive way, this has made me value my time here so much more. In addition to Homecoming, THON gave me the opportunity to unite for a common cause and be a part of the largest student run philanthropy. This past year I was the President of a Special Interest Organization, Pillar, whose sole purpose was to fundraise for THON and to support our Four Diamonds Families. I was fortunate enough to dance for 46 hours and take a stand against Childhood Cancer. This opportunity is something I will never forget and will be a staple of my Penn State Story. PSU has molded me to the person I am today, and I am so grateful that I am a student here. These past 3 years have been amazing, and I am looking forward to writing my final chapter of my Penn State Story next year.
Isabella Webster
2019 Homecoming Executive Director
My Penn State Story begins, as many do, with a White Out Football Game. As I was applying to colleges my senior year of high school, I spent a weekend visiting friends a year older than me, then first-year students at University Park. From that moment on, I knew that I would go to Penn State. Shortly after I was accepted on December 15th, 2015, I was committed to begin at Penn State’s College of Engineering for Summer 2016.
I’ll be the first to admit that I was underprepared for what being at a major university was like as at first-year student. I seldom felt academically challenged in high school and I generally did fairly well with minimal effort. I didn’t foresee college being markedly different. Within the first few weeks of attending classes, I learned rather quickly that I had no clue how to study. While here for summer classes, I was fortunate enough to have truly amazing professors in the economics department who saw potential in me to do well. My introductory economics professor was the first of many people at Penn State who have shaped me into the woman I am today. He advocated for me as my male classmates attributed my grades in the course to appearances over academic ability, and he instilled confidence in me as a passionate learner that I do not believe I would otherwise have today. I will never be able to thank him enough for being the first person at this university to truly believe in me.
As my first true semester started, I continued to struggle. I failed to find my classes fulfilling, and I struggled to do well in them. Such a patterned continued and, on top of that, my social life quickly began to crumble. It seemed that everyone around me had friends, close friends, people in various organizations who just seemed to click. I didn’t have that. One of my closest mentors in the College of Engineering noticed I didn’t seem to be enjoying my first semester as much as the first-year girls around me. She suggested I apply to be a Homecoming Captain for the following fall. Applications weren’t set to open for another month, but she said I should keep my eye out. Little did she know that this was the next piece of hope I needed. If there has ever been an experience in my life that proved that the smallest bit of encouragement can change someone’s life, this was it. My College of Engineering Mentor was the second of many people to completely change my life at Penn State.
The second semester of my freshman year began feeling more like a blurry continuation of an emotionally taxing first semester than it did a fresh start. I checked the Homecoming website for applications almost daily until they went live. Once they did, I got to work answering a series of questions about why I deserved to be on the Donor Relations Committee having no idea what that committee even did. Quite honestly, I picked Donor Relations because I liked the committee color, Kelly Green. Sitting in the waiting room before my Captain Interview, all I can remember is being so nervous I was shaking. I hardly remember what I said during the actual interview, only how scared I was that I wouldn’t be picked. A week or so later, I got the call that I had been selected as a Captain for Homecoming 2017. I was so happy I cried. I didn’t know then how much of an opportunity there was in front of me. I never imagined that I would eventually lead almost 400 student volunteers and all of Penn State Homecoming. All I knew then was that someone gave me the chance I needed to feel like I belonged, and that was all I needed to keep going. The Donor Relations Director for 2017, whether she knew it or not, was the third person to give me an opportunity to demonstrate what I’m capable of, and give me hope that one day I would succeed here.
I began my time as the Donor Relations Captain excitedly nervous. I loved going to meetings no matter how boring they were some weeks, because I always felt like I gained something from them. More than anything, I was excited to be a part of an organization bigger than myself, excited to be giving back to a school with so much to offer me in exchange. Weeks went by, workshops taught me to write resumes, give elevator pitches, and how to speak confidently in front of complete strangers. As my second semester was drawling to a close, I had high hopes for the fall, especially since that meant I could celebrate my first Homecoming as part of the organization. I finally felt normal, and I finally felt like I was part of a community here. Just as this was all happening, while attending a drag show hosted by QTPOC in Heritage Hall, I got the phone call most children fear for the day they’ll receive: my father was in the ICU, in septic shock, and we didn’t know how much time he had left. Everything froze for me in that moment. I will remember taking that call in my friends’ dressing room backstage for the rest of my life. I didn’t know what to do: my life at Penn State was finally starting to have a few glimmers of hope, but that came at the price of my home life being ripped out from under me. I was set to study abroad mere weeks later after I finished my finals. I had secured a job on campus for when I got back. I finally felt like I might be normal again. None of that mattered anymore in that moment. It was that call, and my friends who stood beside me to help process what my life might look like moving forward, who, once again, changed my life forever.
That summer I spent as much time with my as I could. I watched him come out of comas with no idea what my name was. I also spent a month studying product development in Singapore alongside some of the most brilliant people I’ve met at this university. After that, I worked on campus as LEAP Mentor helping incoming students in the College of Engineering adjust to life at Penn State. While doing all these things, I chose not to confide in my co-workers and friends why I spent most weekends at home, or why I sometimes spent entire days isolated in my room speaking to no one. I didn’t think anybody needed to know I was struggling because I didn’t think that I would benefit anyone, least of all me. As fall semester quickly approached, my dad was finally pulled from out-patient care. He had made a full recovery with one caveat: his pre-existing dementia was aggravated to an extent that he could no longer drive, no longer care for my brother, no longer work, and no longer consistently remember details about the people in his life. I made my plans to return to Penn State in the fall knowing that my father would likely be alive for the foreseeable future, but may never again know anything about me. This is a part of my story very few at Penn State know, but it’s a part of my story that showed me what I could overcome- what I had to overcome. It’s the part of my story that would give me a springboard to seek out every opportunity I could find while at Penn State. It’s the part of my story that taught me how precious our time is and that we must seize every moment we can and make the best of it.
Starting my sophomore year, I was newly determined to make an impact somehow during my time at Penn State. I joined a THON OPPeraations committee in the hope it would let me give back to those families fighting with pediatric cancer. The people on my THON committee would serve as my support system throughout that entire year more than many of them will ever know. I made it through my first successful Penn State Homecoming. The weather was worse than I could have ever imagined, but those six days of absolute Penn State pride are some of my fondest memories to date. There is nothing quite like a sub-freezing, snowy parade day to foster some quality interpersonal bonding. As the weeks went on, I approached my Homecoming Director- the one who previously changed the course of my life- to ask if she thought I would be a good candidate to replace her as next year’s Donor Relations Director. She encouraged me to apply, offering to serve as reference on the application. I had no idea what I was getting into at the time, but I filled out my application, turned it in, and interviewed for the position anyway. Days later I would get a call from the 2018 Homecoming Executive Director telling me I had been selected for the 2018 Homecoming Executive Committee. It didn’t feel real, I didn’t know if I could do it, but, I knew that I had to try I had to seize this opportunity and allow the challenge to help me grow. I went in expecting to grow as a person and leader not knowing I would, in fact, come out of the experience ten months later with some of the best friends I’ve ever had, a plethora of life lessons to carry with me, and a sense of pride in my school stronger than I could have ever imagined.
Upon embarking on my journey as the Homecoming Donor Relations Director, I also made the choice to alter that academic path I had been on up until that point. Much like my first semester, I was failing to find my classes satisfying, and I wasn’t thrilled about the career options I had in front of me. After some fairly extensive research, I decided that switching my major to either cybersecurity or IST was likely the best choice for me. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into at the time, but I had high hopes it would pay off. As all this panned out, I also started my role on the Homecoming Executive Committee. Within the first few weeks I had learned how to send proper emails to those who had previously intimidated me, had learned to speak to businesses about why they should support my organization, and had met some of the most motivated and inspiring people I’d come across at Penn State. From my very first day in the role, I knew I had made some of my dearest, lifelong friends and that still holds true today. During my time as Donor Relations Director, I had not only the privilege of giving back to Penn State Homecoming, but I met people who taught me how to be a good friend and place the interests of our team above my own. My co-directors from Homecoming 2018 are some of the most important people impacting my Penn State Story, and I owe much of who I am today to their influence on me.
As I began to find my footing in a new Academic College, with a new major, and a new leadership position I was excited to take on, my life took yet another unexpected turn. Within weeks of my fourth semester, I learned that one of my closest friends was struggling with deep depression, and that I was the only person who knew. Without even so much time as to think about what action steps I should take, I immediately started calling every relevant resourced in the Student Handbook for help. I learned quickly both that Penn State has a plethora of avenues to get help if you’re struggling, and that it is complete social taboo to admit you’re struggling to help someone worse off than you. My small group of friends and I remained silent as we spent hours on the phone with counselors, every evening receiving updates on her status, struggling to explain to others what was going on in our lives. We didn’t think about whether there were resources for us to take advantage of, and didn’t think to ask for help. This experience was formative in my sophomore year as it taught be to seek out everything that is available, and how to value someone else’s life above my own. It also taught be about the holes existing in current resource systems. Later, this would serve as a driving factor behind my run in UPUA. It would help motivate me to advocate on behalf of other students, and take actions ad I can to address inadequacies. At the time, however, the experience taught me how supportive the Penn State community members are of eachother.
In spite of the fact that I have to explain to every person I meet what my major actually does, switching my major to Security and Risk Analysis within the College of IST was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The college has provided me with more wonderful professors than I ever could have, career counselors who not only listen to my goals, but are willing to actively help me achieve them, faculty who act as fierce advocates for their students, and a warm welcoming atmosphere that fosters not only academic and professional, but personal growth. My career counselor helped met with me first as I was switching into SRA and wanted to know what my job prospects might look like. She would later lead me and a dozen other women to the Grace Hopper Conference where I had the opportunity to network with my dream companies, meet Penn Staters and female technologists from around the world, and gain more professional confidence in one week than I had in the previous 2 ½ years. I owe most of who I am professionally to the College of IST. Not only have my classes and professors prepared me to take on my career, but the incredibly mentors and advisors here have proved truly invaluable to my success. They each play an important role in not only my Penn State Story, but my total personhood.
In contrast to the beginning of my sophomore year where I began determined to change my trajectory at Penn State, I began my junior year with intentions to continue growing in the roles I already held. Homecoming Week in 2018 was one of the most stressful, but rewarding experiences of my life so far. It was truly amazing to watch a year’s worth of hard work pay off. Having the opportunity to meet so many amazing Penn Staters on the various courts was a one-of-a-kind experience that inspired me to continue making an impact. I chose to purse making that impact by applying to be Executive Director for Homecoming 2019- the one-hundredth Penn State Homecoming. I have been in that role since October and it has been an amazing journey thus far. This fall, I look forward to realizing the week of celebration leading up to the one-hundredth Penn State Homecoming. I look forward, more than anything, to meeting even more amazing Penn Staters and hearing their stories.
Penn State Homecoming has served a defining element of my Penn State Story; albeit, I feel, more than anything, the people within this organization made me who I am today. Serving as a Captain taught me how to break down large goals into small, attainable tasks, and how to be patient. Serving as a Director taught me how to fail, how to lead others, and how to be kind to those around me without an expectations of reciprocation. Serving as Executive Director, thus far, has proved to be one of the most challenging, but rewarding endeavors I’ve ever embarked on. I am humbled and honored to be a part of an organization so much bigger than myself; but, I am even more honored to help those around me grow professionally, and, more importantly, personally as they take on their various roles.
I have faced many challenges personally, academically, and professionally during my time at Penn State. I’ve lived through my father actively dying while I’m away at school; I’ve battled deeply with mental health, both with my own and with friends; and I’ve worked hard to spark cultural change in my organization even amidst harsh pushback, but the people I’ve met along this journey have not only shaped my Penn State Story and my time here, but they have altered the course of my life for the better. Penn State and the people here have taught me to be the strongest version of myself. It is here that I learned how to be resilient, how to overcome, and how to take ownership of my own life. I cannot imagine another university with the resources or, more importantly, the people to provide me with such an uplifting experience. There is no doubt in my mind that my life would be in a much more challenging place had I attended any other university. Regardless of how I have struggled while here, regardless of the challenges being here posed for me, I am proud to be a Penn Stater. I am proud to have attended this school. I am proud to have left an impact on the people here that, hopefully, serves for the overall betterment of the university. For the rest of my life I will carry the mission of my organization and the values of this university in my mind and in my heart. I will never forget the people who impacted my story while here. I will never be able to emphasize enough the impact that each and every person at this university has had on my life. Thank you to each and every Penn Stater I’ve had the privilege of meeting. We are, from 1919 to 2019, a community worth coming home to.
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 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 have the responsibilities of leading and preparing the Pride Events Committee Members for all of Pride Events’ events. 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 Events Legacy and Past to Present. The focus of Legacy Celebration is to celebrate the 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. The applicants for this position must possess efficient communication and interpersonal skills, organizational abilities, creativity and originality.
Bash Captain (1)
This captain is responsible for planning and executing the Allen Street Bash event. This event will be a mini festival for the Penn State community to have fun and kick off Homecoming week. 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, and set up and tear down of the event. This captain should have a strong work ethic, interpersonal skills, creativity and organizational skills.
Best of Penn State Carnival Captain (1)
This captain will be responsible for planning and executing the annual Best of Penn State Carnival (BOPS Carnival). The Captain will be in charge of all aspects of the event, including, but not limited to, gathering a list of potential booths and coordinating them, 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. This captain 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 Liason (ICL) / Timeline(1)
The ICL will be responsible for the organizational aspect of the Distribution Management 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. As the Timeline Captain, they will be responsible for creating the timeline for pickup and return of all items for each Homecoming event. They will also be responsible for making a committee timeline for each Homecoming event which will include Captain shifts and specific duties throughout the week. The ICL should be very organized, comfortable with appropriate technologies, and confident in their writing abilities.
Supply Request: (1)
The Supply Request Captain will be responsible for assisting each committee to ensure all supplies are requested prior to the event. This Captain will create a supply request document to send out to Directors/Captains before each event and will also be the point of contact for any questions during this process. The Supply Request Captain will be in charge of purchasing responsibilities. This will include finding different quotes from vendors and buying the needed supplies for all Homecoming events. This Captain should be organized and have good communication skills.
Inventory – Organization: (1)
The Inventory Captains are responsible for keeping an accurate inventory of all Homecoming items stored both on and off campus. This entails keeping the Homecoming storage space organized at all times and taking a periodic count of all materials to ensure clear communication. This captain will also keep track of what supplies are used and update the inventory count as necessary. The Organization Captain will work to keep the supplies organized so that they can be easily found when need. Inventory Captains should be organized and detail-oriented.
Inventory Utilization: (1)
The Inventory Captains are responsible for keeping an accurate inventory of all Homecoming items stored both on and off campus. This entails keeping the Homecoming storage space organized at all times and taking a periodic count of all materials to ensure clear communication. This captain will also keep track of what supplies are used and update the inventory count as necessary. The Utilization Captain will keep track of what supplies are bought and used to minimize waste of unused supplies. Inventory Captains should be organized and detail-oriented.
Special Projects: (1)
The Special Projects Captain is in charge of all new and developing projects on the Distribution Management committee. They will be in charge of all projects that do not fall in the responsibilities of the other Captains and those that fall within the duties of multiple Captains. This Captain’s work is very subjective and is often very need-driven. The Special Projects Captain should be well organized, responsible, and flexible.
Logistics-Vendor Contact / Radio Distribution: (1)
The Logistics Vendor Contact Captain will be the main contact for one of the vendors for all Homecoming events, Best Event Rentals. This Captain will be placing orders with Best Event and meeting with them to ensure the correct orders, dates, and times for all events. They will coordinate pickups and drop offs and must be present at all Homecoming events to meet Best Event at the appropriate time. This Captain will also be in charge of the distribution and collection of radios during events They will also be the point of contact for radio vendors. This Captain should be friendly, organized and have good communication skills.
Inter Committee Liason: (1)
The ICL will be responsible for the organizational aspect of the Internal Development Committee throughout the year. The ID ICL will serve as the Head ICL and will assist the ID Director in running all ICL meetings. 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. The ICL should be very organized, comfortable with appropriate technologies, and confident in their writing abilities.
Engagement/Bonding: (1)
The Engagement Captain will be in charge of organizing bonding activities throughout the year. The goal being to increase the involvement between all Captains and Committee Members. They will be responsible for planning social events and activities for all member. This Captain will also be in charge of the weekly Homecoming newsletter and Captain/Committee Cup. This Captain will head the Homecoming Week Committee, which will be selected in the fall and will assist with the planning of the All Homecoming Retreat, an event in which all of Homecoming can come together and bond through our shared goals and mission before Homecoming Week.
Head of Captain Development: (1)
This Captain will be in charge of both Captain Workshops. The first is a bonding event with games and inter-committee bonding activities, while the second is a professional development event. The main goal of professional development is to give Captains skills that will translate past Homecoming and into their professional life as well. This Captain will be in charge of creating event agendas, finding guest speakers, and orchestrating their events workshops.
Head of Education/Appreciation: (1)
This Captain will be responsible educating internally about sustainability. This Captain will also be in charge of organizing the Friends & Family Tent (F&FT) on parade day. The F&FT is where distinguished alumni, guests of the Homecoming Executive Committee, Student Court, and Faculty Court sit during the parade. This captain will arrange the guest list, as well as send out invitations and save the date reminders. They are also responsible for creating and distributing VIP passes, organizing the setup and decoration of the tent, and coordinating food and refreshments for parade day. This captain will work closely with Alumni Relations, as well as communicate with many other committees including Security, OPP, and Donor Relations.
Head of End of Year Banquet: (1)
This Captain will be in charge of the Homecoming End of Year Banquet. This is a celebratory event after Homecoming Week. This Captain will be in charge of creating event agendas, finding guest speakers, and orchestrating their events. This Captain will work through the Spring semester to plan the Banquet and locate a good venue, while also planning a good schedule of events.
Head of Committee Member Development: (1)
This Captain will be in charge of both Committee Member Orientation and Committee Member Workshop. The first is a welcoming event for all new CMs to introduce themselves and meet their new committees, while the second is a professional development event. The main goal of professional development is to give Committee Members skills that will translate past Homecoming and into their professional life as well. This Captain will be in charge of creating event agendas, finding guest speakers, and orchestrating their events.
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, he or she will organize and plan the OPP Captain and Committee retreat as well as other OPP bonding events. They 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. He or she 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. This Captain 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.
Jenny is a Junior from Ramsey, New Jersey. She is majoring in Human Development and Family Studies. She served as a Competition committee member in 2017, and as the Competition Organization Liaison Coordinator in 2018. Outside of Homecoming, Jenny is involved in THON she is a Communications Committee Member and the President of Pillar, which is a Special Interest Organization benefitting THON. Jenny’s favorite part of Homecoming is seeing all the Alumni, Students, Faculty and members of the Penn State Community come together to celebrate the pride and traditions of Penn State. Jenny is thrilled to serve as the Alumni Relations Director this year and is so excited to work with the fellow Directors and Captains to make an amazing and memorable Homecoming 2019!!!
Inter-Committee Liasion (1)
The ICL will be responsible for the organizational aspect of the Royalty 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. The ICL should be very organized, comfortable with appropriate technologies, and confident in their writing abilities. The Inter-Committee Liaison will also work with Alumni Relations Captains to plan the Alumni Court, along with being responsible for the Alumni Court throughout the week of Homecoming.
Event Captains (2)
The Event Captains will be responsible for planning various events throughout the year, including Court Workshop, Court Crash, and Court Reception. They will also work with Hintz Alumni Center contacts to organize Court Reception, as well as coordinate speakers and performers for the reception.
Student Court Captains (2)
The Student Court Captains will be responsible for all things Student Court – including but not limited to surveying past court members, introduction and escort of the Student Court at all Homecoming Events, coordination of court gifts, as well as planning the Student Court appearance at the For the Glory Talent Show. They will be the primary liaisons for both the new Student Court in the Fall, as well as our current Student Court during the Spring.
University Court Captain (1)
The University Court will be the primary liaison for the 2019 University Court. They will be responsible for coordinating a student panel to select the University Court, creating a slideshow about the University Court, as well as ensuring the court is informed and present at all Homecoming events. Along with this, the University Court Captain will have the opportunity to escort the court to each event, coordinate court gifts, and introduce the court at Court Reception.
Graduate Court Captain (1)
The Graduate Court Captain is a new position for Homecoming 2019! This captain will have the exciting opportunity to work with the Graduate Student Association to spread awareness about the Graduate Court, as well as facilitate growth of the Graduate Court. They will be the primary liaison for the Graduate Court, which means ensuring the court is at each Homecoming event as well as introducing the court at several events.
Points (2)
The Points Captains are 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. In addition to these responsibilities, the Points Captains will also assist the Competition Director in the maintenance and enforcing of the 2019 Homecoming Rulebook. They 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. These captains should be organized, prompt, and have some experience in creating spreadsheets (Excel).
Events/Registration (1)
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 at each event. This captain will also be required to present gifts and thank you notes to each judge. In addition to these responsibilities, the Events Captains will organize Banner Collection and the judging process (judging times, rubrics, and scoring) 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. 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.
Organization Liaison (2)
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 of everything involved with Competition Homecoming including events, rules, dates, and scoring and will need to be prepared to answer competitor questions at any time. They will also be responsible for the planning and execution of the Spring and Fall Homecoming Information Meetings. The competing pairings 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.
Organization Liaison Coordinator (1)
The Organization Liaison Coordinator Captain is responsible for drafting the emails sent to the organizations to keep them up to date with reminders and instructions and will be the facilitator between the Organization Liaison Captains and other committees within Homecoming to assist in answering questions any of the participating organizations may have. This Captain will also have the responsibilities of the Inter-Committee Liaison (ICL). This Captain will know the inner workings of Competition, work closely with their Director to be knowledgeable about all operational aspects, and be able to readily relay information regarding Competition to other ICLs and all Homecoming Captains. This Captain 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 and serve as the primary Sustainability Ambassador by educating Competition on Homecoming’s Sustainability efforts and mission each week. This Captain should be very organized, comfortable with appropriate technologies, have an in-depth knowledge of Homecoming events and confident in their writing abilities.
Intercommittee Liaison (1)
This captain will be responsible for taking meeting minutes, organizing team building activities, and maintaining the organization of the Finance committee merchandise ordering process. This captain will also act as a liaison between the Finance committee and all other committees. More specifically, this captain will be a liaison between the Financial Management and Parade committee in order to effectively register alumni groups that want to participate in the parade. This includes the responsibilities of checking the mail for alumni registration checks, recording these payments, sending receipts of payments to alumni registrants, and attending Parade-Competition-Finance committee focus group meetings. Strong organization, collaboration, and communication skills are preferred. 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 frequent meetings with the Financial Management Director and other individuals within Homecoming. Detail orientation and excel experience are preferred skills.
Logistics Liaison: (1)
This captain will be responsible for working with all committees, but mainly with logistics-focused ones such as Distribution Management and OPPerations. They will work to create donation pick-up and drop-off timelines for all Homecoming events. They will also be responsible for developing and communicating Homecoming event expectations to the Donor Relations committee. Communication skills and the ability to work in teams are the most pertinent skills necessary for this position.
Float Supply Logistics and Registration: (1)
This captain will be responsible for ordering and distribution of all materials needed for the creation of Homecoming floats including glue, chicken wire, and tissue paper pomps that will be pomped during the Legacy Celebration in the Spring. Furthermore, this captain will be responsible for managing the billing process with the organizations that ordered pomps. They will be distributing invoices as well as collecting and recording payments. This position also entails working to develop an effective registration payment process for organizations participating in Homecoming. This will require communicating with the organizations about the registration process and collection of fees. This Captain will work closely with the Competition committee’s organization liaisons to give participating organizations a detailed description of the registration process such as when to pay, how much to pay, and how to pay. There will be extra meetings required for this position. This Captain should have strong communication and organizational skills. Experience with excel is preferred.
Alternative and Corporate Fundraising: (1)
This Captain will be responsible for establishing and developing creative and innovate alternative fundraising ideas and 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. To set up corporate fundraising, they will need to plan by contacting and working with local businesses and corporations, along with making trips to the 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. 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 developing 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. 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. This captain will also work closely with Public Relations. Creativity, strong communication skills and the ability to express the importance of Homecoming are needed in order to be successful in this position.
Benefitting: (1)
The Benefiting 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 necessary donations. They will work closely with the Donor Relations Director and Corporate Sponsor Captain to develop new benefit structures for Homecoming. This captain will also be responsible for coordinating parade day donations and managing the Media and Sponsorship Tent. 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.
Vocal Talent Coordinator (1):
The Vocal Talent Coordinator is responsible for forming relationships with various vocal performance groups for Homecoming events, including but not limited to singing, poetry, and comedy acts. This Captain will be in constant communication with performance groups and ensure that they are prepared to perform at events during Homecoming week but also through the year. This Captain should be organized, confident communicating with others, and a good planner. This position will work closely with the Performing Arts Council (PAC).
Dance Talent Coordinator (1):
The Dance Talent Coordinator position is responsible for acting as the liaison between internal Homecoming and dance performing groups. This person will maintain existing relationships with dance groups and work to bring new groups into this organization. This person will secure the lineups of dance groups during Homecoming events and organize the logistics for costumes, staging, stage sizes, etc. This person should be enthusiastic, organized, and able to communicate effectively. This position will work closely with the Performing Arts Council (PAC).
DJs (2):
The DJ Captain positions 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 week events. These Captains will collaborate with other members of internal Homecoming to secure music at each specific event. These Captains should have previous experience with DJing, and it is recommended 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 Emcee’s 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 able to work well with others.
Inter-committee Liaison (1):
The ICL will be responsible for the organizational aspect of the Talent 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. The ICL should be very organized, comfortable with appropriate technologies, and confident in their writing abilities. The ICL will be responsible for the organizational aspect of the Talent Relations Committee throughout the year, as well as help the Emcee Coordinator write scripts. As ICL, this Captain will know the inner workings of the committee and work closely with the Talent Relations Director. The ICL will be in charge of recording meeting minutes, sending reminder emails, acting as an intra-committee liaison, and ordering merchandise. This Captain should be very organized, comfortable with Google Drive, and confident in their writing abilities.
Events (2):
The Events Captains are responsible for the logistics and planning of For the Glory Talent Shows and the Homecoming Dance Competition in the fall. These Captains 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.
Inter Committee Liason: (1)
The ICL will be responsible for the organizational aspect of the University Relations Committee throughout the year. 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. This captain 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 help to coordinate and promote the Tailgate Ambassadors. The ICL should be very organized, comfortable with appropriate technologies, and confident in their writing abilities.
Involvement: (2)
In the spring these captains will work to increase the involvement of all Homecoming volunteers and volunteers outside of Homecoming through service in our annual Day of Service. They will work to organize service sites and rosters for the event as well as finding new ways to develop the volunteer experience. These Captains will work towards increasing Homecoming involvement of the incoming freshmen. This will primarily be done by overseeing the First Year Involvement Committee. These Captains will promote applications for the committee, review the applications, hold meetings and plan events for them. These Captains should be creative and passionate about spreading the mission of Homecoming to first year students.
Athletic Engagement: (1)
This captain will help to coordinate and plan Homecoming Athletic events. This captain will be expected to be in contact with various Penn State Athletics contacts to help coordinate existing and future athletic events, while coming up with new and innovative ways of getting student, faculty and alumni involvement at athletic events. This captain should be prepared to work on multiple projects at once and have strong communication skills.
Tailgate Competition: (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. This captain should have great organizational skills and be capable of communicating with many contacts at once.
University Engagement: (1)
This captain will be communicating with various university contacts throughout the year to incorporate more organizations in our Homecoming celebration. This captain will be in charge of contacting academic colleges as well as university affiliates to increase involvement and incorporate them in Homecoming events. In addition, this captain will help to provide opportunities for organizations to participate in the Day of Service, Office Competition and Blood Drive. The University Engagement Captain will be responsible for planning and promoting the Homecoming Office Competition and the Homecoming Blood Drive. This captain will also have creative freedom to produce any new programs with the aim to increase involvement with other parts of the University. This captain should have superb communication skills, be creative and organized.
Inter Committee Liason: (1)
The ICL will be responsible for the organizational aspect of the Technology 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. The ICL should be very organized, comfortable with appropriate technologies, and confident in their writing abilities.
Project Liaison Captains (1)
The Project Liaison Captains will be responsible for managing the merchandise store and all forms and applications on the Homecoming website. These captains will work with other committees to generate content for all projects. Any development or project management skills are helpful, but not required by any means – only solid communication skills, a technical mindset, teamwork, and a desire to learn are required.
Web Developer Captains (2)
They 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 or CSS is 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.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)/Analytics Captain (1)
This captain will be optimizing the website for search engine indexing. This captain should have knowledge in Google Analytics and know how to effectively use it. Also this captain should be able to utilize YoastSEO to promote best practices for search engine optimization.
Special Projects Lead Captain (1)
This captain will help lead any special project for Homecoming. This captain should have project management skills. This captain is required to have intermediate programming skills – experience with web frameworks such as Django or Spring is a plus. This captain must have effective communication skills.
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 of Web frameworks.
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. 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 Blong 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 TV/radio stations and should be prepared to assist media and print networks during all Homecoming events. The Media Relations Captains will also be in charge of creating the 2018 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 (3)
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 committee. 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, 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 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 plans for each Homecoming event. These Captains will work closely with the Public Relations Director, as well as, many other committees 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, and have marketing experience. Marketing majors are encouraged to apply.
Video Media Captains (2)
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 others. 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 Canon cameras, Adobe Premiere or other video editing software. Applicants should be creative, self-motivated, and collaborative. Applicants should present a portfolio.
Inter Committee Liaison (ICL): (1)
The ICL will be responsible for the organizational aspect of the Parade Committee throughout the year. 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. Also, they will be in charge of creating the Parade Day Survival Guide. 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. The ICL should be very organized, comfortable with appropriate technologies, and confident in their writing abilities.
Community/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.
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, and experience working with excel.
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, possess excellent communication skills, and able to act professional in situations.
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. This Captain should be detail oriented, organized, and possess excellent communication skills.
Walking Grounds Coordinator: (1)
This Captain will be responsible for the Alumni Walking Grounds and Student Walking Grounds. They will create diagrams of their staging grounds, assign participating organizations a check-in location and time on Parade Day, and secure staging ground reservations with the University. This Captain will be responsible for a timely departure of student walking groups to the Parade Route. 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.
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 should have excellent communication skills, be detailed oriented, organized, and able to act professional in situations.
Committee Relations Captain: (1)
This Captain will responsible for all communication with the other Committees in Homecoming. They will attend weekly meetings for the Parade Day Focus Group. They will work with Competition to coordinate the participation of overall competitors. They will work with Royalty to coordinate Court involvement in the parade. They will work with Talent Relations to secure performers for the parade. On Parade day, they will work with the VIP/Vehicle Grounds Coordinator to oversee the Vehicle Grounds. Also, they will be in charge of planning and overseeing Recycle Your Float with OPPerations Captains. This Captain should have excellent communication skills, be organized, and able to act professional in situations.
Inter Committee Liason: (1)
ICL will be responsible for the organizational aspect of the Merchandise 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. The ICL should be very organized, comfortable with appropriate technologies, and confident in their writing abilities.
Financial Management Liason: (1)
The Financial Management Captain will serve as a liaison between the Merchandise and the Financial Management Committees. This Captain 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 or another comparable medium) 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. The Finance Management 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. A background in finance and accounting, or proficiency in Excel or other spreadsheet programs is preferred for this position.
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. Furthermore, this Captain will also be asked to design the posters for merch sales. 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: (2)
The major responsibility of the Inventory Captains is to ensure all location sales 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, and work together with the Finance Captain to produce reports on sales of items. These Captains must also have a way to record how much of each item is sold at each sale. The Inventory Captains will also assist in the organization and maintenance of the merchandise storage room. These Captains must be very organized, proficient with Excel, and flexible.
Ordering: (1)
The Ordering Captain will be responsible for placing all orders for Homecoming specific merchandise, as well as monitoring the online store. This Captain will work closely with the Merchandise Director and our vendors to ensure that all merchandise orders are correct. The Ordering Captain 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. This position also involves managing the merchandise online store. Online store responsibilities include packing and shipping all online orders and responding to customer service questions via email. 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. These Captains will make sure all Captains and Committee Members are aware of the sale procedures by working with the Director to teach the skills necessary to best sell our products. Additionally, these Captains will work with the Inventory Captains to ensure all sales 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.
Inter Committee Liaison (ICL): (1)
The ICL will be responsible for the organizational aspect of the Alumni 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. The ICL should be very organized, comfortable with appropriate technologies, and confident in their writing abilities.
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.
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.
Student-Alumni Ice Cream Social Captain (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.
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 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 Homecoming season.
Alumni Court Captain (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.
Isaac is a junior from State College, Pennsylvania. He is currently studying Biology and Secondary Education. Alongside Homecoming Isaac runs cross country on the Penn State club team and is involved in the OPPerations committee for THON. He first got involved in Homecoming last year as an OPPerations captain, and his favorite part about Homecoming is hearing all the wonderful memories people make at Penn State. This year Isaac strives to raise involvement from other organizations on campus and looks forward to a fantastic year!
Megan is a Junior from Cheltenham, Pennsylvania. She is majoring in Industrial Engineering and minoring in Spanish. Outside of Homecoming, Megan is an OPPerations committee member for THON as well as the President of Penn State Bridges to Prosperity. Previously, Megan has been involved with Homecoming as an OPPerations Committee Member in 2017 and as an OPPerations Special Projects Captain in 2018. Her favorite part of Homecoming is watching Penn State’s past, present, and future unite together to celebrate Penn State pride. She is excited to work with her Directors, Captains, and the Penn State community to create an unforgettable 100th Homecoming Celebration.
Lauren is Junior from Allentown, Pennsylvania and is majoring in Graphic Design. Outside of Homecoming, Lauren is the Merchandise Marketing captain for THON 2019. Previously, Lauren has been involved with Homecoming as a Graphic Design Captain in 2018 as well as a Photography Committee Member in 2017. Her favorite part of Homecoming is seeing the community come together as well as seeing the happiness in the faces of the alumni as they return to Penn State. She is excited to work together with all of Homecoming this year to celebrate Homecoming’s 100th celebration!
Megan is a junior from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She is majoring in Advertisement with minors In Graphic Design and Digital Media Trends and Analytics. She has been involved in Homecoming for the past two years as the Set-Up/Tear Down Captain and the Parade Day Focus Group Captain for OPPerations. Outside of Homecoming, Megan is an OPPerations Captain for THON 2019, the Merchandise Coordinator for Club Team Handball, and a member of Cru. Her favorite part of Homecoming is its ability to connect all the different clubs and cultures on campus, from past to present, all for the love of Penn State. Megan is ecstatic to take on the 100th Homecoming with an amazing team!
Alyssa is a Junior from Oakdale, Pennsylvania. She is majoring in Biobehavioral Health. After graduation, she plans on applying to either nursing or physician’s assistant school. She is also interested in possibly pursuing a career in philanthropy. She spent her first year as a part of Homecoming as an OPPerations committee member. Outside of Homecoming, Alyssa is a Finance Captain for THON 2019 and was an OPPerations committee member for both THON 2017 and 2018. She is excited to be able to give back to a community that has given her so much and hopes to inspire the next generation of Penn Staters as well as instill pride in alumni. She cannot wait to be a part of Homecoming 2019 and make it the best it can be!
Aaron is a junior from Brooklyn, NY majoring in Information Sciences & Technology with a minor in Security and Risk Analysis. He has been involved in Homecoming in the past serving as the 2018 Technology Director and a Technology Captain. Outside of Homecoming, Aaron is involved in THON as an Entertainment committee member. Aaron’s favorite memory of Homecoming was Dance Competition at Allen Street Jam. With the new Talent Relations committee, he looks forward to working with the Executive Committee and his Captains to this an amazing year.
Victoria is a Sophomore from East Islip, Long Island, NY. She is majoring in Supply Chain and Italian Language and Literature. She has been involved with Homecoming since the beginning of Freshman year as a member of the First Year Involvement Committee and continued to be a Dance Competition Captain on University Relations for Homecoming 2018. She is also involved with Smeal Student Mentors, the Penn State Parkinson’s Foundation, and Ohana, a THON organization. Her favorite aspect of Homecoming is how every person from the Penn State community comes together to express their pride and celebrate great traditions. She is very excited to work with other Directors, Captains, and Committees to make Homecoming 2019 an unforgettable event!
Josh is a Junior from Clearfield, Pennsylvania. He is majoring in Biobehavioral Health and Nutritional Sciences (Dietetics option). He has been involved in Homecoming since his Freshman year. He started out as a Security Committee member that year, became the Corporate Fundraising Captain on the Finance Committee his Sophomore year. He is also involved in THON as one of the Fundraising Specialists for his Rules & Regulations Committee, is a member of Student Nutrition Association, and a member of Silver Wings. His favorite thing about Homecoming is how it brings together people from all across the Penn State community who don’t always meet one another from students, to staff, alumni and everyone else who relates to Penn State. He looks forward to working with the other Directors and Captain to make Homecoming 2019 a success!
Julia is a sophomore from Venice, Florida. She is majoring in Human Development and Family Studies in pursuit of a career as a Child Life Specialist. Outside of Homecoming, Julia is a THON Chair for the Child Life Club, is involved in Greek Life through her sorority, Omega Phi Alpha, and also volunteers at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital in her free time. She served as a member of the First Year Involvement Committee in 2017 and as the Merchandise Ordering Captain for 2018. Her favorite part of Homecoming is being a part of such a large and incredible community that helped her find her place here at Penn State. She is incredibly excited to serve as the Internal Development Director for the 100th Homecoming celebration and to make this year the best yet!
Natalie is a Junior from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She is majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders with an intention to attend graduate school for Speech Language Pathology. She has been involved in Homecoming for the past several years as a Security Committee Member and the Homecoming 2018 Pride Events Legacy Captain. She has also been involved with THON since freshmen year as an OPPerations Committee Member and she is involved in the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association. She has spent time mentoring international students in English and teaching abroad. Her favorite thing about Homecoming is that it brings together all aspects of the Penn State Community, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the State College community, to celebrate their pride for this great university. She is grateful to be a part of such a wonderful organization and cannot wait to see what Homecoming 2019 has to bring!
Sarah is a Sophomore from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania majoring in Biobehavioral Health. She has been involved in Homecoming since Freshman year as a University Relations Dance Competition Captain. In addition to homecoming, Sarah is also involved in the THON Organization Ohana, Rules and Regulations THON committee, and has been involved in many other clubs and organizations at Penn State. Her favorite part about Homecoming is the amount of Penn State pride it instills in the students, alumni, and everyone in the Penn State community. She is super excited to work with all the directors, committees, and other organizations here at Penn State to make Homecoming 2019 the best one yet!
Kasey is a sophomore from Downingtown, PA. She is majoring in Marketing with a minor in Digital Media Trends & Analytics. Outside of Homecoming, Kasey is involved in Camp Kesem Central PA as a Make the Magic Coordinator, Delta Gamma Women’s Fraternity, as well as in THON as a committee member on Crowd Entertainment. She has been involved with Homecoming since her freshman year, first as a committee member on the First Year Involvement Committee and then as a University Relations Involvement Captain in 2018. Her favorite part of Homecoming is seeing so many driven student-leaders come together to make something great, and she can’t wait to see the community grow even more for Penn State’s 100th Homecoming Celebration. For the Glory!
Austin is a junior from York County, Pennsylvania majoring in Cyber security. He was involved in Homecoming last year as a Technology captain more specifically as the Web Security/System Administrator. In addition to Homecoming, Austin is involved in the Red Cell Analytics Club. His favorite thing about Homecoming is bringing communities back to Penn State for a fun filled week. He is excited to lead Homecoming forward and make the 100th Homecoming something to remember.
Administrative Assistant (1)
The Administrative Assistant is responsible for taking meeting minutes, communicating with various Directors to determine what donations are needed, and for organizing committee merchandise. They will serve as the effectual assistant to the Donor Relations Director for the entirety of Homecoming. Time management and organization are the most pertinent skills necessary to succeed as the Administrative Assistant.
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 developing 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. 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.
Benefiting (1)
The Benefiting Captain is responsible for thanking donors and sponsors of Homecoming. They will work closely with the Donation Development Captain to manage donations to Homecoming and maintain donation follow-up protocol. They will put together sponsor packets and work with other committees to coordinate necessary donations. They will work closely with the Donor Relations Director and Corporate Sponsor Captain to develop new benefit structures for Homecoming. Promptness and adherence to deadlines are the most pertinent skills necessary to succeed as the Benefitting captain.
Liaison (1)
The Liaison Captain is responsible for working with the Distribution Management, Finance, and OPPerations committees. They will work to create donation pick-up and drop-off timelines for all Homecoming events. They will also be responsible for developing and communicating Homecoming event expectations to the Donor Relations committee. Communication skills and the ability to work in teams are the most pertinent skills necessary to succeed as the Liaison Captain.
Corporate Sponsor (1)
The Corporate Sponsor Captain is responsible for communicating with major local and national donors involved with Penn State Homecoming. They will work closely with the Donor Relations Director to apply for corporate donations and help to develop new benefit structures for Homecoming. They will work closely with the Donation Development Captain to recruit new sponsors and maintain positive relationships with current donors. Communication skills, professionalism and the ability to express the importance of Homecoming are the most pertinent skills necessary to succeed as the Corporate Sponsorship Captain.
Tent Captain (1)
The Tent Captain is responsible for coordinating parade day donations and managing the Media and Sponsorship Tent. Some aspects of the tent 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 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 the ability to communicate effectively are the most pertinent skills necessary to succeed as the Tent Captain.
Administrative Assistant Captain (1)
The Administrative Assistant is responsible for keeping detailed weekly meeting minutes, sending out committee reminders through email, ordering committee-specific merchandise, and planning bonding events. This Captain works closely with the Production Director and helps with communication between the Homecoming Parade Webcast, the Public Relations Committee, and the Technology Committee. In addition to his or her weekly committee meeting, this person is responsible for attending bi-weekly admin meetings. This Captain should be reliable, self-motivated, and organized.
Video Coordinator Captain (1)
The Video Coordinator Captain is responsible for collaborating with the Video Media Captains to produce content that promotes the mission and refines the brand of Homecoming, such as: the Emcee Announcement, Logo Reveal, Grand Marshal Reveal as well as others. This person has the opportunity to film at Homecoming events on the Beaver Stadium Field and throughout the year. This Captain is in charge of archiving and managing video content created by Homecoming. Applicants should be knowledgeable in Canon cameras, Adobe Premiere, After Effects, or other video editing software. This Captain should be organized, creative, and able to motivate others. Videos created may be used for a personal reel. This person oversees Production committee members.
*A submission of a digital portfolio is required. Please include a site link or labeled flash drive of your work when submitting your application.
Video Media Captains (4)
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 others. These Captains have the opportunity to film at Homecoming events on the Beaver Stadium Field and through the year. They also have access to archives of previous Homecoming footage. Applicants should be knowledgeable in or eager to learn about Canon cameras, Adobe Premiere or other video editing software. They should be creative, self-motivated, and collaborative. Videos created may be used for a personal reel.
*A submission of a digital portfolio is recommended. Please include a site link or labeled flash drive of your work when submitting your application.
The Emcee Relations Captains are responsible for auditioning and reviewing applications to find the two Homecoming Emcees for the year. These Captains work closely with the Talent Captain to check in performers for Homecoming. For events with Emcees, these Captains are responsible for writing and proofreading scripts to be read by the Emcees. They should have excellent writing skills, a keen attention to detail, and the ability to meet deadlines.
*A submission of a writing sample is suggested. Please attach a copy of your work when submitting your application.
Event Talent Captain (1)
The Event Talent Captain is responsible for reaching out to performers and creating a performance timeline for Homecoming events, such as: Legacy as well as others. In addition to organizing performances, this person also communicates with the Homecoming DJ to schedule times needed and equipment necessary. This Captain ensures all music for performers is usable and coordinates the playlist with the DJ. This person works with the Emcee Relations Captain to check in performers for Homecoming. Applicants should be organized, have good problem solving skills, and a keen eye for talent.
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.
