October 17, 2017
Quinita Thomas
In the midst of the midterm blues, students will have the opportunity to put their books away and celebrate UCCS with Homecoming this week.
Homecoming Week will take place from Oct. 18 – 22. This event is hosted every year by the Office of Student Activities, and each day will feature a different event.
According to Stephen Cucchiara, director of Student Activities, Homecoming is a long-standing tradition at UCCS that was created over 15 years ago.
“For years it was combined with Family Weekend,” he said. “Then, Family Weekend and Homecoming split and became two separate programs.”
Kennedy Watson, special events coordinator for OSA, helped organize Homecoming Week this year. The events are made to focus on students’ experiences.
“These events are designed to focus on the students. I think for every event that we host, it’s just another opportunity for the students to become more involved,” said Watson, a junior health science major.
Students can kick off Homecoming on Oct. 18, where they can participate in Chalk the Walk fro 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will give clubs and organizations a chance to promote their activities by drawing pictures along the spine.
Next, Mountain Lion Madness, which will take place on Oct. 19 from 9 – 10:30 p.m. This event celebrates the men’s and women’s basketball teams, and will host games, food and giveaways including a chance to win $50,000.
On Oct. 20, students can support the women’s soccer game, who will play against Regis at 5 p.m., at the tailgate party at Mountain Lion Stadium. After the game, students can attend a bonfire event which will take place in lot 572, near the Lane Center.
The theme for the Homecoming Formal Casino Night is “50’s Grease” and will take place on Oct. 21 from 8 – 11:30 p.m. According to the UCCS Events page, there will be professional staffed casino games, a live band and a DJ.
Both Watson and Cucchiara feel that it is important for students to attend Homecoming Week.
Cucchiara explains how these events were designed to keep in mind student’s schedules and purposefully planned events for the weekend.
“By moving it to the weekend, we allow students to focus on their studies during the week. When classes aren’t in session, at night on Saturday or Sunday, they can take a break from their studies. They can have fun invite some friends over and truly enjoy the weekend,” he said.
To find out more information about Homecoming Week, visit the UCCS Events page. Tickets for the Casino Night can be purchased at the Information Desk and are priced at $10 for individuals and $15 for couples.