Florida State University has rescheduled and is planning for its Homecoming to take place this spring.
FSU Alumni Association President and CEO Julie Decker said, “There is nothing like being together with fellow Seminoles, recounting our FSU days and fondest memories. Those times will come again, and the Alumni Association will be ready to welcome you (FSU students) back to campus when it is safe and when you feel comfortable.”
Florida A&M University’s current and prospective students, along with alumni, anticipate the university’s Homecoming every year. Participants look at the event as a time to come together, celebrate the university, and connect with old classmates.
Carrington Whigham, a junior broadcast journalism student at FAMU, is now the Student Government Association Vice President for the 2020-2021 academic year. Wigham shares future plans and preparations for homecoming she has made due to the changes that have been in place due to COVID-19.
“We are hoping for a spring homecoming only because one thing that everyone – that includes faculty, staff, administrators, and students – can agree on is that FAMU is not FAMU without homecoming. Of course, we’re not sure what the spring will look like in terms of the virus but all we can do is be hopeful and make sure we execute our plans as if we would in the fall,” Whigham explained.
Wigham explained that when vying to be vice president one of her goals was to make sure that this was one of the homecomings everyone will remember.
“My goal for the next homecoming is to have it be so amazing that we won’t even be upset that the fall ruined all of our plans. I want to make sure that homecoming is so great that it makes up for all the activities we have missed this fall due to the virus.”
Lawrencia Palmer, a sophomore political science student at FAMU, is part of the Homecoming Committee and is Vice-Chair for the Pep-Rally Committee.
“We were just getting started with the planning process. However, my committee, we had an idea to maybe try and do the pep rally at Bragg for more space and we could possibly adhere to the restrictions due to COVID-19. Games and other ideas were in the works, but nothing was finalized just yet,” Palmer explained.
After the spring and summer graduates of 2020 didn’t get to experience their normal graduation there was nothing but hope for Homecoming.
Graduating senior, Erin Coleman shares how she felt when she got the news of Homecoming being canceled.
“It’s heartbreaking that I won’t be able to experience my last homecoming as a rattler but on the bright side I’m glad the university is taking the proper precautions to ensure the safety of its students,” Coleman says.
For more information, follow FAMU SGA’s social media page on Instagram @famu_sga87.