Homecoming week, themed “Colonels, Put Your Game Face On,” will begin Sept. 19 and conclude Sept. 26.Nicholls will kick-off homecoming events in the green space between Acadia Drive and La Maison du Bayou on Sunday from 4-6 p.m. with a barbeque sponsored by various student organizations.
Meagan Chauvin, student homecoming committee chair, said the location is a great way to utilize the space that is otherwise vacant. Each student organization is in charge of a different aspect of the event.
“There will even be a kid zone,” Chauvin said.
The barbeque will include tables for face painting and other family-oriented activities.
Deborah Raziano, director of Alumni Affairs and homecoming committee chair, said the students came up with the idea for the barbeque as a fun way to involve the students and community, as well as the families of non-traditional students.
Raziano said families will have the opportunity to be more involved because the event is schedule on the weekend.
“I am a kid at heart when it comes to homecoming,” Raziano said. “I want everyone that comes to the homecoming events to love Nicholls as much as I do.”
On Monday, the Colonel Challenge, sponsored by the Residence Hall Association, will take place at various locations on campus from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On Tuesday, Game Face Day will be held in the Student Union and quad from 8 a.m. to noon. The pep rally, in which homecoming court will be announced, will be in the Student Union at noon.
The intramural flag football game, sponsored by the Student Educators and Leaders, will be from 2 to 5 p.m. on the St. Thomas Aquinas field.
On Wednesday, the Student Programming Association and Sodexo will host a homecoming breakfast and dance from 9 p.m. to midnight in Vernon F. Galliano Cafeteria. The breakfast will end at 11 p.m., but the dance will continue until midnight.
On Thursday, the SPA pirogue race will take place on the bayou side from 2 to 5 p.m.
On Friday, the homecoming golf tournament will begin at 8 a.m. There is a $100 participation fee that pays for a gift, golf cart, green fee, coffee, donuts, refreshments and food on the course, and two tickets to the homecoming reception and pep rally.
“Some students also enjoy getting involved in the alumni tennis tournament, because participants don’t have to be an alum to play in the tournaments,” Raziano said.
Friday will also include Colonel Alive at Five, sponsored by SPA, from 5-9 p.m. in front of the Student Union. This event will feature the band Meriwether and include various student organization activity booths.
The class of 1960 will also have their reunion in the Captain’s Room of the Student Union from 7-9 p.m.
On Saturday, the homecoming parade will begin at 11 a.m and will remain on campus. The homecoming reception and pep rally will be from 2-4 p.m. in the Cotillion Ballroom.
During the reception, the class of 1960 will be honored, awards will be presented for the golf tournament and the outstanding alumnus/alumna for each college and homecoming court will be introduced.
The pep rally will begin at 3:15 p.m. with the Pride of Nicholls Band and cheerleaders joining the reception.
The Colonels vs. Warriors game will begin at 4 p.m. in the John L. Guidry Stadium.
Brittany Taraba, Student Government Association president, said SGA will have face and body paint available at the entrances to the stadium on game day.
“We’ve tried to revamp the homecoming events so the students and community will come out and support Nicholls,” Taraba said.
The alumni tennis tournament will be at 8 a.m. on the tennis courts on the Sunday following homecoming. There is a $20 participation fee.
Raziano said homecoming shirts should arrive at the Office of Alumni Affairs by Monday. If students have not purchased shirt, they can call the office at (985) 448-4111 to reserve one of the extra shirts that has been ordered.
“I just hope the students come out to support the team and our coaching staff,” Raziano said.
The homecoming events schedule can be found at www.nicholls.edu/homecoming/calendar-of-events.
