Sunny skies, warm temperatures and fall foliage created a perfect setting for this past weekend’s homecoming celebration. Hundreds of alumni returned to campus to enjoy annual festivities such as tailgating, football and reuniting with old friends. Among the alums who made their way back “home” are the members of the Shippensburg University Alumni Association’s (SUAA) board of directors.

A group that many current and former students may not realize exists, the SUAA board meets a few times each school year to discuss ways to better serve the university. Members are expected to assist with homecoming each year, and they were on campus again in 2014.

After a meeting in the CUB on Friday morning, board members attended the university’s 29th annual Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony in the Tuscarora Room of Reisner Dining Hall. Six student athletes and one head coach were included in this year’s class of inductees.

Work started early on Saturday as members of the board spent an hour at King’s Kettle Food Pantry on North Fayette Street, stocking and organizing shelves. Others set up a tailgate tent behind Seth Grove Stadium, where they handed out free promotional items bearing the university’s name and logo to anyone who stopped by.

Activities were also planned for alumni who came to campus thirsty. “Café Flambe” and “Wines of the World” both offered an opportunity to taste a variety of beverages inside of Reisner Hall while also teaching about the creation of the coffees and wines that were featured.

Finally, past and present members of the alumni board were on hand to serve up “SHIP Floats” at the SU interim president’s post-game supper on the Martin House lawn following the football game.
Members of the SUAA board of directors are not the only ones tasked with ensuring that alumni who return to campus for homecoming weekend leave satisfied. A dedicated homecoming committee works with staff members from SU’s department of university relations throughout the year to think of the best ways to leave a lasting impression.

All of these individuals share the common goal of keeping former students involved with their alma mater. Many current attendees of this institution have made new friends while developing a passion for the place where they spend the majority of their time throughout the year. After graduation, homecoming provides a chance to keep that sense of pride alive.
So, until it becomes time to accept that diploma and transition to life in the “real world,” continue to enjoy everything that this eventful weekend has to offer. But, know that homecoming will be even more rewarding in the future, when it actually requires “coming home.”

Scott Hershberger graduated from Shippensburg University in May of 2007 with a degree in communication/journalism.He was a regular contributor to The Slate during his time on campus. After graduation, Scott spent three years as a news reporter at WHAG-TV in Hagerstown, Md, followed by three years as a public relations contractor at the Franklin County Visitors Bureau in Chambersburg. He, his wife and his daughter live in Waynesboro, where Scott currently works as the town’s director of economic development. He joined the Shippensburg University Alumni Association’s Board of Directors in the fall of 2012.

Share