Seton Hill Plans Crimson and Gold Week in lieu of Homecoming

2019 Seton Hill Homecoming Court. Photo courtesy of Matt Zielinski.

Seton Hill has introduced a new way to honor the spirit of Homecoming through planning Crimson and Gold Days Oct. 12-18. Physical distancing and the limitations on gatherings have posed challenges to athletic activities and events of tradition, including a new outlook on Homecoming.

Director of New Student and Transition Programs Matt Zielinski discussed the name change to Crimson and Gold Days as, “a way to communicate a clear message to individuals outside, specifically alumni and family members that the events are not welcoming everyone back to the Hill, but to stay safe and celebrate from afar.” 

Zielinksi said that Seton Hill wanted to still provide students with activities to celebrate the community. There will be a full week of events that adhere to CDC guidelines; some events will follow traditions of years past, while the introduction of new events will fill the schedule due to the cancellation of athletics from COVID-19.

“Our hope is that students still feel like they had a fall week event that celebrates being a Seton Hill student, with the exception of the name change and not having athletic events. Starting Monday Oct.12, we will really try to provide programming every day and possibly every night,” Zielinski said.

Director of Alumni Relations Ashely Kunkle said that there was a goal to maintain the normalcy that upperclassmen have known over the years.

“Saturday is going to look the most different; however, we are still offering events from the past years, such as bonfires, s’mores, and a themed dinner in the Lowe Dining Hall. Adjustments will be made to accommodate physical distancing guidelines through the utilization of outdoor spaces,” said Kunkle. 

According to Kunkle, there will be a residence hall door decorating contest that she hopes many across campus will participate in to create a fun environment that will kick off the week. This event stemmed from a tradition that faculty and staff have participated in previous years, which is now opening it up to students. She encourages individuals to have their doors decorated by the Monday of Crimson and Gold Days and to appreciate the decorations all week long. 

Another aspect of Homecoming that has been modified this year is Homecoming king and queen; there has been a name change to Royalty, with the nomination process being different. 

“We will still have royalty, but it will not come down to a king and a queen. Our court will solely be 10 individuals that have been nominated by staff or faculty. This is different from the self-nominations and the court of five males and five females in years past,” Zielinski said.

The planning committees wanted to provide programming that still aligns and honors the spirit of Homecoming on the Hill. They also wanted to thoughtfully plan to ensure the safety of everyone participating in activities. 

“We have staff, students, athletics, food service, IT, administration and marketing who represent different perspectives and sponsor many of the events. The partnerships really are a campus-wide community involvement to plan the events and it was paramount to provide a sense of familiarity,” Kunkle said.

Published by: Mikaela Fitzpatrick

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