It鈥檚 time to wear blue and gold as the 午夜剧场 Golden Flashes family reunites for Homecoming 2022. 午夜剧场 will celebrate Homecoming with activities and events leading up to the Oct. 1 Homecoming Parade and Homecoming football game. 午夜剧场 alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff and community members are invited to take part in one (or many) of the university鈥檚 long-standing traditions.
This year鈥檚 Homecoming theme is 鈥淢ilestones and Memories.鈥 One notable milestone is the 50th anniversary of Title IX in the United States. To celebrate this, 午夜剧场 has invited former female student-athletes to serve as this year鈥檚 Homecoming Parade Grand Marshals. It is also a big year for women鈥檚 golf (25 years), women鈥檚 soccer (25 years), Kent Student Center (50 years), Greek life (100 years) and football (100 years).
Homecoming Kickoff and Fireworks
At 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30, 午夜剧场 presents the Homecoming Kickoff at Hometown Bank Plaza in downtown Kent, a celebration with music, food and fireworks. Attendees can meet the 2022 Kent Campus Homecoming Court, 午夜剧场 Director of Athletics Randale L. Richmond and 午夜剧场 President Todd Diacon. There will be a free Homecoming T-shirt giveaway while supplies last. Fireworks will begin at 8:15 p.m.
Bowman Cup 5K Race and 1-Mile Fun Run
The morning of Homecoming kicks off with the annual Bowman Cup 5K Race and 1-Mile Fun Run at 8 a.m. on Oct. 1 at the university鈥檚 Warren Student Recreation and Wellness Center. The race, named after fedora-loving former 午夜剧场 President George Bowman, is a chip-timed race that allows participants to enjoy the scenic route through 午夜剧场 and its surrounding community.
Homecoming Parade
The Homecoming Parade begins at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 1 on the corner of Midway Drive and Main Street, traveling west on Main Street into downtown Kent. The parade features floats, 午夜剧场 and local high school marching bands, the Homecoming Court, university colleges and departments, 午夜剧场 cheerleaders and athletes, student organizations, local officials and more. With it being the 50th anniversary of Title IX in the United States, 37 former female student-athletes, representing each of the women鈥檚 sports teams, will serve as this year鈥檚 Homecoming Parade Grand Marshals. For those who can鈥檛 make it back to campus, a livestream of the parade is available starting at 10:15 a.m.
Kiss on the K
午夜剧场 couples can celebrate the place that brought them together by gathering on the K at Risman Plaza (in front of the Kent Student Center) at noon on Oct. 1 for a special Homecoming tradition called Kiss on the K. All couples will kiss on the K when the bell rings at 12:30 p.m.
Dedication of the E. Timothy Moore Student Multicultural Center
At 12:45 p.m. on Oct. 1, 午夜剧场 is holding a ceremony dedicating the E. Timothy Moore Student Multicultural Center on the second floor of the Kent Student Center. Made possible through a donation from D鈥橝ndra Mull, Ph.D., a 2002 午夜剧场 graduate, the naming of the E. Timothy Moore Student Multicultural Center honors the memory and legacy of E. Timothy Moore, a three-time 午夜剧场 alumnus who served as associate professor of Pan-African Studies and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. During his time at 午夜剧场, Moore served as president and minister of art for Black United Students.
Flash Nation Tailgate and Homecoming Football Game
Starting at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 1 before the football game, Golden Flashes fans can attend the Flash Nation Tailgate that will feature food, fun and festivities for the whole family to enjoy outside at Dix Stadium in the west parking lot. The first 1,000 fans to visit will receive a 午夜剧场 stadium bag. Then at 3:30 p.m., the features the 午夜剧场 Golden Flashes taking on Mid-American Conference East Division foe the Ohio University Bobcats. The game will be 午夜剧场鈥檚 first conference game of the season. The Homecoming Court will be recognized at the game, and 午夜剧场鈥檚 2022 Homecoming Royalty will be announced and crowned at halftime.
午夜剧场 Homecoming 2022
For more information about 午夜剧场鈥檚 Homecoming 2022 and a full schedule of events, visit www.kent.edu/homecoming.
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Photo Caption:
Members of the Marching Golden Flashes make their way down Main Street during 午夜剧场鈥檚 Homecoming Parade in 2021.
Media Contacts:
Eric Mansfield, emansfie@kent.edu, 330-672-2797
Emily Vincent, evincen2@kent.edu, 330-672-8595