There’s no place like home. On Oct. 22 Texas A&M University-Kingsville will kick off its celebration of homecoming. The week-long events will help alumni, current students, faculty and staff to engage and celebrate their alma mater.
Homecoming is a formal week full of king and queen nominations, the fall carnival, sober spirit activities, the homecoming parade, Hog Call, alumni awards and other special events. This is a time where past students can remember the rich tradition and roots of TAMUK, and can reflect with current students on the founding of the university in a week-long celebration. Homecoming also creates opportunities for the alumni to share their experiences and stories about their time as Javelinas on campus with the current students. The support, love and pride from alumni still rings true today.
“When homecoming is celebrated at the university you can bet you will find me in the stands at the football game, or on the campus at one of the events. It’s been a little while since I graduated but the school will always be near and dear to me. It’s a great school, a good size, and I’m proud to have graduated from there,” said Joseph Vargas, an alumnus of TAMUK.
The week-long events are organized by the Office of Student Activities in partnership with the Alumni and Development Office, who support and communicate with alumni throughout the year. The Alumni and Development Office also presented this year’s theme “throwbacks,” for which the volleyball and football teams will be wearing throwback A&I jerseys during their games that week. This theme strongly symbolizes a long and passionate tradition here at TAMUK.
“Continuing our relationships and keeping ties with past Javelinas is essential to the overarching growth of the university as their generous contributions help further advance our institution in a variety of ways. It’s important to pay homage to the past as it laid the foundation and paved the way to where we are today. In present, we can reflect back and see how much the university has truly evolved over the years. Once a Javelina, always a Javelina,” said Loreal Robertson, Campus Activities coordinator.
The homecoming court will be revealed Oct. 27 during the Javelina football game halftime show. The winners of Homecoming will receive crowns, sashes and flowers. The current homecoming court is stacked with 12 nominees. Students running for homecoming queen are: Allison Kyral, Crystal Vela, Luz Hernandez, Jessica Gillam, Sydney Surber, Monica Hysquierdo and Tanishka Guduru. The king nominees are as follows: Christopher Aguirre, Lue Gonzalez, Heet Joshi, Robert Ray Benavides and Adrian Garcia. The Student Government Association (SGA) is responsible for the entire TAMUK royalty process. The homecoming court is important to both current and former students because it shows how the university cultivates excellent, worthy and high-standard students from generation to generation.
“Crowning Homecoming King and Queen is an opportunity to showcase students who proudly represent the university and show exceptional school spirit. Winning homecoming King and Queen is more than dressing up and winning a crown and sash. It is an opportunity to provide inspiration and show that leadership is more than a position or a title; it is the impact and the light you radiate among your fellow peers,” said Sebastian Vela, senator pro-tempore of the Student Government Association.