Homecoming: Apply to be A Captain Today!

One of the most important things to Penn State’s culture is tradition. As we go through our daily lives as Penn Staters, we see things that remind us of these traditions. Whether it be THON, which started in 1973, the Old Main building, the first ever Penn State building or class gifts that started in 1861, tradition is everywhere. One major organization that is centered around Penn State tradition and culture is “Homecoming.”

Homecoming’s slogan, “Celebrating tradition since 1919,” underscores its mission to honor tradition and spark pride among students, alumni, prospective students, faculty and staff. Last year’s logo, “In every roar, tradition soars,” reinforces the deep-rooted culture of Penn State.

During this past THON weekend, Homecoming unveiled its theme for next year: “Find the Glory in Your Story.” If that resonates with you, consider applying to captain Homecoming 2025! Responsibilities include committee meetings, fundraisers and event participation.

To learn more about Homecoming and why you should get involved, hear insights from Paige Meyers, Homecoming’s 2024 executive director, and Ethan Lemin Homecoming’s 2025 executive director as they share their passion for the organization!

Both Paige and Ethan got involved with homecoming their freshman year. Lemin, a senior studying cybersecurity, got involved with homecoming his first year at Penn State. He found out the organization through an email he had received, and reached out to the director to learn more about it. He later applied to be a captain and received a notification that he was selected!

Lemin says that homecoming means a lot of different things for Penn State students. He states, “Every person that I have talked to that has gone to Penn State and graduated, they all love Penn State, they made so many memories and friendships. Homecoming lets people come back to Penn State and relive those memories that they have had.” Lemin goes onto to mention how his father went to Penn State and continuously tells all the stories that he had during his undergraduate experience, and how his father comes during homecoming and gets to remember those memories!

Meyers, a senior studying health policy and administration, adds a similar sentiment like Lemin. Meyers states, “It blows my mind every year when Homecoming week rolls around, and the streets of State College become more full than they typically are. So many community members and alumni return to Penn State for Homecoming every year to celebrate this place and their time here. I’ve grown such love for this tradition, and I hope the Penn State community enjoys returning to their second home to relive cherished memories and celebrate the university no matter where their Penn State connection comes from.”

Meyers came to Penn State halfway through her freshman year. She mentions how she wanted to get involved to ease the stress of going to a new school. Meyers states how joining Homecoming gave her a space to find a community within Penn State: “Little did I know that joining Homecoming would make me feel right at home here at Penn State, although I didn’t start here! I truly felt that strong Penn State pride everyone had always talked about after meeting the 2023 Homecoming courts. Being surrounded by amazing people who represent our university so well inspired me to continue serving the organization that helped me give a space here.”

Lemin states his favorite homecoming memory is walking in the parade, and Meyers shares hers was sitting on the 2022 student court interviews. Lemin was amazed by the thousands of people watching the parade and all the hard work paying off. Meyers enjoyed the interviews because that was when she truly realized how many amazing people are our fellow Penn Staters.

Each year, Homecoming has a different theme and differing events while maintaining Penn State’s values. Lemin says the theme is supposed to represent the current culture of Penn State, while simultaneously relaying the theme of tradition. This helps both alumni and current students feel connected to Homecoming and the overall culture of the university. Meyers states that the foundation for Homecoming has been established over a century ago and has continuously stayed strong. She says differing aspects of the tradition week’s worth of events change annually and continue to improve, while also maintain the traditional values as they become stronger!

Captain applications close on the 28th and Lemin encourages all students to apply for the position! Lemon says, “It is a great way to get involved with the school, while also networking, meeting new people, and gaining professional experience with working with teams, communications and project management. There are so many different roles that you can take on with Homecoming and eleven different committees.” Homecoming has so much to offer to every person that has truly been impacted by the culture and tradition of the university!

Apply to Homecoming today to explore all of Penn State’s values, traditions, and culture that has been here since 1855!

Tweet @VALLEYmag on X about your favorite parts about homecoming!