Homecoming tradition reappears at UD

For the first time since the 1990s, the tradition of courting a homecoming king and queen will return to the university in October. 

Seniors expecting to graduate this winter or spring will be able to nominate themselves for homecoming court, according to the Co-Chair of the Homecoming Student Committee, junior Ian Guthoff. He said he approached faculty in the Office of Alumni Relations about bringing the tradition back. 

“UD is a school that is so proud of its founding date 1743, but to have Homecoming in the fashion that we did, which was successful, but not tradition-based was disheartening,” Guthoff said. “I wanted homecoming to be based on the idea of values and principles that Delaware can really find itself based in.”

Assistant Vice President of Alumni Relations Cindy Campanella said she is not sure why the tradition of king and queen was discontinued because it is unclear who was in charge of it then. Instead, she said she believes it is important for Alumni Relations to focus and respond to student input.

“We know the tradition of king and queen was alive and well for a couple of decades and at some point faded away, and now students really want to have it happen again,” Campanella said. “We have a responsibility to students that are with us today, so we want to provide some things that are meaningful to them.”

She said a poll conducted by the Office of Alumni Relations over this past winter session showed that students and alumni wanted to bring the tradition back. The results came back in March, which was around the same time G approached the office with the idea, Campanella said.

According to Guthoff, in order for current seniors to apply for nomination, each applicant must be a full-time student, have a 2.5 GPA, and be involved in at least one club or organization. He or she must also submit a two-minute video, a brief piece of writing and 100 signatures, 25 from each graduating class, to support the nomination, he said.

Guthoff said he knows some seniors may feel the amount of signatures required is overwhelming, but the committee believes it is a fair request.

“We want the king or queen to be personable and not to be afraid to approach someone and say, ‘Hey, how’s your day going? I want to be nominated for homecoming court, will you sign this and what year are you?’” he said.

Junior Christopher Guinnup said he believes it is important to have criteria for the king and queen and doesn’t believe the current requirements are too strict. He said he feels the GPA requirement should be higher considering the students chosen will represent the entire university.

“To be homecoming king or queen is obviously an honor and they are representing the university, so there should be selectivity,” Guinnop said.

Once all the applications have been submitted this Friday, the student and staff committees will pick the homecoming court, Guthoff said.