I felt I needed to address and blog on this subject after a few folks had low expectations about Winthrop University's (WU) Homecoming festivities due to how lackluster they have been in the past. There's typically not enough activities to do outside of the game, stepshow, and tailgate, and most of the parties are for the younger crowd (25 and older). When you get into my age group, we want to see some more variety, some grown and sexy affairs, and preferly some things off-campus. This year, ALL of that took place. Some WU alums took matters into their own hands and planned a bevy of parties. Plus the recent opening of the brand new DiGiorgio Campus Center, complete with a Popeyes Chicken in the food court and a stadium-seating movie theater drew more alums to come see what the current students are enjoying. I believe all together, between Friday and Saturday, there were at least 6 different parties going on. I'm still looking at FB status updates, Twitter feeds and talking to friends that attended these parties. But so far, I've found they have been a success.
In the past, Winthrop has always had their Homecoming activities in February, and often on the final weekend of February, when the CIAA basketball tournament was taking place in Charlotte. For those that are unfamiliar, CIAA is a four-day event of nothing but basketball, night and day parties, excitement everywhere. Stuff for the younger crowd and for those in their 30s and 40s. It is the type of event that has brought even more exposure and notoriety to Charlotte, NC, and it is the place to be the last weekend of February. Many WU alums were choosing to go to CIAA events instead of WU's Homecoming due to the greater appeal. The administration has never directly stated this, but it appears that Homecoming was moved to the Fall to try and not interfere with CIAA in any way. No one outside of the WU administrative circle knows the true reason though.
Now although WU's Homecoming was one of the most successful in recent history, it still is NOT an HBCU Homecoming, a CIAA, or even a homecoming like they have at larger schools with football teams (Clemson, Carolina, UNC, UGA, etc). And it's not meant to be this way. Winthrop is a smaller, liberal arts university that does not have a football team, is not a traditional party school, and therefore structures their festivities differently. It is in the form of USC-Upstate, Lander, and Francis-Marion, schools similar to Winthrop. They just started having the pre-game tailgate a few years ago, which has become a huge success and a staple for WU alums to attend. Before, the two major events to attend were the game and the stepshow, and that's honestly about it. The University used to organize parties at the Shack, and other social gatherings, but those were more conservative, mixer-type events. These are good for professional settings, but not what normal Homecoming activities typically entail.
HBCUs such as SC State, Howard and NC AT&T focus on partying, the football games, concerts, after-parties, stepshows and just a whole three-day slate full of events to attend at your choosing. Many folks that didn't even attend these universities still go to their homecomings. Larger schools such as Clemson and Carolina have a variety of events as well, with folks also wanting to catch tailgating and football games. People already come out to college football games in the South in droves, often just to tailgate. College homecomings brings on an entirely new light. I went to Duke University's homecoming with some friends a couple of years ago when they played the University of Miami. Now Duke is hardly a football school, but that was a huge crowd at that game, at least for them.
CIAA is the answer/alternative to the HBCU atmosphere. It compromises many HBCUs, plus the Charlotte and surrounding areas have been on the forefront for years. There are hotels that are already sold out, and people have put in vacation time at work and are planning their CIAA parties and wardrobes, It's crucial around these parts.
Now when I made the tweet about the hype that WU's homecoming was receiving was similar to CIAA, that's what I meant: similar. WU's Homecoming, again, is a different type of affair than CIAA. However, with the variety of activities, parties, and the hype and enthusiasm from WU alums to ACTUALLY attend, it is a happy medium between the more relaxed activities normally held by schools such as Winthrop and the HBCUs and CIAA. I hope I have made my point clear.
I thoroughly enjoyed the WU Homecoming activities I attended this year. Morever, I enjoyed seeing folks I haven't seen ever, in years, or since last year. I also enjoyed seeing folks I see every couple of months. It was like a huge family reunion, which is what Homecomings are supposed to be. I had lots of fun, and I'm hoping that the WU alums will continue to step in and make sure that other WU alums will be able to enjoy coming to Homecoming and want to come.
It is doubtful that Winthrop will EVER be a party school, it's not in its nature and tradition. It's not the reason I chose to attend there anyways. But it does seem the younger generation sees that some changes needed to be made and did just that. With all of the nice new buildings, changes on campus, and the improved Homeecoming, now the WU just needs a football team. The alumni wants it, and hopefully within the next two decades, it will become a reality. I believe that will really help out in everyway possible. Winthrop University already strives in excellence in many areas, sports included. A football team is the next logical step.
Either way, I still love Winthrop, I cherished my time there, and I'm glad I can enjoy going back even more now. Even if its activities aren't the caliber of Howard, Clemson, or anything during CIAA.
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