The Jambar

Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: Photo courtesy of Campus Recreation and Student Programming 2008 Queen Emily Wollet waves to the crowd at Stambaugh Stadium shortly after her crowning.

Following a long tradition of pride, parades and partying, Youngstown State University will be celebrating another Homecoming holiday, this time in conjunction with Halloween.

Homecoming's theme this semester is "Scarecoming Week," in conjunction with the holiday, and it includes activities such as giveaways and contests.

After a full list of activities including pie and roast beef eating contests as well as viral marketing techniques to get the word out.

The 2009 Homecoming event will culminate Saturday during the YSU football game following the traditional parade.

Homecoming has had a reputation of uniting different organizations such as fraternities, sororities and other student groups for the theme. Halloween serves to increase involvement.

Greg Gulas, assistant director of Campus Recreation and Student Programming, said this year's Halloween theme worked well with Homecoming.

"This gives students many options when it comes time to select a theme for events," Gulas said.

T.J. Cotterman, homecoming Committee co-chairman agreed that Homecoming falling on the holiday helped make this year's event better.

"That seems to be a major road bump every year for us," Cotterman said. "We used this season to coordinate a lot of the events."

The pumpkin pie eating contest became a popular activity for students.

Tom Totterdale, general manager of food service at YSU, talked about the eating contests.

"We do two to three eating contests per Homecoming and we try to cross promote the event with Halloween," he said. Totterdale also said the next menu on the agenda will be Monster Mash-ed potatoes.

Gulas who is in his 12th year on the Homecoming Committee, also talked about this year's committee members. "Our committee this year is as good as if not better than any of the previous 11," Gulas said.

Working on Homecoming Committee is a voluntary effort. The members work not only on Homecoming Court but also in organizing all the activities of Homecoming.

Mason Shattuck, Homecoming Committee co-chair praised the work of Gulas and coordinator of Programs and Marketing Carrie Anderson.

"They do a phenomenal job," Shattuck said.



Additional reporting by Gary S. Angelo.

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