The Homecoming spirit lives on through the past experiences of alumni, and new memories are created as the 96-year tradition of Homecoming carries on.

Many alumni have chosen to continue their stay at Eastern by becoming faculty or staff members.

Joy Russell, the department chair of early childhood, elementary and middle level education, said she first came to Eastern as a student in 1972.

“My favorite part of Homecoming was the football game and being able to root for the team,” Russell said. “My to-be husband was also on the football team so that also factored into it.”

Mark Hudson, the director of housing and dining, came to Eastern as a student in 1976.

“I remember very vividly walking along with the parade up the street to Old Main, hearing the band play and crunching through the fall leaves,” Hudson said. “It is emotional for all of the senses and I still get the same sense of nostalgia.”

Russell said there were more organizations that would contribute with floats in the Homecoming Parade when she was a student.

“There are still a lot of floats, but now there is more community involvement,” Russell said. “Many area schools and local organizations have collaborated with Eastern to participate in the

celebration.”

Gregory Aydt, an academic adviser, said his favorite part of Homecoming when he attended Eastern as a student in 1994 and was the football games.

Aydt said now as an alumnus, his favorite part of Homecoming is the parade.

“For the last several years I’ve gotten together with friends to watch the parade,” Aydt said. “My wife and I are planning to get together with friends to watch it again this year, so that has become a nice tradition that makes Homecoming more fun for all of us, especially since most of us now work at Eastern in addition to being EIU graduates.”

Hudson said the sense of attachment that people feel toward Eastern grows with time. It becomes a richer experience and as students become seniors they begin to be more nostalgic and as graduate students they reflect more.

“Homecoming does not seem to have changed much, but I experience it at a different perspective now and it is still just as exciting,” Russell said. “Homecoming is an opportunity for students and alumni to make lifelong connections with Eastern.”

Aydt said he thinks he has become more involved in Homecoming as a graduate and employee.

“I think students and alumni both can benefit from participating in Homecoming events, because it helps you feel like a part of something bigger than just your own day-to-day experiences at EIU,” Aydt said. “You realize the number of people for whom Eastern has been an important part of their life, and it’s nice to be reminded of that.”

Rachel Rodgers can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].