Kelly Trom
kellytrom.md@gmail.com
Homecoming is a time for current Cal Poly students, as well as past alumni, to come together and reconnect. This year, homecoming will bring the continuance of old traditions and the creation of new traditions to the week of festivities.
Medallion Mayhem
One of the new homecoming events is an all-campus scavenger hunt put together by Poly Reps. Medallion Mayhem was open to all students who chose to participate and receive clues posted on emails and on the Medallion Mayhem Facebook group or around campus. The grand prize was a $250 gift card to the University Store.
Both medallions were found after the first clue was sent out on Monday. Computer science freshman Jonathan Peck was one of the students who found a medallion.
After receiving the clue, Peck said he looked it up online. The clue led Peck to hike up the “P.”
“I found it right in the middle of the ‘P,'” Peck said.
“As we were walking back down, we passed four people looking for it.” Peck said he’ll probably use the gift card to buy some “awesome Cal Poly gear.”
History junior Brandon Ebeck was the other medallion winner. Ebeck said he immediately knew where the medallion would be after reading the first clue and found it on the top right corner of the “P.”
“The scavenger hunt, in my opinion, could have been better if the two medallions were hidden on two different days rather than both of them being placed on the same day in the same location,” Ebeck said.
Ebeck said his favorite part of the scavenger hunt was winning the $250 prize, which he plans to share with his roommate who went with him to find the medallion.
“Next year I think we’ll definitely make (the clues) more difficult,” agricultural science junior and Poly Reps alumni chair Jordan Albiani said. “I’m glad people were into it.”
Poly Reps is usually in charge of organizing the royal court, but this year its responsibility has expanded to include this event as well, Albiani said.
“Our goal this year has been to promote homecoming to the entire student body so more students know what homecoming is,” Albiani said.
Medallion Mayhem is just one of the many ways students can participate.
“You can sit there and say ‘I saw that happen,’ or you can be part of what made it happen,” she said. “And I think Homecoming is one of those times you can be very in the moment and just be at Cal Poly.”
Pep Rally
Organized by Cal Poly athletics, the rally is a celebration of Cal Poly spirit that will take place today during University Union hour.
The football coaches, athletes and maybe even Musty the Mustang will be in attendance. The pep band as well as the stunt team will be performing to pump up the student body for the upcoming homecoming football game.
Honored Alumni Awards
The 34th annual Honored Alumni awards and dinner reception will take place on Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Alumni from each of the six colleges were chosen to be honored. There are also two distinctive awards: the Cal Poly Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award and the Sandra Gardebring Ogren Leadership Award. The honorees for those awards are chosen by a nomination committee put together by the president of the Alumni Association.
Invitations were sent out to the honorees’ friends and family, former honored alumni, classmates of the honored alumni and the homecoming court.
Cal Poly Craze
Cal Poly Craze will take place on Friday, from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the Recreation Center.
“Cal Poly Craze is a large-scale, collaborative event that has a carnival-like atmosphere,” coordinator for Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) programs Missi Bullock said.
The event will feature a bungee run, a karaoke video game, human hamster balls, kayak races in the pool, climbing walls and traditional carnival games. Tickets will be distributed for playing games which can then be turned in for prizes.
Free pizza, cotton candy, hot dogs and popcorn will be served at the event.
Student representatives from Poly Reps, Orientation Programs, Friday Night Live, ASI student staff and Aware Awake Alive came together to plan this homecoming event.
Admission is free for all Cal Poly students and costs $5 for the community. A portion of the Recreation Center will still be available for students to use the exercise equipment.
Homecoming for the Mind
The second annual Homecoming for the Mind, organized by the College of Liberal Arts, will take place on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Alex and Faye Spanos Theatre and Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center.
Its purpose is to showcase the work of students and faculty within the college, associate dean for student success Penny Bennett said.
Showing off the college’s diversity was one of the main goals, she said.
Many departments within the college will be represented. Award-winning book designs and posters from graphic communication students will be displayed. In addition, poetry and journals by English and history students will also be showcased. Journalism students will be providing live coverage of the event through live streaming. Live performances from brass ensemble, theater and the music department will wrap up the event.
“We wanted to be able to show our constituents on campus and off campus, particularly alumni, some of the great things we are doing here in the College of Liberal Arts,” Bennett said.
Mustang Corral Tailgate Barbecue and Wine Tasting
Mustang Corral Tailgate Barbecue will be a time to reconnect with alumni, friends and family before the football game Saturday from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on O’Neill Green.The event will feature wine tasting from approximately 12 local wineries, as well as Cal Poly chocolates and wine. Tickets are pre-sold and both events require a separate $25 ticket for adults.
Kassi Luja contributed to this article.