Stony Brook’s Homecoming echoes several colleges worldwide in its traditional home game of football. From Oct. 6 though Oct. 8, SBU hosted a three-day homecoming celebration. The event brought together students, alumni and members of the Stony Brook community at the Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium before the start of the SBU v. Albany game.
Students wearing the unmistakable red SBU caps, and alumni parading free mugs, and Seawolf paws became a common sight. Before the game, visitors enjoyed a pre-game party at the Wolfstock Village, an area covered with tents for nearly everyone’s amusement.
The ‘tent city,’ which was located behind the Stadium, welcomed visitors with a registration tent. The University Expo Center tent hosted several campus groups and organizations, such as the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) and Stony Brook University Medical Center (SBUMC). These organizations greatly benefit from alumni contributions, a reason why they host tables at the Kickoff.
The tents were surrounded on one side by a sports clinic for young kids by SBU’s athletes. In the midst of the tents, a talent competition similar to American Idol drew a crowd. Visitors, especially young children, enjoyed the inflated bouncers, rock climbing, and pony rides in a petting zoo.
One of the tents, called the Kids Zone, consisted of student volunteers who did arts and crafts with the kids. The kids were treated to face painting, coloring, magnet-making, and a magic show. In the tent opposite to the Kids Zone, alumni intermingled with their classmates in the Alumni Food Pavilion. Some of the best restaurants, vineyards, and breweries in the area hosted the impressive array of food. The Athletic Reunion Tent, similarly, gave a chance to current SBU athletes to meet and greet former athletes.
Overall, the event was a treat for both new and old visitors to Stony Brook. It presented Stony Brook in a positive light. The popularity of the event could simply be measured by the number of visitors, and in that respect, the event was incredibly popular.
