Loyola Student Dispatch

By Eliot Somen

Loyola University Chicago students have been hearing the buzz about the school’s first ever homecoming weekend. But they have mixed feelings about homecoming as events kick off today. Some  think it’s a nice new tradition. Some poke fun, with comments like, “Where’s the football team?”

Loyola plans to recreate its long running Family Weekend under the new name Homecoming. Students are encouraged to show up and display their rambler pride.

The event is being held Friday-Sunday and is open to alumni, students, faculty, and staff of Loyola. The events kick off at 9 p.m. Friday. Click here for schedule: Homecoming

Some students responded to an informal survey about the event and the school’s intentions behind holding it under a new name. The responses were generally mixed and even slightly confused.

“The whole concept is pretty ludicrous. One weekend isn’t enough,” said John Malinsky, 22 a graduate student of social work. “You commit to a school and every day should carry that same spirit.”

Other students took the whole operation as a joke and questioned homecoming for a school without a football team.

“Why wouldn’t we celebrate Loyola’s undefeated football team?” said Colin Meier, 21, a junior philosophy major.

One student was taken aback by the prominent display of the message on luc.edu.

“I logged onto luc.edu and was surprised to see something about homecoming. I didn’t remember seeing one in my time here. It seems more like a silly thing I would have experienced in high school,” said Brandie Madrid, 30, a senior English major.

Results were very mixed but usually aligned in terms of their surprise about the event taking place for the first time this year.

Some in particular did see a fairly positive side to having an event like this at the university.

“It seems like an interesting attempt to further build a sense of community in a university that seems to lack it,” said Justin Hastings, 37, a Ph.D. student of medieval English literature.