There is often a particular sense of camaraderie and affection among those who have studied, worked and sometimes lived together in the same campus community for several years. Whether a homecoming is held for alumni of a college, university or a high school, "coming home" is normally an event looked forward to by current and former students and faculty. Devising ideas to help promote school spirit as homecoming approaches doesn't have to be difficult, but it will require some organization and careful planning.
Homecoming Video
A video that brings together former faculty and students with current faculty and students can be a wonderful way to entice alumni and current students to come out to meet and enjoy each other's company. Create a video that showcases events, milestones and personal stories related to the school, and post your video on video-sharing websites. This is especially a good idea if you have a "channel" on a site such as YouTube. If you embed the code that is displayed after posting your video onto your school's website, visitors will be able to play the video directly on your site. You can also mail out CD copies of the video to former alumni.
Community Involvement
Promote school spirit through an event that allows both former and current students to interact in support of a cause in which the school has been involved. For instance, if your university has been involved in helping high school students in your community who are struggling with school-related subjects or are at risk of dropping out, encourage alumni and current students to become mentors to these students. These at-risk students could be invited to attend homecoming as guests of their mentors and have a chance to see what college can offer them.
Highlighting Achievements
Send out a newsletter, flier or invitation letter that highlights the achievements of your institution since its inception, with a special focus on the events that have taken place over the course of the previous academic year. Create a slogan that speaks to the pride that all alumni and current students feel about their school. Note special awards the school or faculty have won or projects that have been undertaken in various departments at your institution that have achieved attention. Add a reminder that these achievements will receive special attention at homecoming events. For example, faculty members or former alumni that have achieved recognition for their work can give presentations during homecoming.
Tags: current students, that have, alumni current, alumni current students, been involved