DeKALB – NIU hosted their Second Annual Homecoming Kickoff event Monday at MLK Commons.
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., there were numerous activities available for students to partake in, including a live DJ, homecoming-themed photo booth and inflatable games such as an obstacle course and kicking a football into a goal. Campus Activities Board also hosted Minute to Win it games that students could participate in to win prizes like t-shirts, water bottles, totes and hats.
The homecoming kickoff event was held in conjunction with Student Involvement, Athletics, the Student Government Association and CAB.
The NIU Marching Band was also at the event and performed from noon to 12:30 p.m. Four members of the NIU Silverettes, NIU’s dance team, performed with the marching band.
Students were also able to race on tricycles against NIU President Lisa Freeman.
Around 12:10 p.m., NIU announced the 2024 Homecoming Court.
Voting for Homecoming Court is open on Huskie Hub and will close at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.
The event also included both Mission III and Victor E. Huskie. Victor E. Huskie was high-fiving students and posing for photos. Mission III was available for students to take photos with him.
NIU’s limited-edition Pride with Purpose t-shirts were available for sale for $20 and the proceeds go toward student scholarships.
Sladjana Grbic, the director of Student Activities with Student Involvement, explained the reason for hosting the event.
“We’re hosting the Second Annual Homecoming Kickoff to commemorate homecoming week and to just give people an opportunity to come together, participate in some fun games. We have Pride With Purpose t-shirt sale that helps scholarship fund,” Grbic said. “We have our food pantry fundraisers as well. We have the Campus Activities Board here giving out some prizes with NIU gear for homecoming week, students can wear. And then we have our partner athletics that’s out here as well, photo booth, music, marching band, Silverettes, Mission, Victor E. and just a place and a time for NIU students to have fun.”
Freeman said she enjoys the connections that happen during homecoming week.
“I love all the events where we have multiple generations of the Huskie family, so seeing our current students with alums from every decade, interacting and finding things that they have in common is always what inspires me,” Freeman said.
For more information about NIU’s homecoming, students can visit the NIU homecoming website.
