By MANDY THOMAS

ajt008@latech.edu

Many events of Tech’s Homecoming week celebration have grown to be more than just fun activities. They have become part of Tech’s traditions.

Each year, it is the responsibility of the Student Government Association’s director of student affairs to plan the many Homecoming traditions.

This year, the task fell on Tashaunda Dixon, SGA’s director of student affairs and a junior accounting major.

Dixon said Tech has been doing one tradition, the Unity Step Show, for the past five years.

“This is a way to get together students from all organizations to show that we are all a part of Tech,” Dixon said.

A new event that has come to be a part of Homecoming is the Union Board-sponsored talent show.

Ross Chauvin, vice president of Union Board and a junior mechanical engineering major, said last year was the first year for the talent show to be during Homecoming week.

“The talent show is a great opportunity for students to display their talents to other students,” Chauvin said.

With all the advertising and the overall spirit of the students during Homecoming, Chauvin said it has worked better having the talent show during Homecoming week.

He said he anticipates that Union Board will continue the tradition of holding the talent show during Homecoming.

Another activity synonymous with Homecoming is the Homecoming parade. Dixon said the event is relatively new and is a good way to get the city of Ruston involved.

“The parade shows how Tech is a part of the community,” Dixon said.

Some of the older events such as “Paint the Town” have been around for as long as Cazerrick “CJ” Johnson, vice president of SGA and a junior political science major, can remember.

“Since I was a freshman, we have gone around to different businesses and gotten permission to decorate their windows for paint the town,” Johnson said.

Dixon said the kick-off pep rally, which serves as the launching pad for all the events of Homecoming, is less of a tradition.

“This event if more tailored to who we play and really to keep the spirits going,” Dixon said.

She also said the event has really grown to include spirit groups and the band, and it usually has some kind of theme.

Because the Homecoming football game will continue to happen year after year as part of Tech’s tradition, these events can only grow to also become part of Tech’s legacy.