Behind the scenes of SEMO's Homecoming: Balancing fun, tradition, and legacy

As the Homecoming chair for Sigma Sigma Sigma at SEMO, I couldn’t be more excited for the energy and pride that Homecoming week brings to campus. Homecoming is more than just a football game and extravagant events –it’s a celebration of tradition, connection, and everything that makes SEMO feel like home. It’s a time for students, alumni, and the entire Cape Girardeau community to come together, reflect on how far our chapter has come, and celebrate where we are headed.

Planning Homecoming has been both a challenge and a joy. As anyone involved in Greek life knows, balancing fun and tradition is not easy. Our chapter has been working tirelessly to ensure this year’s events reflect the values we stand for–faith, love, and sisterhood. From decorating colorful floats with pomps to participating in the spirit rally and field day and the parade, everything we do represents not just our chapter but the entirety of SEMO’s student body. This week isn’t just about our chapter –it’s about uniting the whole campus, creating new friendships, and building on the relationships that make SEMO special.

A unique aspect of Homecoming is the chance to reconnect with alumni who laid the foundation for what we enjoy today. I’ve had the privilege of reaching out to alumni from Sigma Sigma Sigma, and hearing their stories about their time at SEMO has been inspiring. Their memories remind us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Whether it’s listening to their experiences or seeing them return for the parade and game, their presence during Homecoming week reinforces the importance of tradition and legacy.

At the same time, Homecoming is also about looking ahead. As chair, my goal has been to ensure that every member of the chapter feels connected and involved, whether through float-building, participating in competitions, or simply enjoying their time together during the week. From the banner contest to volunteering at the Spirit Block Party, we’ve worked to create moments where everyone can have fun and make memories.

This year’s overarching theme, “SEMO: A Story of Success,” gave student organizations the chance to pick a children’s book to represent. Our pairing chose Clifford the Big Red Dog as our theme, and it’s been exciting to fun incorporate Clifford into SEMO. We’ve designed the parade float featuring Clifford and decorated the entrance to the university center with black paw prints. Our pairing has collaborated on creative dances and banners to bring this theme to life, blending nostalgia with school pride. We can’t wait to show off all of our hard work during the Homecoming parade on Saturday, Oct. 26, and share this joy with the entire SEMO community.