The grass was greener on the Reservation as Alcorn State University (ASU) hosted its 2019 Homecoming. This year’s Homecoming theme–”Bravechella”– was named after the music and art’s festival, Coachella. Alcorn alumni and students reunited to enjoy the Bravechella Homecoming experience.
Homecoming week kicked off on Sunday, October 6th, with the “Brave Enough to Praise Gospel Fest” event at 11:00 am which showcased Brandon Mitchell and SWAP. The gospel showdown took place in the Oakland Memorial Chapel on the ASU campus and was followed by a brunch in the cafeteria. Later that afternoon from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm, the “Tom-A-Chalk the Walk” was held along the sidewalk of the Campus Green. Following at 5:00 pm, gifted members of the Alcorn community came together to display their talent at “Brave Art: An Exhibition.” The exhibition was located in The Oakland Memorial Chapel and was extended from Monday the 7th through Wednesday the 9th from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. The last event of the day ended with The GQ Modeling Squad hitting the runway at their Homecoming Fashion Show which was at 7:00 pm in the E.E. Simmons Gymnasium. The modeling squad correlated their showcase with Beyoncé’s songs as they strutted along the runway.
On Monday, October 7th “Brave Girls Rock: A Celebration of Alcorn Women Leaders” was presented at the James L. Bolden Campus Union Ballroom which featured two panels of successful leaders of women. The first panel was held at 12:00 noon and featured Alcorn’s 20th President Dr. Felicia M. Nave, Retired Colonel Jennifer Riley Collins, and Mississippi Court of Appeals Judge Deborah McDonald. The second panel at 4:00 pm featured Associate Professor of Alcorn’s School of Education and Psychology, Dr. LaShundia Carson, Executive Director of the Jefferson Comprehensive Health Center, Shirley Ellis Stampley, and owner of The Glam House Salon in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Karen Flaggs. At 9:00 pm, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Braves did community service around the Horseshoe/Loop by lighting up the night in purple, gold, and pink.
On Tuesday, October 8th, the Student Government Association’s (SGA) Inauguration was held at the Clinton Bristow, Jr. Dining Facility Gold Room. Later that night, a midnight breakfast in the Clinton Bristow, Jr. Dining Hall took place with lines full of students ready to enjoy a night of entertainment, music and food.
Wednesday, October 9, presented “The Bravechella Carnival and Block Party” which happened on the Green with various student organization’s tables selling food and drinks. An eSports championship game was held on the Green and a game bus was available for students. Performances for the night were held on stage by student entertainment BOP, Jacobi Holt, and singer, Josh Waters. The carnival lasted from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
On Thursday, October 10th a rededication and grand opening of the Alumni Hall of Honor began at 10:00 am at Belle Lettres Hall. Later at 11:30 am, in the Clinton Bristow, Jr. Dining Facility Gold Room there was an Always Alcorn Donor Appreciation Reception. Later that evening, the 93rd Miss Alcorn, Jakhia Gray, was crowned at the Davey L. Whitney HPER Complex. Before Coronation, Carvontae Minor, a Junior Pre-Physical Therapy major from Natchez, Mississippi expressed, “I’m really excited about Coronation and I’m ready to see how Miss 93rd is going to deliver.” “Heaven on Earth” was the theme of the Coronation. Leilonni Robinson, a Senior Sociology major stated,”If you walked in and saw how beautifully the decorations were set, you would have known it had Jakhia Gray written all over it.”
On Friday, October 11th “A Brave Future: Alumni Career Insight Symposium” was held in the J.D. Boyd Library, Medgar W. Evers Auditorium from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. The featured speakers were April Stampley, Denise Burns, Levell Spencer, Ladarrion Holloway, Densel Fleming and Marcus Griffin who are all Alcorn alumni. The panelists discussed career choices, networking options, and taking risks. Later at 7:00 pm, the Greeks stomped ‘The Yard’ at the Homecoming Step Show which took place at the E.E. Simmons Gymnasium. The sororities that participated in the step show consisted of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Delta Epsilon Chapter, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Zeta Chapter, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., Epsilon Tau Chapter, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Gamma Phi Chapter. The fraternities that participated were Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Eta Chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Gamma Phi Chapter, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Zeta Chapter, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Delta Kappa Chapter. The winners of the event were Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority.
Saturday, October 12th consisted of the Homecoming parade which began at 9:00 am by the Campus Horseshoe. Later at 2:00 pm was the Homecoming game which consisted of the Alcorn State University Braves taking on the Savannah State Tigers in Spink-Casem Stadium. The Braves put an old fashioned spanking on the Tigers as they beat them 42-17 giving the faculty, staff, students and alumni a great Homecoming gift.
The 2019 Homecoming event ended on Sunday, October 13th at 9:00 am at the Oakland Memorial Chapel with a Chapel Service.