On Friday, students, alumni, Manhattan residents and children dressed in Halloween costumes lined the streets of downtown Manhattan to watch K-State’s 100th Homecoming parade celebration.
“I actually really enjoyed walking in the parade because we worked so many hours on the float and then walking around seeing peoples reactions to our float, smiling and waving was kind of rewarding,” Emma Allegri, sophomore in graphic design, said.
According to Amanda Lee, assistant director of student programs for the K-State Alumni Association, the K-State homecoming parade is one of the biggest parades in Manhattan year round. She said each of the student organizations, Greek pairings and residence hall pairings featured a decade in K-State’s 100-year history to construct their floats’ theme.
Leading the parade was Dr. Hardin Russell who was the 1945 K-State football captain followed by President Kirk Shulz and his wife Noel, director and associate dean of research and graduate programs. The parade featured past K-State homecoming queens, the K-State Ambassador finalists and floats constructed by various student organizations.
The winning float in the Greek community was the pairing of Zeta Tau Alpha, Beta Sigma Psi and Sigma Phi Epsilon, assigned with the 1930s decade. The float displayed Willie the Wildcat holding a baby Bill Snyder.
Amy Button Renz, CEO and president of the K-State Alumni Association, K-State football coach Bill Snyder and the 2015 K-State Student Ambassadors finalists spoke at the pep rally. The past K-State Student Ambassadors announced the winners for the various homecoming events throughout the week including Spirit Signs, Pant the Chant, Paint the Ville and floats.
Amy Prieb, sophomore in industrial engineering, said she enjoyed spending time with her friends and bonding over all the events of homecoming week. Prieb’s Greek pairing’s float featured a big Rubick’s Cube and boom box to represent the 80s.
“It was so much fun to dress up in all of our 80s gear,” Prieb said. “I’m also just really happy that we get to go to such a great school and represent such a great Greek community.”
Lee said the century of homecoming theme as a good representation of K-State tradition.
“I think it shows our value and tradition,” Lee said. “Homecoming is one of the university’s unique and long standing traditions.”
