Photo courtesy of Sydnee Horstman. Pictured above, the Fighting Bees during the 2023 Homecoming Parade.
Homecoming week is a long-awaited time of year for students, faculty, and staff members of the St. Ambrose community. This year, homecoming week will be from Monday, October 14 to Saturday, October 19. This fall week is packed with events for the fighting bees to enjoy!
The first day of homecoming week will start off the excitement with a bang. A recent addition to the Campus Activities Board (CAB) events, Casino Night, will be coming back on Monday night, October 14 at 8:00 pm. CAB will also be receiving the assistance of the Black Student Union (BSU) to pull off this exciting event.
“Casino night is an event that brings everyone together for laughs, camaraderie, and fun prizes,” SAU senior Chase Mason says. “It’s a good place to kick off your homecoming week and spend time with friends.” CAB’s Casino Night originated through a class project proposed by Mason and other business majors. It’s been a big hit so CAB has made this event a tradition.
Ambrose students will be given chips at the beginning of the night and have the opportunity to play blackjack, poker, roulette, and BINGO. Those who get lucky will turn their chips in for tickets at the end of the night. These tickets will be placed in the raffle(s) of choice for each student. Prizes for Casino Night will include big-ticket items like headphones, speakers, and gift cards, as well as smaller items like Lego sets and board games.
Tuesday, October 15 continues the fun! CAB hosted a t-shirt design contest for homecoming, and the winning design was chosen on Friday, September 27th. These shirts will be flung from the Rogalski Center on Tuesday at 1:00 pm and Wednesday at 11:15 am.
Photo courtesy of Carley McGovern. Pictured above, the winning t-shirt design that will be part of CAB’s homecoming t-shirt fling.
On Tuesday night, CAB is bringing in a stand-up comedian, Derrick Knopsnyder. Knopsnyder instantly caught the attention of CAB’s executive board members when they watched his set at the National Association of Campus Activities (NACA) Conference in April.
“Derrick is a very entertaining comedian who brings a great deal of excitement to his show. He does a great job at getting the audience engaged,” SAU junior Matt Ardaugh says. Ardaugh is a long-time member of CAB and is currently the Special Events Chair. “I had the opportunity to see him perform at a convention last year and he was incredible! I encourage everyone to attend.”
Knopsnyder’s quick wit and entertaining crowd work are the perfect combination for a college crowd. He will be performing in the Rogalski Center Ballroom on Tuesday, October 15 at 8:00 pm. Check out a snippet of Knopsnyder’s comedy here:
Thursday night is an opportunity for students to have a good time off campus. On Thursday, October 17, CAB is renting out the first floor of Iron Tee, a local golf driving range, from 6-8 pm. Iron Tee also has an arcade, a mini golf course, and a restaurant!
The annual pep fest and BSU-hosted homecoming dance will be held on Friday, October 18. Fighting bees can show their school spirit at the pep rally at the Lee Loman Arena at 7:00 pm. Students can dress up and have a good time at the Euphoria-themed homecoming dance in the Rogalski Center Ballroom at 9:00 pm.
Ambrose students, faculty, families, and alumni will flock to the St. Vincent’s Athletic Complex on Saturday for the Homecoming football game. The game begins at noon, but the parking lots will be packed in advance for the pregame tailgate.
CAB members have also ordered custom Ambrose Croc Jibbitz to give out throughout Homecoming Week. Show off your school spirit and cheer the fighting bees on to victory with these adorable charms!
“For me, Croc Jibbitz are a reminder of my childhood,” senior and CAB Vice President Will Haugen says. He came up with the idea of ordering custom Ambrose Croc charms. “It’s something that gets me excited and in the spirit of school events.”
Photo courtesy of Carley McGovern. Pictured above, custom Ambrose Croc Jibbitz.
Students who don’t want to miss out on these exciting events should text “CAB” to 71444 to get timely text updates about these upcoming events.
