Hollywood, get ready for JMU
By Kaleigh Maher, contributing writer
Posted on October 12, 2006

JMU is going to the movies.

This year’s Homecoming theme is “Lights, Camera, JMU!” and next week will be filled with star-studded entertainment.

“We hope that students can relate to the movie theme and get creative,” senior Homecoming co-chair Ally Samselski said. “We really hope students get excited about it.”

Homecoming week kicks off Monday with the Banner Contest in the Festival Center. Clubs, organizations and residence halls may register and submit banners fitting the Madison Movie Classics theme until tomorrow. Faculty, staff and students will judge the banners from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The banners will then be hung on the side of Godwin Saturday, and the contest winners will be displayed on the scoreboard during the Homecoming football game against William & Mary.

The University Program Board is sponsoring a movie trivia event, “Hollywood Showdown,” a game show where contestants can win prizes Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in the Festival Center.

“We’re really excited about a new event,” Samselski said. “Tuesdays in the past have been a lull in the week. Now this year there’s something for students to do every night.”

Wednesday night, Homecoming will look like a night at the Oscars with the “Maddywood,” themed Sunset on the Quad. The JMU Steel Drum Band will perform at 4:30 p.m., followed by guest speaker Senior Vice President of Student Affairs Mark Warner at 5 p.m. Other performances will include 80 One Records’ Eddie Cain Irvin.

Senior Casey Cullen said “Sunset on the Quad” will be a great see-all of the talent at JMU and a great way to combine the current activities as well as the tradition that JMU has had for a hundred years.

“Come out and get food, hang out on the Quad, hear some awesome music, play some games and just celebrate fall and JMU,” Cullen said.

Thursday will be Commons Day with carnival games, contests and food from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Activities include a dunk tank, picture booth, tire throw, field goal kick, giant tricycle race and an eating competition. There will be a T-shirt swap as well, where students can trade old Homecoming shirts, or other schools’ Homecoming shirts, for this year’s shirt. All swapped shirts will be donated to charity.

“Commons Day is still evolving,” senior Margaux Zanelli said. “Last year was primarily a food- eating contest and in past years it has simply had the games.” Zanelli would like to incorporate the two to start tradition.   

The Homecoming parade, pep rally and incentives auction take place on Friday.

The parade begins 5 p.m. from the R1-lot and will move along Carrier Drive to the Godwin parking lot. Floats will be judged on “Most Spirited,” “Best Interpretation of theme” and “Best Composition and Production.” The pep rally, sponsored by Student Ambassadors, will be on the commons after the parade.

“The pep rally is an event for students to express how much they love JMU,” senior Amber Garrity said.  “All they have to do is show up and have a great time.”

Purple Out will follow the Pep Rally. The Student Government Association will be distributing almost 3,000 “I bleed purple” T-shirts.

“The goal of Purple Out is to have as many JMU fans bleeding purple as we can,” said senior Aimee Cipicchio. In addition, the second-annual incentives auction will take place in Wilson Hall Auditorium at 7 p.m. Friday night. During the week, students can earn Duke Dog Dollars by participating in free Homecoming events. At the incentives auction students can bid on prizes, including a DVD player and various gift certificates. 

Other Friday activities will include an alumni golf tournament at Lakeview Golf Course at 8:30 a.m. and the alumni gala and awards dinner in the Festival Center Grand Ballroom at 6 p.m.

Saturday will finish off Homecoming week with an alumni tailgate and the football game against W&M at 3 p.m.

This year the Alumni Association is sponsoring the first-annual JMU Homecoming tailgate contest. The contest is limited to the first 50 entries received by Oct. 18, entry is free and advanced registration is required. Winners will receive a $50 gift certificate to the JMU Bookstore, a banner to hang over their tailgate and a plaque.

“Homecoming is about linking students with students of the past,” Samselski said. “It’s about uniting them and reminding past students of their spirit at JMU and enhancing the spirit of the student body, past and present.”