It’s time to wear blue and gold as the Kent State University Golden Flashes family reunites for Homecoming 2022. Kent State will celebrate Homecoming with activities and events leading up to the Oct. 1 Homecoming Parade and Homecoming football game. Kent State alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff and community members are invited to take part in one (or many) of the university’s long-standing traditions.
This year’s Homecoming theme is “Milestones and Memories.” One notable milestone is the 50th anniversary of Title IX in the United States. To celebrate this, Kent State has invited former female student-athletes to serve as this year’s Homecoming Parade Grand Marshals. It is also a big year for women’s golf (25 years), women’s soccer (25 years), Kent Student Center (50 years), Greek life (100 years) and football (100 years).
Homecoming Kickoff and Fireworks
At 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30, Kent State presents the Homecoming Kickoff at Hometown Bank Plaza in downtown Kent, a celebration with music, food and fireworks. Attendees can meet the 2022 Kent Campus Homecoming Court, Kent State Director of Athletics Randale L. Richmond and Kent State President Todd Diacon. There will be a free Homecoming T-shirt giveaway while supplies last. Fireworks will begin at 8:15 p.m.
Bowman Cup 5K Race and 1-Mile Fun Run
The morning of Homecoming kicks off with the annual Bowman Cup 5K Race and 1-Mile Fun Run at 8 a.m. on Oct. 1 at the university’s Warren Student Recreation and Wellness Center. The race, named after fedora-loving former Kent State President George Bowman, is a chip-timed race that allows participants to enjoy the scenic route through Kent State and its surrounding community.
Homecoming Parade
The Homecoming Parade begins at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 1 on the corner of Midway Drive and Main Street, traveling west on Main Street into downtown Kent. The parade features floats, Kent State and local high school marching bands, the Homecoming Court, university colleges and departments, Kent State cheerleaders and athletes, student organizations, local officials and more. With it being the 50th anniversary of Title IX in the United States, 37 former female student-athletes, representing each of the women’s sports teams, will serve as this year’s Homecoming Parade Grand Marshals. For those who can’t make it back to campus, a livestream of the parade is available starting at 10:15 a.m.
Kiss on the K
Kent State couples can celebrate the place that brought them together by gathering on the K at Risman Plaza (in front of the Kent Student Center) at noon on Oct. 1 for a special Homecoming tradition called Kiss on the K. All couples will kiss on the K when the bell rings at 12:30 p.m.
Dedication of the E. Timothy Moore Student Multicultural Center
At 12:45 p.m. on Oct. 1, Kent State is holding a ceremony dedicating the E. Timothy Moore Student Multicultural Center on the second floor of the Kent Student Center. Made possible through a donation from D’Andra Mull, Ph.D., a 2002 Kent State graduate, the naming of the E. Timothy Moore Student Multicultural Center honors the memory and legacy of E. Timothy Moore, a three-time Kent State alumnus who served as associate professor of Pan-African Studies and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. During his time at Kent State, Moore served as president and minister of art for Black United Students.
Flash Nation Tailgate and Homecoming Football Game
Starting at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 1 before the football game, Golden Flashes fans can attend the Flash Nation Tailgate that will feature food, fun and festivities for the whole family to enjoy outside at Dix Stadium in the west parking lot. The first 1,000 fans to visit will receive a Kent State stadium bag. Then at 3:30 p.m., the Homecoming football game features the Kent State Golden Flashes taking on Mid-American Conference East Division foe the Ohio University Bobcats. The game will be Kent State’s first conference game of the season. The Homecoming Court will be recognized at the game, and Kent State’s 2022 Homecoming Royalty will be announced and crowned at halftime.
About Homecoming 2022
For more information about Kent State’s Homecoming 2022 and a full schedule of events, visit www.kent.edu/homecoming.
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Photo Caption:
Members of the Marching Golden Flashes make their way down Main Street during Kent State University’s Homecoming Parade in 2021.
Media Contacts:
Eric Mansfield, emansfie@kent.edu, 330-672-2797
Emily Vincent, evincen2@kent.edu, 330-672-8595