2022’s Eagle Family Homecoming to Welcome Students and Build Community

Two+students+chill+on+campus+and+enjoy+the+warm+fall+day.

Emily Powers

Two students chill on campus and enjoy the warm fall day.

By Cannon Barnett, Reporter

This year’s Eagle Family Homecoming will bring a week’s worth of new and old on-campus events aiming to unite students, alumni and the greater community after years of social distancing, organizers say.

This October 10th-15th, Eastern Washington University will be hosting its annual, decades-long tradition of Eagle Family Homecoming. This year, organizers Kelsey Hatch-Brecek, director of alumni relations, and Chris Hoppe, director of student engagement and recreation, hope to foster a sense of family within students and alumni, in addition to getting people excited about coming to campus and being an Eagle. 

Hoppe and Hatch-Brecek emphasized the importance of Eagle Family Homecoming not only for sparking school spirit, but also for homesick students to potentially see their families again. They hope students can take a break from the stresses of courses for a few hours to get to know their new community.

“It’s really for everyone,” Hatch-Brecek said of the week, noting that parents, staff, and even wider community members are encouraged to get involved with the on-campus events.

Attendees have the opportunity to engage in what Hoppe calls the “team challenge,” where sororities, fraternities, administrative groups and more compete against one another throughout the week. The winning team receives various prizes at the end of the week, including a $200 EWU spirit pack, a trophy and a shoutout at the football game vs. Sacramento State. 

“Nothing brings family together like competition,” Hoppe said.

Roos Field is next to Dressler and Pierce, two dorms on campus. (Emily Powers)

The week of community building has changed a lot over time. While some aspects such as the ever-popular Bed Races that take place down on 1st street, and the Pep Rally & Bonfire on 2nd and G have remained the same, Hatch-Brecek was excited to detail the newer additions. 

New this year, there will be a comedy show featuring EWU alum Nate Jackson, a campus-wide game of “clue,” and new President Dr. Shari McMahan is getting personally involved by hosting her own Zumba class. “[zumba is] her passion,” Hatch-Brecek said about this last event, noting how the president is hoping to share a part of herself with the community this year. 

In order to improve accessibility, there is now also a shuttle from campus to the bed races.

More information on this years Eagle Family Homecoming events can be found on their website at https://www.ewu.edu/efh/

Notable Events

  • The Car Bash event, which will involve students hitting an old car with a sledgehammer for a $1 donation, aims to give back to the community through the Miss Grace Leadership Scholarship. Last year, $450 was raised for the Spokane Humane Society through this event.
  • The Pride Center is hosting the “Top That” Cake Decorating Competition,  which coincides with national coming out day and brings awareness to the occasion, while creating a safe environment for new and returning LGBTQ+ staff and students.