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Celebrating Bulldog Spirit and Traditions: Homecoming at UNC Asheville

February 21st-26th, 2022

By UNC Asheville

February 21^st, 2022

Each February the UNC Asheville community comes together to cheer on the Bulldogs on the basketball court, celebrate our history and traditions, and just have fun together. Alumni return to campus to reconnect with their alma mater, students vie for top dog in spirit competitions, and everyone gathers in Kimmel Arena at the conclusion of a week of special events to cheer the Bulldogs to victory.

Homecoming

Homecoming is a special week dedicated to honoring UNC Asheville as a community and university. This year's theme is "Once Upon a Time" to focus on magical and enchanting ideas, and includes events like pajama movie night, a hypnotist performance, virtual drag bingo, and Homecoming after Dark.

Student Events

Students kick-off Homecoming with Bulldog Spirit Day on Monday, Feb. 21. Events for the students carry on throughout the week including the Men's and Women's Basketball games. Demon Thomas, SGA President, is most looking forward to tailgating on Saturday, Feb. 26 so that he can socialize with the community partners who are tabling and passing out gear.

“Students should participate in Homecoming to celebrate being a Bulldog. UNCA is a unique campus and we should take pride in it,” said Thomas. "Also, the activities that are provided for us are pretty cool. Why not let loose and enjoy what is offered to us?”

“I think that students should participate because it is a chance to build community and meaningful ties to the university. I also think that after dealing with a pandemic for years now, we need a space to have fun and come together,” says Ariel Akuneme, president of Asheville Campus Entertainment.

There are also chances to win free prizes through the Homecoming Spirit Competition such as Banner Contest, Bulldog Big Wheel Prize, and Homecoming Service Project. Students are encouraged to participate in the competitions, the group or individual with the most points will get a $150 tab for the UNC Asheville Bookstore and will be announced the “Big Dogs on Campus.”

For all the student events please click here.

Alumni + Friends Events

Alumni and Friends are invited to return to campus to attend a week of events for this celebration. Homecoming is a great time to come together and rally with the campus community for bulldog pride.

Alumni and Friends events start on Wednesday, February 23rd with a Service Project in the Blue Ridge Room a free watch party for the Men's Basketball game at Highland Brewing Downtown.

UNC Asheville Alumni showcases including the National Alumni Awards and the Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Friday, February 25th at the Ingles Mountian View Room from 6 pm to 8 pm.

For more information on the showcases other alumni events please click here.

For more information on the Athletics Hall of Fame please click here.

Enjoy other events and programs that will be held throughout the week until Sunday, February 27th. Join your favorite retired UNC Asheville professors, including Dr. Larry Wilson, Dr. Mary Lynn Manns, and Dr. Bill Miller, in a Zoom classroom on Saturday, February 26th from 9 a.m. to 11:15 a.m for the Back To School Session before heading to the Bulldog Block Party. Before the women's and men's basketball doubleheader games on Saturday, February 26th, there will be a Bulldog Block Party outside the Kimmel Arena at noon, with food trucks, drinks, and lawn games. Closeout will be held at the Village Porch on Sunday, February 27th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in celebration of Homecoming week for alumni and friends.

If you are unable to attend in person please enjoy the Homecoming in a Box, when you support Alumni Referral Scholarship you will get a variety of spirit items that will be delivered right to your door.

For all the alumni + friends events please click here.

UNC Asheville Traditions

Students and alumni participating in Homecoming will be taking part in one of the University’s favorite traditions, but UNC Asheville has many traditions that have become pillars of the liberal arts and sciences university, such as the all-time favorite mascot, Rocky the Bulldog.

The famous statue that was sculpted in 2000 by alumni Matt West has become a talisman for all the students. Students touch Rocky's head as they arrive freshman for good luck for the next four years of school and then again when they graduate for good luck on their future endeavors as UNC Asheville alumni. We have been lucky enough to have live mascots throughout UNC Asheville’s history, from Puck to Rocky I to the current adorable Pumpkin.

There are many traditions that are greatly celebrated by students and faculty, from Rocky-Palooza, Lawn Party, or Exam Breakfast.

“My favorite UNCA tradition will have to be the one I developed,” said Thomas. “Trying to get everyone to wear Bulldog blue or UNCA gear on the 19th & 27th of each month has been fun.” UNC Asheville's founding year is 1927, inspiring the new tradition's dates.

Turning of the Maples is the eagerly awaited event at the campus where the community gathers to watch the maple trees turn orange on the Quad with the beginning of fall. Students wait and watch with excitement as the trees turn to gorgeous shades of autumn. Turning off the Maples is celebrated with many fun autumn activities while enjoying apple cider and cinnamon cookies.

Greenfest is a week of events and programs about spreading environmental awareness throughout the university through recycling, eco-friendly transportation, and much more. Greenfest is kicked off with sustainable fun events like scavenger hunts to off and on-campus workdays to important talks and panels The campus community gets to come together to give back to their environment. The sustainability at UNC Asheville also hosts the iconic Farm to Table on The Quad event where the campus comes together to eat the local gardens and businesses that nourish us.

Celebrating Bulldog Spirit and Traditions: Homecoming at UNC Asheville

Homecoming at UNC Asheville is a great week of events to come together across students, faculty, and alumni to celebrate not only our school spirit but the special traditions that make us bulldogs.

For more information about homecoming and UNC Asheville traditions.

Footnotes

By: Tristan Lashea '22

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FootNotes

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February 21st-26th, 2022

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