For this year's annual Homecomings celebrations, new traditions have been added to the event in an effort to increase participation by both alumni as well as current students.
The Alumni Association worked in conjunction with University Programs Council, the Athletics Association and class councils to create more festivities, including a parade, a Young Alumni event for recent University alumni, a meeting among current University fourth-year students and young alumni, and the Brad Paisley concert at the John Paul Jones arena.
Director of Alumni Affairs Wayne Cozart said he has high expectations for alumni attendance at this year's homecoming events.
"We really are hoping to [increase] the number of young alumni attended by at least 100 percent from last year," Cozart said.
Cozart said one of the goals of the Alumni Association's involvement in the events is to "begin having fourth-year students [talk] with alumni as we begin to transition them from undergraduate to alumni status."
The University's celebrations kicked off yesterday with a pep rally held at Nameless Field.
Wallace Gundy, member of the Third Year Council, said the focus was to make "homecoming a big event [at the University] like it is at other schools."
"We're really trying to get everyone excited about football season and excited about being a Cavalier," Gundy said. "We're trying to unite the entire community for the homecoming and celebration for the beginning of the school year."
The pep rally boasted performances by various student groups and also included class competitions. Second Year Council was responsible for planning the activities.
Jen Root, head of the UPC Special Programs committee, was hopeful that the event would "bring out the spirit of U.Va."
"We're trying to bring more student participation back because it's usually athletics and alumni dominated," she said.
Second Year Council president Jack Wilson, IV hopes for "a lot of student turn-out."
"We're expecting this to be one of the bigger events of the fall," Wilson said. "We've been focusing on trying to get more first years and second years out. It's not geared towards them, [but] we're hoping they'll remember this year and push it for next year."
--Marisa Roman contributed to this article
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