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UTRGV Student Activities are gearing up for this year’s homecoming events and a week-and-a-half-long celebration where Vaquero Nation celebrates the university spirit and legacy, according to a department staff.
Homecoming events kicked off with Paint your Vaquero Spirit on Oct. 12 on both campuses.
Cristina Rodriguez, assistant director for the Student Activities Office, said the celebration was extended thanks to how many events there are.
“So, it’s actually 11 days, a lot of different activities that will be available,” Rodriguez said. “And it actually extended because we’re introducing our first-ever Burning of the Letters on the Brownsville campus.”
The Burning of the Letters event will be at 8 p.m. at Lot B4 on the Brownsville campus and at the same time on Oct. 30 in the Lot E16 on the Edinburg campus.
Raul Leal, program coordinator for Student Activities, said the Burning of the Letters for Brownsville will have new custom-built letters for the students to burn on the Brownsville campus.
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“It will give both of our campuses an ability to come together to really unite in the spirit of our Vaquero community and to make sure that we are really living into our Vaquero pride,” Leal said.
The Homecoming Parade will happen and lead up to the Burning of the Letters.
“When a parade finishes, typically you’ll see them at any city parade or that there’s typically, like, a little, like a market or a festival or attraction of some sort,” Rodriguez said. “… So, that’s kind of where we came up with the parade, leaning into burning letters.”
The celebration will include Vaqueros games, Orange Crush and Boulderween. The last event will be the homecoming football game at Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium in Edinburg. During halftime, the Royals for homecoming will be announced.
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Leal said homecoming week matters for UTRGV because it should make students feel they belong on campus.
“So, something like this is super important to the campus because we want our students to feel like they belong to the UTRGV community,” he said. “You want to find that sense of belonging with your friend groups, with your organizations, with your departments, and this is a really big way for students to come together, make friends, or strengthen the friendships that they already have by enjoying all the free stuff that’s lined up for them.”
Cassandra Guerra, an integrated health science senior, said she had a blast going to the homecoming events last year and encouraged other students to do the same.
“I know sometimes college can be a really lonely time, especially if you come from far away,” Guerra said.
“Making new memories and then meeting people there … you start making just new friends, new memories. You start getting more familiar, more comfortable with campus, and then you always just look forward to next year like I’m going, make the same memories again. … It’s honestly really fun.”
For more information, visit utrgv.edu/homecoming.
