| October 19, 2023 Welcome Home Hornet Nation: I! AM! EXCITED! Homecoming at Delaware State University is a vibe—an old-school family reunion that is not just about reminiscing but noticing how your beloved alma mater is moving forward. I have received many emails, texts, and phone calls from Alumni, all looking forward to coming home. What’s more, though, are the activities our alums are engaging in to support our current students and our extraordinary institution. Here are just two examples: The Class of 1994 decided they wanted to help students with essentials and are asking folks to donate clothes, hygiene products, and other items that are easily accessible and of good quality. The response has been tremendous. Hundreds of pounds of quality products have poured in for our students’ liberal use—in preparing for an interview, hanging out at the mall, or just chilling with friends in a cafe. Some might see this as small, but I see it as a grand and powerful symbol of just who our Alumni are: caring, committed, and always thinking of what else they can do to make our University strong. Second is the DSUAA programming. My favorite is the “Back-to-the-Yard” event that allows our talented Alumni to show they still have it. They sing. They play. They give us the spoken word. It is usually a tour de force of generational talent that cannot be overhyped. I also love their closing program, which allows us to look to our grand Creator in gratitude. Both programs expressly benefit student scholarships; nothing could be more critical. I know there will be other memorable moments, such as the old school vs. new school tribute to the Step Show, the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, the grand parade that leads us right to DSU Downtown, the Football Game, the 12-hour flow complete with two RVs and tents as far as the eye can see. But let’s not miss the moment. Our ability to maintain these traditions is about safety first, checking each other when one of us seems to be getting out of control, seeing the increased public safety as necessary to campus climate throughout the weekend, and committing to the notion that when you see something, you must say something. I don’t have to remind anyone of tragic events besetting some of our sister institutions during their Homecoming weekends: vile episodes of violence wrought by malcontents with no affiliations with those institutions. The unfortunate results were the spoiling of otherwise beautiful moments unique to HBCUs. Let’s commit to not letting this happen here. Let’s commit, too, to being even more emboldened for the entire HBCU community, for our beloved Delaware State University, and for each other. Together,  Tony Allen, Ph.D. President |
Categories: Campus News, Culture, HBCUs