As the end of Homecoming week came to a close, hundreds of students, families, faculty and staff gathered to witness the Homecoming Parade and see how organizations represented the theme, “For My City,” as they walked down Merrick Drive.
Over 50 organizations signed up to be a part of the parade, and seven of them had floats that will be judged as part of the Homecoming competition. The seven floats this year were assigned a decade to showcase how the University of Miami and the city of Miami were interdependent at the time.
Zeta Tau Alpha and Pi Kappa Psi were given the years 1925-1939 and showcased how UM was just a ‘cardboard college’ at the time, with partitions separating different classes in the Anastasia Hotel. SpectrUM-UPride, Council Of International Students and Organizations and Alpha Kappa Psi were given 1970-1979 and replicated a glider to mimic the ones at the Rathskeller.
The goal of the event this year was to highlight the impact UM has had on the city of Miami, and vice-versa.
“Parade is one of my favorite events because of the way we can truly demonstrate the inextricable link between the University of Miami, its alumni, and its surrounding community,” said Ishrpreet Singh, one of the Parade chairs. “In the parade itself, we have community organizations participating and represented alongside students and staff, and in the audience, we have community members, students and staff, and alumni enjoying the display we have put on for them.”
Besides the floats, children were able to enjoy the carnival rides, families ate from the food trucks available and everyone took pictures with the “Hurricane Walls.” The Walls were made by student organizations to represent the Wynwood Art District, another famous area of Miami. Many featured Sebastian or the beaches of Miami to show how much UM and the city influence each other.
Additionally, there was a photo ‘selfie’ booth and a sand castle with the Homecoming logo designed into it.
The event specifically was also important to those on the Homecoming Executive Committee (HEC) since it was President Julio Frenk’s first Homecoming.
The lineup for the floats:
No. 1
Zeta/Pikapp
1925-1939
No. 2
UBS
College of Engineers/EAB
1940-1959
No. 3
ACS
Hecht College Council
1960-1969
No. 4
SpectrUM
COISO
AKPsi
1970-1979
No. 5
Federación de Estudiantes Cubanos
VSO
1980-1989
No. 6
SDT/Sig Chi
1990-1999
No. 7
KKG/Alpha Sig
2000-2015