It’s about 9 a.m. on Homecoming morning, and some of “Owls” (members of the Sigma Alpha Tau sorority) are meeting for breakfast to fuel up before the big day. About a week ago, the sororities on-campus were busy prepping their floats for the annual Homecoming parade. It’s tradition for each sorority and fraternity to come up with a theme for their float, with T-shirts and apparel to match.
Leading up to the parade, the Owls go all out to make their float flashy and extravagant, choosing a theme of “ΣAT is where my heart is.” Both the sororities and fraternities on campus spend hours creating some of the craziest and most eye-catching ensembles of the day.
About 30% of the student population is involved in Greek life on campus, making going Greek an important part of campus life at Otterbein. Otterbein offers six local sororities, six local fraternities, two national fraternities and two National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) chapters.
When they’re not busy designing their floats, many of the Greek life organizations use Homecoming weekend to connect with alumni, like members of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.
“Every time I’ve experienced Homecoming, it would be with the alumni of the fraternity and the parents of my peers,” says Logan Horn, a senior finance major. “It’s a good opportunity to see alumni come back and celebrate the organizations on campus.”
Several Otterbein alumni visit Homecoming each year to visit with the current active members of their college sorority or fraternity.
Otterbein alumna and former member of Sigma Alpha Tau, Mackenzie Siebert, is planning on visiting campus and reconnecting with friends on Homecoming this year.
“I want to be reconnected with my sisters and attend my first ever alumni meeting,” says Siebert. “It’s a re-election year, and I plan on running for something on the alumni executive board for Sigma Alpha Tau. I am excited to see how the house and girls are doing and spend the day back at my alma mater!”
Despite the frenzy of activity, competition and hours of planning, junior public relations major Navi Kinkopf says the action-packed weekend is a highlight each year.
“Homecoming was easily my favorite weekend at Otterbein,” says Kinkopf. “It's great that for one weekend everyone of different Greek life [organizations], majors, athletic teams, and dorm life can unite as a whole and share time together.”
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