Shellie Turner
In Motion Staff Writer
It’s almost that time Falcons! Homecoming will descend upon Daytona State College in October, with many opportunities for students to show their school spirit. Running Oct. 18-21, festivities won’t just be an on campus event, but will be shared throughout the community.
A look at press releases on the event show four days jam- packed with activities as part of the celebration.
Events include the Mr. and Ms. Daytona State College Pageant, a 5K walk/run, alumni awards ceremony, tailgating, and home games for the College’s athletic teams. This is the second consecutive year the college is throwing a Homecoming celebration, with 2016 being the first in decades.
Homecoming will be a time where the College comes together and celebrates and there will be many chances for students to win scholarships in the bargain. The Daytona State Bookstore has donated three $250 scholarships that will be awarded over the course of the festivities. Students can register to win at the Mr. and Ms. Daytona State College Pageant, the Student Club Wars/Falcon Fitness Day, and Movie Night events. Those who register must be present to win.
In honor of the events, Daytona State’s Student Government Association is selling t-shirts with proceeds going to the Alumni and Friends Scholarship Fund and the Alumni and Friends Helping Hands Fund. The shirts cost $10 and online ordering is available. Because supplies are limited students are encouraged to get them while they last.
DSC will be utilizing the power of social media as part of the celebration too. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to don Daytona State regalia and take to their favorite social media platform to show their spirit. Using the hashtag #DSCHC2017, students can connect with and share their experiences with their fellow Falcons.
Alicia Wilson, an Associate of Arts student, will experience Homecoming at Daytona State for the first time. She is looking forward to the scheduled events and the overall experience.
“It will make us feel like students from a typical university,” she said.
Celebrations will be a welcome reprieve from Hurricane Irma’s sweep through Florida in September. The storm caused significant damage throughout the state and left many without power. All of Daytona State’s campuses were affected, leaving operations at a standstill. Students were finally able to return to their classes on Sept. 18, after a week and a half closure of the College. Williams believes that Homecoming might be a motivating factor for students post Irma.
“Homecoming might motivate students to return to their school routine.” Williams said. “Seeing their friends might help them.”
Among the many highlights of the Homecoming will be a symposium titled “Florida: The State of the Humanities,” coordinated by Senior Professor Gary Monroe, a Photography Department instructor and author of a best-selling book about the Florida Highwaymen painters.
Some of Florida’s best writers, researchers and artists will come together on Friday, Oct. 20, to examine the Sunshine State’s uniquely blended historical, artistic and cultural milieu during what promises to be an engaging and informative dialogue hosted by the College. Scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the symposium will be held in the Hosseini Center, Building 1200 on the Daytona Beach campus.
In an official College press release to promote the event, Monroe says, “Florida has long been a place to invent and reinvent one’s self. Whether scripted or visually documented, Florida’s narratives were built upon dreams and schemes. The humanities of our state deserve our attention. They convey the stories of our past and present; indeed, they can mold our future.”
Among the state’s leading humanities scholars slated to present are: Steven Seibert, executive director of the Florida Humanities Council; Rick Kilby, author of “Finding the Fountain of Youth: Ponce de Leon and Florida’s Magical Waters,” whose research yields refreshing insights into the myth and reality of Florida’s natural springs past and present; and Dr. Ben Brotemarkle, executive director of the Florida Historical Society, who will offer the Complete History of Florida (in less than an hour!).
Other scheduled presenters will be Jean Ellen Wilson, a Ft. Pierce-based historian and author, who will share the story of Estes Wright, an unsung Florida civil rights pioneer whose 1930s Jim Crow-era murder was covered up for decades, as well as John Moran, co-director of the Springs Eternal Project, an exhibition that chronicles the decline of Florida’s springs due to pollution, excessive groundwater pumping and political neglect. Moran is among Florida’s leading conservation photographers, and has become a major voice in the fair use of our natural resources.
Not least, James Pearson, director of Daytona State’s Southeast Museum of Photography, will speak about the museum’s rise to national prominence and its place as a local cultural and educational stalwart of photographic excellence.
In addition, an exhibition of Florida Highwaymen paintings also will be displayed throughout the symposium, courtesy of Lisa Stone Arts. Attendees are also welcome to view an exhibit by artist-photographer Carlos Betancourt in the Southeast Museum of Photography, which is housed in the Hosseini Center.
Volusia and Flagler public school teachers attending the symposium will be eligible for service credits. For details on how to register, call (386) 506-3837 or email John.Brady@DaytonaState.edu.
More information regarding the Homecoming schedule of events and locations is available on the college’s website at www.daytonastate.edu/homecoming. Also, the recap of 2016’s Homecoming celebrations can be found at www.daytonastate.edu/photoessay/2016Homecoming.
Editor’s note: Staff Reports contributed to this story.