Homecoming 2016

At the height of weeklong homecoming festivities back in February, WSU seniors Whitney Wilson and Tim Eichler were crowned Homecoming Queen and King on Feb. 13 during a halftime ceremony in Charles Koch Arena.

Queen and king candidates were Ashlyn Funston, Ben Varenhorst, Michael Schultz, Brittany de Hoyos, Maha Madi and Dalton Glasscock. 

Activities for the literary genre-themed Homecoming 2016: The Saga of WSU started off with a Shocker Spirit Day on Feb. 9, when Shockers all over the world shared their Shocker pride by wearing school colors all day — and posting snapshots of their Shocker wear on social media.

Wichita State students John Huynh and Bobby Edwards sang their way to winning the third annual Shockers Got Talent contest on Feb. 10. 

Mason Bivens, who tore up Scott Joplin’s ragtime piece “Maple Leaf Rag” on the piano, took second place, and, in third, was Sam Jessup, who performed an elegantly luminous Poi (light) dance for the panel of judges: Courtney M. Marshall, president and CEO of the WSU Alumni Association; Roy Moye III ’15, gospel singer and former Shockers Got Talent winner; Justin Hall ’14, music director at Holy Savior Catholic Church in Wichita; Greg Williams ’82, a program director and the Hitman on Wichita’s Power 93.5; and WuShock, who gave a giant thumbs-up to every talented competitor.

Also putting in great performances for the judges were singers Ceth Holder and Brittan Smith, and pianist Paul Ngo. Staged in the CAC Theater, Shockers Got Talent has become a key homecoming week event.

Another key happening was the Nearly Naked Run, held in the cold of the night on Feb. 11.

Shocker runners, who brought clothing to donate to the DAV, followed a campus course that finished just outside the Rhatigan Student Center. Inside, runners warmed up and refueled with pancakes and more.

“It was fun,” says Shockers Forever member Kisha Brand about her part in helping out during Homecoming 2016: The Saga of Wichita State.