by Christi Mathis
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois University Carbondale alumni and fans from far and wide converged on campus for Homecoming 2022 – A Saluki Walk of Fame, and in true SIU spirit, they enjoyed festivities, topped off with a winning effort on the field against Western Illinois.
Across campus, offices and units decorated their doors and windows in a show of school spirit, and the winning design came from the Financial Aid Office. Numerous awards and honors were presented as homage was paid to old Hollywood glamour with an added celebration of past and present famous Salukis.
Chosen by the SIU student body to reign over homecoming as royalty and recognized during football game halftime festivities were:
- Grace Gonzalez, a senior early childhood major with American Sign Language minor from Chicago.
- Brittany Wendel, a senior dental hygiene major from Streamwood, Illinois.
Their court included:
- Julian Acevedo, a senior zoology major with Spanish and environmental science majors from Plainfield, Illinois.
- Arianna Goss, a senior health care management major with minors in long-term care administration, health care informatics/information management and communications from Sainte Marie, Illinois.
- Alaina Herman, a senior dental hygiene major from Jerseyville, Illinois.
- Robert Hodges, a junior technology major with helicopter maintenance minor from Chicago.
- Kylen Lunn, a senior cinema major with photography minor from Swansea, Illinois.
- Jaci “Rose” South, a junior computer science major with psychology minor from Chester, Illinois.
- Raven Spears, a senior criminal justice and criminology major with sociology minor from East St. Louis, Illinois.
- Jacob Vezensky, a senior architecture major with environmental studies minor from Lakemoor, Illinois.
Everyone loves a parade
Dozens of bands, floats and other units participated in the homecoming parade through downtown Carbondale before the game. The 2022 Homecoming Parade winners included:
Large float and overall float: Alpha Gamma Delta and Alpha Gamma Rho
Small float: Sigma Pi Beta Nu Chapter
Band competition:
Class A: Harrisburg High School
Class B: Gallatin County High School
Class C: Carbondale Middle School