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Rain or Shine, It's Homecoming Time at Kean

Oct 04, 2022

A spirited Cougar crowd came out for Kean University Homecoming on Saturday, braving wet weather to enjoy football, carnival games and food, connect with friends and former classmates, and show off Cougar pride.

Dressed in Kean sweatshirts and other gear, students, alumni, faculty and staff took in the annual University tradition. 

“Homecoming is amazing,” said Kean Board of Trustees Chairman Steve Fastook ’06H, who was among the crowd that took in the activities in Kean’s parking lots and inside Harwood Arena.

“It’s such a pleasure to be here, and the school spirit at Kean is remarkable.” 

Kean student Leandro Montesino, a junior athletic training major attending his first Kean Homecoming, enjoyed a tailgate in the Kean Hall parking lot with his fraternity, Lambda Upsilon Lambda, and friends.

“It doesn’t matter rain or shine, we’re going to have a fun time,” he said. “Everybody’s back on campus, why stay in your dorm if you can be outside?”

Kean’s Homecoming carnival is part of an annual autumn celebration at the University, the culmination of a week of special events. The festivities kicked off with the Jazz & Roots Music Festival, Saturday, September 24, which drew more than 4,000 people to campus. For the first time this year, Kean also held the President’s Alumni Ball, honoring four Kean graduates with the Distinguished Alumni Award and 19 faculty, staff and students with Presidential Excellence Awards. 

For many alumni, Homecoming is the event that draws them back to Kean’s campus, where they can revisit their college days and show off their alma mater to their families.

“It’s a fun day,” said Jennifer Ciaglia, ’03, ’06 M.A., as she watched her 3-year-old daughter try carnival games.

Homecoming activities included face painting, balloon animals, “velcro” ax throwing, and plenty of prizes. Among the most popular carnival games was the “human claw,” set up indoors, in which players donned a harness and were lowered into a pit of prizes to choose one.

At the Cougars football game, fans packed the stands to cheer on the team. Halftime featured the naming of the Homecoming King and Queen, students Alexander Salazar, of Perth Amboy, a senior communication major, and Tamaya Upchurch, of Ansonia, Connecticut, a senior criminal justice major.

Scott Snowden ’07, ’08 MPA, Kean’s registrar, had the chance to enjoy the event with both current Kean coworkers and his fellow alumni.

“It’s so great to see so many of my friends I went to school with, who are still coming back and now bringing the kids and family,” Snowden said. 

Current students were out in force as well. 

Suzy Ndandji, a sophomore molecular biology major, helped out at the event, checking fans in to attend the football game.

“It’s a little chilly out here,” she said. “But people are dressed up, ready to go support the football team. It’s an exciting time.”

PHOTOS: Kean Homecoming 2022

On the left stands the Homecoming Queen, a Black female with long black hair wearing a pink and white plaid jacket, a white homecoming sash with gold letters, and a silver tiara. She is holding a bouquet of white roses. On the right side of her stands the Homecoming King, a Latinx male with curly brown hair on the top, and a buzzcut on the sides, with a clean shaved black beard, wearing a light gray button up with silver glasses. He is wearing a white homecoming sash with gold letters, a silver King’s crown
A diverse group of male and female Kean students wearing sweatshirts and jackets are lined up side-by-side leaning forward against the fence that lines the bleachers, smiling and cheering on the Kean Cougars football team.
5 Kean football players are posing for a photo. They are all wearing Navy blue jerseys, and baby blue football pants, with cleats and helmets on. 4 players are standing, and 3 out of the 4 are pointing to the camera. The 4th player is throwing up both peace signs, and the 5th player is squatting in the center of the other 4, flexing both his biceps and smiling. They are standing on the football field, which has green turf grass.
A wide shot of a diverse group of Kean students, alumni, parents, and fans that have filled the bleachers to watch the football game. They are wearing jackets and sweatshirts, and are cheering and clapping.
Kean football athlete, a Black male wearing a navy blue jersey with the number 20 in white, and baby blue football pants with black cleats and a navy blue helmet. He is holding the football with his right arm, running from two of the players of the opposing team. One opposing player seemed to try to tackle him, but missed. The other opposing player is on the left side of the Kean athlete in the photo. The Kean athlete is running on the football field, which is green turf grass.
A Kean University student, a Black female with long brown hair in a yellow sweatshirt, black leggings, and white Nike air forces with white Nike socks showing, is on a blow-up mechanical bull. Students, alumni, and guests are surrounding the blow-up mechanical bull arena. They are holding up their phones and recording the student who is riding the bull. This is set up in the Kean Harwood arena, where the basketball games are held.
A Latinx female with red tinted hair tied back in a ponytail, is showing the right side of her face being painted. The face paint artist, a white male, or female (only their hand is shown), wearing a black jacket and tall black hat with feathers and sequins, seems to be drawing either a navy and baby blue butterfly or flower. The painting is not completed yet.
A Black female, wearing a black Kean University sweatshirt, and black sweatpants with white crocs, is harnessed and dangling above a huge ball pit, filled with white and blue Kean beach balls, and white mystery prize boxes. The female is wearing a black helmet, smiling at the camera. This is set up in the Kean Harwood arena, where the basketball games are held. Students, alumni, and guests are surrounding the ball pit, and the arena.
On the left, a white female with brown hair in a bun on the top of her head, wearing a gray short-sleeved shirt and jeans, holding 3 stuffed animal prizes, smiling at the camera. On the right, a white female with long brown hair, wearing a gray short-sleeve shirt with jeans, holding a blue colored bird stuffed animal, and blue Kean University bag. Both females are smiling for the photo in front of a parking lot that is surrounded by green trees.
A diverse group of students wearing sweatshirts and hoodies are each sitting at their own chair in front of a water gun carnival game. The second student closest to the picture is standing up, clapping and celebrating (assuming he won the round). The student to his right (left in the picture) has his back to the camera, wearing a red north face jacket, congratulating the student who won. This event is set up in the Harwood parking lot at Kean.
A white female with long dirty blonde hair, wearing navy blue Kean University sweatshirt that says Student Life in white letters, is being handed a Coca Cola, and basket of French fries that she ordered. The food tents are set up in the Harwood arena parking lot, and others who came to the event are gathered around the parking lot, getting food.
A wide shot of the frog and lilypad carnival game, which displays lily pads in a tank of water, and rubber frogs are lined up on the ledge of the tank. An older white female with gray hair is attempting to launch a rubber frog onto a lilypad. Kean students, alumni, and guests are in the background of the picture wearing rain ponchos, jackets, and sweatshirts.

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