Scott Welkos
Staff Reporter
The football game wasn’t the only competition held at McDaniel College this weekend during homecoming. Students, faculty, and alumni were invited to enter floats of their own design in the annual McDaniel homecoming parade.
Fifteen students groups signed up for the event this year, which is more than in previous years, according to Sarah Shank, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving.
The parade, which held the theme of ‘heroes,’ began at noon Saturday, October 24. Participants began at East Middle School and ended at McDaniel’s football field, a journey of approximately one mile.
Shank admits that the parade is never easy to put together. However, she finds the work to be rewarding: “Who doesn’t love parades?”
Students do not need to be in a recognized group in order to participate, though most entries are. A group of students interested in creating a float simply need to sign a contract which stipulates rules. For instance, you’re not allowed to throw candy or other objects from the floats.
According to Shank, memorable floats from the past include “when the Sig Eps were here and the theme was ‘TV Shows: Past and Present,’ Chris DeRose, ’07, sat in the back of a pick-up and was dressed like Archie Bunker from ‘All in the Family,’” and in 2004 when the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority used a fire engine.
Floats are judged on the following criteria: Creativity, Interpretation of the parade theme, and the presence of the group’s name on the float. The four faculty judges, as selected by the SGA, were: Dr. Mohamed Esa, Jennifer McKenzie, April Johnson, and Dr. Sismo.
Kappa Delta Rho won Best Letters on the Hill. Senior John Modica won the Griswald-Zepp Award. It was given Homecoming night at the SOS-Hinge Reunion activities. There is a large money prize attached to it.