Homecoming week: seven days filled with parties, prizes, pep, a parade and free pizza. Orange and blue paint is stained on every visible window, and similarly colored balloons are anchored to most stationary objects.

Like all great things, homecoming week is easy to get caught up in. And I can attest to the fact that students’ self-centered nature and bubble-like living environment sometimes prompt us to regard homecoming as an event for ourselves rather than one for whom it was originally designed: our alumni.

But, this year, as we celebrate homecoming, I urge students to change that. Let us children of the future be the ones to send greetings to those of the past. This homecoming, let’s give our alumni the appreciation they deserve.

And they do deserve it. Without them, we’d be a far less impressive University. Our institution has bred astronauts, Miss Americas, Pulitzer Prize winners and entrepreneurs, along with endless other successful professionals. In short, our alumni make us look pretty good.

Not only do their accomplishments reflect positively on the current student body, but alumni’s donations of money and time also improve the quality of students’ education.       

Alumni often donate to the University, which in turn benefits students. Their monetary gifts go to the improvement of campus, contributing to things like computer labs, libraries, research and buildings. Alumni donations also funded the construction and restoration of the Alma Mater. Thanks to alumni, we have the eternal flame, the Siebel Center and a soon-to-be improved Japan House. 

A beautiful campus rich in resources and culture helps recruit students to the University and adds value to the experiences of current students. The more beautiful the campus, the better the learning environment and the more inspired the students. The more resources at hand, the more opportunities available. And the more diverse and rich the various campus cultures, the more open-minded and accepting students can become.

Additionally, alumni fund several scholarships for each college within the University. Both this year and last, I was one of the thousands of students to receive alumni-funded scholarships, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Thanks to alumni, I saved an additional $9,000 that I would have had to spend on tuition. Because of their generosity, alumni have made attendance at our prestigious University more affordable.

Finally, and most importantly, our alumni are here to mentor students. They’ve been in our positions. They’ve sat on the Quad and studied in the library. And, thus, most of them understand students’ situations and are willing to help.

During my time as an undergrad, I’ve reached out to two alumnae, Brittney Henton and Jennifer Roscoe, both of whom replied to my emails quickly and assisted me willingly. Henton helped me secure a position as a correspondent at my hometown paper, while Roscoe assisted me with a journalism profile project. (Thanks guys!) Both women contributed to my advancement, one professionally and one academically.

These kinds of experiences aren’t rare but, instead, a commonality amongst members of the Illinois family. We’re here for one another, and, most specifically, our alumni are here for current students.

And all of that’s worth appreciating. 

So this weekend, instead of isolating ourselves amongst our peers, let’s show Illinois alumni our appreciation for all that they do. It doesn’t take much. An introduction here, a handshake there. Ask them about their time here and tell them about yours. Together, let’s enjoy our beautiful campus and celebrate our membership of the elite Illinois family.

And finally, alumni, I’ll say it myself: Thank you for paving our way.

Bailey is a junior in Media. She can be reached at [email protected].