ENMU homecoming week kicks off with music event

Songfest 2009 kicks off a week-long celebration of Eastern New Mexico University’s 75th anniversary and homecoming.

It all begins Monday, giving ENMU organizations on campus a chance to cut a rug and bring down the house.

“It is ... an annual event that falls on the Monday before homecoming,” said Felicia Hudgeons, senior head of the associated students activities board. “They (contestants) can do either a skit or a song. Really anything they want as long as it fits the criteria of homecoming.”

Groups compete against each other for trophies — but most important of all, for bragging rights.

“This year our theme is past, present and future, 75 years with success,” Hudgeons said. “In the past it has been like a Greek form and it is judged by either faculty or staff members at Eastern.”

As of Friday, eight organizations had entered to perform 10-minute skits from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Campus Union Building ballroom.

Songfest 2009 is the only event the student activities board has planned for homecoming.

The Associated Students of Eastern New Mexico University, however, has been working to put together other events with the school.

“Eastern has been around for 75 years if you can believe it or not,” Hudgeons said. “This is something the university prides itself on right now and we have grown as a university.”

Hudgeons, a public relations major, noted this year’s freshman class is a record number and said the university just keeps getting better and better.

Other activities planned for the weekend for the 75th anniversary and homecoming include a golf tournament, class reunion, chance to meet the champions of the 1969 basketball and rodeo teams, cookout, and bonfire.

ENMU president Steven Gamble said homecoming is a wonderful time and because it is the 75th anniversary it is even more special.

Alumni Affairs Assistant, Brooke Cordova, said the university has more than 60 entries in the homecoming parade.

The parade is 10:30 a.m. Saturday on West First Street.

“It will be a pretty long parade and we really pushed it this year,” Cordova said. “So we have a lot of participates.”

Cordova is an ENMU business administration graduate.

“I really do enjoy my job,” Cordova said, “because I get to work with the alumni and the students to see everyone come back for homecoming and it is really a neat time.”