The first-ever NorthWest Arkansas Community College homecoming week is underway. Events are scheduled to culminate with a party and cookout connected to Wednesday evening's soccer matches against Northeastern A&M from Miami, Oklahoma. I asked Brooke Brewer, executive director of athletics at NWACC, how a college puts together its inaugural homecoming.
Brewer: We are figuring that out as we go. I don't know that there is a perfect way to do it. One of the things we've had to be really intentional about is starting with something that we feel like is very manageable and very inclusive, and then recognizing that the goal will be to grow it and add to it each year.
And so, of course, we were talking about, everybody that's been working towards this has talked about their homecoming memories and memories of parades and making big boards and clubs and organizations that participated. And how that came together in some form of party or dance.
And so we've had to really kind of think about, OK, what can we do year one that it's fun and exciting and gets this off the ground moving? And then we know each year we can continue to add those traditions and think about how each year, different students and alumni can be a part of helping us create these traditions.
Kellams: Since it is the first one and it's not just the ... it's the first one for everyone. It's the first one for faculty. It's the first one for alums. It's the first one for students.
Brewer: Yeah, absolutely. It's just been a lot of working together and collaborating and talking to each other and hearing different people's ideas and figuring out what we can bring together.
And really, I think the key has been we've talked a lot about how NWACC as an institution touches so many people. And so it's the largest two-year college in the state, but it's also the youngest.
And so trying to think about how many students have come through these doors, maybe they've graduated from here, but maybe they've just taken a class here or completed a microcredential or been a part of our workforce program. And so making sure that everyone in our community who has been touched by the college feels like they're welcomed in some way. And hopefully this becomes an annual way for us to gather together.
Kellams: When NorthWest Arkansas Community College started up 30-plus years ago, it was nicknamed at the time the "college without walls." It met in office buildings and high schools. And now to see it three and a half decades later, with this growing campus and this athletic department, has there been conversation on campus about what homecoming means as another step for the development of NorthWest Arkansas Community College?
Brewer: Yeah, we've talked about that a lot. We've talked about how this is a part ... One of the biggest goals we have as an institution right now is really becoming that space for students to gather and having what we call a sticky campus culture. But we talk about that even broader within the community, right? And being a place that people gather and they feel welcomed.
And so the biggest theme that we've continued to talk about is kind of that initiative of there's a place for everyone here. And so that means there's a place for you here as a student. That means there's a place for you here to come back and celebrate with us. That means there's a place for you at homecoming.
And so when we looked at programming, we talked to faculty and staff and students, and we really just tried to come up with some ideas that we felt like everyone could be a part of. And we wanted to make sure that everything we did was also family friendly.
So especially on campus, we've been talking a lot, particularly with faculty and staff. And even some of our students who are nontraditional students, we've been talking about bring your whole family, bring your family back and bring your kids and let everybody come and have a good time because we're hoping it's really just going to be known as a place for people to come gather and fellowship together once a year.
Kellams: Well, have a great homecoming, first homecoming, week's worth of activities, and go Eagles.
Brewer: Thank you so much. We're so excited and thanks for chatting with me today.
Kellams: Brooke Brewer is executive director of athletics at NorthWest Arkansas Community College. The school's first homecoming ever culminates with activities connected to the NWACC soccer matches Wednesday evening, taking place at David Gates Stadium in Rogers.
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