Homecoming Retakes the Field
Thousands Celebrate Terp Pride, Fueled by In-Person Fun, a Football Win and a Focus on Grand Challenges
Terp students and alums joined for a week of festivities, philanthropy and feats of athleticism (both on the field and at tailgating events) for Homecoming ‘21, which reestablished itself on campus after a celebration hampered last year by the pandemic. From left, Leydi Hernandez ’23, Anna Edwards, Lidia Gonzalez ’23, Mikey Tanner ’23, Franklin Sorto ’22 and Melanie Ventura ’23 pause from tailgating to show off this year’s Homecoming giveaway scarf.
Photo by Stephanie S. Cordle
A rousing victory from Maryland’s football team on Saturday capped off a week of in-person events at this year’s Homecoming, a title that felt especially meaningful after 2020’s pandemic-quieted lineup.
Quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa threw for a career-high 419 yards in leading Maryland to a 38-35 win over Indiana, a matchup that drew a big and enthusiastic crowd. Gameday also included honoring the 2021 Spirit of Maryland winners and the Ralph Friedgen-led 2001 Terrapins to mark the 20th anniversary of their ACC championship, and special reunion tailgates across campus.
The inaugural Beyond the Field address, from sociology Professor Rashawn Ray, executive director of the Lab for Applied Social Science Research, was streamed on Facebook at halftime. He spoke about the "power of research to create meaningful change" in the face of daunting inequities, ranging from police killings of unarmed African Americans to the disparate toll of diseases including COVID-19 in minoritized communities.
The week also featured arts exhibitions and performances, “spirit box” giveaways and traditional Homecoming activities that Terps welcomed back: the SEE Comedy Show that expanded to two shows to meet demand; Tuesday Night Lights on Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium, with record attendance; and the always-lively Nyumburu Cultural Center Juke Joint, which got an added boost from guest host Jason Reynolds ’05, bestselling author of children and young adult books.
See the gallery below for a peek at the week's highlights:
The Alumni Association partnered with Terps Against Hunger, a student-run organization that fights food insecurity in the D.C. metro area, to bring together about 300 volunteers on Oct. 24 to package more than 100,000 nutritious, nonperishable meals for local families in need. (Photo courtesy of the Alumni Association)
Members of the Maryland Dance Team give Sarah and Hannah Buehler, daughters of Shawn Buehler ’97, M.Arch. ’00, a chance to shake some pom-poms and learn a few TikTok-friendly dances as part of Tuesday Night Lights, when UMD students, alums and other community members enjoyed music, games, free Homecoming swag and selfies with Testudo on Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium. (Photo by Zach Bland/Maryland Athletics)
Student dance group STEPP (Students Toward Educational Progress and Philanthropy) wows the crowd Wednesday night at Juke Joint, the Nyumburu Cultural Center’s annual showcase of dance, music and spoken word performances. This year’s event, held during Nyumburu’s 50th anniversary year, was hosted by New York Times bestselling young-adult and children’s author Jason Reynolds ’05. (Photo by Stephanie S. Cordle)
Actor and comedian Jimmy O. Yang, from shows and movies like “Silicon Valley” and “Crazy Rich Asians,” performs Thursday at one of two sold-out Homecoming Comedy Shows at Ritchie Coliseum hosted by Student Entertainment Events. (Photo courtesy of SEE)
Doctoral student Emmanuel Wanjala, left, and Tamika Sanders '20 stop at the photo booth during Homecoming’s Terp Carnival, which moved inside Friday afternoon during heavy rain, but still served up plenty of music, games and prizes, plus a visit from the University of Maryland Police Department’s cuddly comfort dog, Teddy. (Photo by Stephanie S. Cordle)
Joe Mclaughlin ’22, left, and Garrett Lippie react to McLaughlin’s clutch cornhole shot on Saturday at the Chaos tailgate, where many friends and family of the Mighty Sound of Maryland marching band gather. (Photo by Stephanie S. Cordle)
The Maryland Cheerleaders and Testudo pose for fans outside the A. James Clark School of Engineering tailgate. (Photo by Stephanie S. Cordle)
Running back Tayon Fleet-Davis poses with hyped-up Terp fans at Saturday’s game, a rousing 38-35 win over Indiana. (Photo by Zach Bland/Maryland Athletics)
Wide receiver Carlos Carriere outruns Indiana’s defense on Saturday. He connected with quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa for two touchdowns and racked up a career day with eight catches and 134 receiving yards. (Photo by Zach Bland/Maryland Athletics)
Spirit of Maryland Award winners Josie Shaffer, left and M. Pease are honored on Capital One Field with President Darryll J. Pines. The annual award recognizes two seniors with a record of outstanding leadership, scholarship and campus involvement. Shaffer, a government and politics major, is vice president of the Student Government Association and is an ambassador for the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. Pease is a psychology major and administrative director and president of the Help Center, a university senator and a researcher at Gender, Culture, and Health Laboratory. (Photo by Zach Bland/Maryland Athletics)
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