Southeast Missouri State University continues homecoming festivities with block party

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – Southeast Missouri State University continued its homecoming celebration with a block party Friday night.

SEMO freshman cheerleaders Sophie Volding and Mackenzie Martinez share their impressions of their first ever college homecoming.

“Overwhelmed, but excited,” Volding said. “Go Redhawks!” 

“It is definitely different from anything I have ever experienced before,” Martinez said. “It’s shown me that everyone can come together as a whole community to just have a celebration of celebrating your school and your sports athletics teams as well as well as any organizations on campus.” 

On the other hand, Southeast alum Mary Harrelson-Davidson is in town from Florida. She graduated from Southeast in 1947, and she is impressed with how the university has grown over the years.  

“It’s been a great experience to be here and see the growth, and you have so many innovative classes, and I just took the tour. It’s just fantastic what’s happened, and the forethought of the planning and all that has certainly paid off,” she said.

Friday’s homecoming kickoff block party, the first ever at Southeast, featured dozens of area vendors, a beer garden, games and activities and much more. 

And it all culminated in a big announcement from university President Dr. Carlos Vargas: “We are formally launching today, the public phase of the largest public fundraising campaign in our history. Our goal for this campaign is $60 million.”