Orange Central, Syracuse University’s annual homecoming celebration, will hit campus this week with events meant to bring the SU community together.

The events will lead up to the football game on Saturday, when the Orange take on the University of South Florida.

Made possible by the Traditions Commission, Orange Central has been a tradition at SU since the early 1900s. Over the course of the past 20 years, it has evolved from a homecoming parade and pep rally to a week of events to entertain students and alumni alike.

“The more traditional part of Orange Central is the idea of having everyone coming back to campus,” said Kyle Putnam, a junior economics, mathematics and policy studies triple major who serves as the president of Traditions Commission. “The idea is to connect with people who have been around a long time.”

The Traditions Commission begins planning Orange Central during the spring semester of the year prior and continues throughout the summer to get things organized. About 15 members of Traditions Commission work closely with the university to make sure every detail is right for a successful homecoming, Putnam said.

This week kicks off on Tuesday, with Slice of Orange Days from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Schine Student Center Atrium, during which the Homecoming Court will be named.

“It’s a fun way to let (SU) know it’s homecoming week,” Putnam said.

Slice of Orange Days will be held again on Wednesday, with Trivia Night taking place at 8 p.m. in 304 Schine later that night.

On Thursday, the Syracuse Homecoming Showcase will take place in Goldstein Auditorium at 8 p.m., where student groups will showcase their talents on the stage.

The day will also include presentations: Professor Emeritus Marvin Druger will present “Alumni University: Syracuse Through the Years” at 3 p.m. in E.S. Bird Library. Aaron Krause, an SU alumnus and creator of Scrub Daddy, a “Shark Tank” success, will also speak as a part of the Alumni Speaker Series at 4:30 p.m. in Lyman Hall.

Friday, meanwhile, is jam-packed with activities, including a cookout on the Quad at 6 p.m. and the Lip Sync Battle taking place at 8 p.m. in Schine Underground.

For alumni, there is a gathering at 9 p.m. in the Life Sciences Complex’s Milton Atrium.

The final day of Orange Central is Saturday, which will include a tailgate on the Quad at 1 p.m., ahead of SU’s football game against South Florida at 3:30 p.m. in the Carrier Dome. The homecoming week will end with a presentation by comedian and actor James Franco at 8 p.m. in Goldstein Auditorium.

Sarah Ross Cappella, associate director for the Office of Student Activities, added that Orange Central is a way to tie the current student body to alumni.

“We celebrate the commonality that is us: being Orange,” she said.

Published on September 12, 2016 at 12:25 am

Contact Baylee: bawri100@syr.edu