Dylan Pichnarcik Commentary: FSU, you certainly know how to celebrate
By Dylan Pichnarcik
Editor-in-Chief
This past weekend, Framingham State celebrated Homecoming and Family Weekend, a yearly tradition that brings together families, friends, and generations of alums who continue to call FSU home.
As a senior, this Homecoming Weekend was particularly poignant for me. I reflected not only on my more than three years at FSU, but also on the overall energy of campus and how it has changed over my time.
While it’s bittersweet that I will depart FSU this May, Homecoming Weekend was the perfect reminder that I will always have a reason to visit.
If you missed Homecoming Weekend, I would describe it simply as eclectic.
The excitement of students, families, faculty, and staff was felt throughout the weekend, truly showing that when you show up for FSU, the community shows out.
For attendees, Homecoming Weekend looks like a seamless display of everything FSU has to offer.
Behind the scenes, it’s a labor of love undertaken by the Homecoming and Family Weekend Planning Committee.
The committee brings together countless areas of the University, tasked with putting on a program that is open, accessible, and exciting for our entire community and beyond.
Just to name a few divisions, the committee is made up of professional staff members from Student Affairs, Athletics, Family Engagement, Marketing & Communications, Catering, Campus Events, and Facilities, all serving on the committee - along with me, the sole student member.
While I’m not an associate director, program coordinator, or associate vice president, I was treated as an equal member of the committee, with the opportunity to present out on tasks I was working on and contribute to subcommittees and various decisions regarding the weekend program.
My mission in serving on the committee was simple: ensure the program was accessible and engaging for students. At the end of the experience, thanks to the many professional staff members who contributed, we accomplished just that.
Across the board, the committee was dedicated to the shared mission of providing an exciting opportunity for people to celebrate their time at FSU.
To have so many offices represented on one committee is not an easy task - especially when you think about how each one represents a different constituency of FSU, and how differently these groups are engaged.
Seeing the planning process firsthand gave me a greater appreciation for the work that goes into making FSU feel like a community. Every office brought its own priorities, responsibilities, and perspectives to the table, but the committee had a shared goal of creating a weekend when everyone could come together.
This kind of collaboration takes communication, compromise, and a willingness to recognize that every area of the University has something valuable to contribute.
In the end, Homecoming Weekend was an excellent opportunity to engage with the extended FSU community. But most importantly, it served our students. At every corner, there was something offered to students, whether that was a free memento, a quick snack, or a full-course breakfast celebrated in the Dining Commons.
If you’ve been a student for more than one year at FSU, chances are you’ve taken part in the annual late-night pilgrimage to the Dining Commons for French toast sticks, eggs, and other breakfast treats.
This year was different - multiple student organizations, including SGA, The Hilltop Players, and, of course, your weekly independent student newspaper, The Gatepost, were in attendance.
The real star of the show was SGA, which filled the Dining Commons with the rhythm and grooves that provided a pulse for the evening. The high-energy members of SGA spent the evening dancing along to hits and even got members of the staff to join in.
Seeing students take ownership of a tradition that transcends generations and make it their own made all the difference in engaging students. Their engagement at the Moonlight Breakfast only brought about positivity and a palpable pride in FSU.
Student organizations brought their personalities, enthusiasm, and sense of community into the Dining Commons, transforming a familiar tradition into something that felt new. Their participation served as a reminder that students are truly what brings campus to life.
The following day was just as exciting. The Rams triumphed over the Fitchburg State Falcons on a picturesque fall day. Meanwhile, the McCarthy Center was buzzing with activity. FestivalFSU brought vendors to campus, along with plenty of food, which was all free. For those interested in something a little more educational, classroom experiences were offered - it was as if every part of campus was together in one space, showing off the very best of our community.
The weekend concluded on a high note with an energetic performance by the Afro-Caribbean Dance Team, which opened for the Floor Lords, a breakdancing group.
A single weekend simply cannot capture everything that makes our community special. But the same spirit that filled campus last weekend - an energy that brought people together - is always here. That passion should carry into the rest of the academic year. We should not have to wait for Homecoming to feel connected to the people and place that make FSU home.
Homecoming may come once a year, but the spirit behind it should never be limited to one weekend - whether you are a first-year student finding your place, a senior preparing to graduate, or an alum returning to campus.
