Thousands of people flooded Guilford College as smells of food wafted through the air and the sound of music filled the campus. It was Homecoming.

“People really came together,” said senior Heather Dukes. “Everyone joined in to make this year’s homecoming a great one.”

Sept. 18-20 was homecoming weekend for Guilford College. Alumni, students faculty and staff came together to create a welcoming atmosphere on campus.

“This year’s events were much better than past ones,” said Dukes. “My favorite event was the Guilford College Follies. It brought everyone together, and I even got to see my professor get pied in the face.”

There were many events on campus this year, including Swagfest, Lakefest and the Follies. In addition, there were many sporting events, such as the men’s soccer game, men’s lacrosse game and the homecoming football game.

“I saw Stephen Curry and the president of our school,” said senior Ben Randazzo. “There were a lot of people at the football game. Alumni, current students and staff were in attendance.”

There were nearly 3,000 fans at this year’s homecoming football game. The spirits were high and Guilford came out with a 58-21 win over Averett University.

“It was my last homecoming at Guilford,” said senior defensive lineman Reggie Bullard. “It is always good to win, especially at home. I feel like Guilford’s performance, overall, was a fight to the finish. This year’s homecoming was a very special time.”

Guilford’s football game win was incredible for everyone to see, but there were plenty of other events to choose from.

“Swagfest was fun,” said Dukes. “People made T-shirts for homecoming, and there was great music too. I am glad that there was a wider variety of events this year. Last year, the focus was mainly on the football game, but this year there were more events, like Swagfest and the Follies that more people came out to.”

This year’s homecoming was packed full of events meant to bring students and alumni together.

“Lakefest was really fun,” said Randazzo. “I got to hear this 16-year-old girl sing hip-hop, and we all enjoyed drinks and food, but I do wish the Quake Talks would have been more publicized. It was nice to hear from alumni about future opportunities. It would have been good for more students to hear what the alumni had to say. A lot of students need motivation.”

Students came to homecoming to enjoy themselves. It was a chance to connect with one another and hear about what Guilford alumni are doing after Guilford.

“There is always a positive attitude towards homecoming,” said Randazzo. “Students want to be a part of school events and want to know what alumni are doing with their lives.”

Hearing what alumni have done after Guilford provides hope during homecoming weekend. It gives students a drive to succeed and strive for greatness.

“One of the highlights for me was meeting Deena Zeina Zaru,” said Associate Director for Communications and Marketing Daniel Nonte. “Deena received a Young Alumni Achievement Award. It was also special to attend the presentation of the Exemplary Educator Awards. There were retired faculty there who I had only read about and teachers who helped make Guilford what it is today.”

Homecoming 2015 was a success for Guilford College. Many alumni made appearances, as well as NBA superstar Curry.

“I will definitely come to homecoming as an alumni.” said Randazzo. “I would like to reconnect after I graduate and I look forward to seeing what has changed in the future.”