Finding A Home Through Homecoming At TU

Press release from Towson University:

By Kyle Hobstetter on October 12, 2020

Towson University Student Homecoming Chair Kaylee Franc '22, felt love at first sight
during her first tour of TU. Now she is helping run Towson University's first virtual
STAY HOMEcoming.

When deciding where to go college, Kaylee Franc ‘22 wanted to give herself a fresh
start. And while the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, native loves her family and high school
friends, she wanted a chance to do college on her own terms.

As she was making her initial list of college choices, Towson University wasn’t on
it. In fact, she only toured TU because her mom brought up that her aunt was an alumna
and member of the Towson Tigers’ diving team.

Franc wasn’t expecting much, let alone to find the place she was going to spend the
next four years of her life. But it was love at first sight. Three years later, as
a junior, she is serving as TU's student Homecoming chair.

“When I toured TU, I just thought that this was the school for me,” she says. “I get
to make myself who I want to be. And these past three years, I feel like I’ve figured
out more of who I am.

“I don’t think I would have done that having been at home or being with anyone from
home, just because I wouldn’t have made the connections that I did or gotten as involved
as I did.”

Franc looked at different organizations and clubs at the annual Fall Involvement Fair her freshman year. The group that caught her eye was the TU Student Homecoming Committee.

Initially, it was her love of Homecoming in high school that attracted her to the
table. But it was how the committee members were interactive and engaging that kept
her coming back.

She began her Homecoming career as a freshman volunteer. It was there Franc knew she
found her place, because the Homecoming chair at the time remembered her name and
made her feel part of the team.

Franc became events director during her sophomore year.

“Homecoming is an organization where you’re connected with everyone, no matter what
position they have,” Franc says. “I love being able to call my vice chair at any time
of the day. It could be three in the morning and she’ll pick up, and we’ll have a
three-hour conversation.

“That’s the connection that I love and thrive off of. And I have it with the 40 people
of the Homecoming Committee. I love it.”

Being a part of TU’s Student Homecoming Committee has played a bigger part on Franc’s
college career than she could have imagined.

When she first started at TU, she was working toward joining the nursing program.
As Franc worked as the Homecoming student events director, she fell in love with event
planning. She switched to mass communication, with a focus in public relations, and is double majoring in communications studies.

Like her first introduction to TU, Franc’s push to change her major came with a little
push from mom.

“I mentioned Homecoming and being the events director, and she told me that I’ve spent
the past 30 minutes talking about that and nothing else,” Franc laughs. “So I looked
at the hospitality portion of event planning and that folds into the communications
aspect of it. And I wanted to add a public relations degree so I could learn to promote
my business.”

With this year's homecoming events being completely virtual, Franc and the Student
Homecoming Committee have had to plan all events online.

Luckily, or unluckily depending on how you look at it, Towson University’s 2020 Homecoming
is offering an early challenge in Franc’s event planning career.

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Towson University has moved most classes online
for the fall term. There will also be no in-person events held on campus, which includes
Homecoming.

So the Student Homecoming Committee partnered with Alumni Relations, Towson University Athletics and other members of the university community to host TU’s first STAY HOMEcoming week, which is a virtual take on Homecoming that features events that can be done from
the safety and comfort of home.

Franc and her team have come up with new events that take advantage of the virtual
aspect, including a DIY Craft Night. They have moved old favorites—including the Homecoming Pageant, petting zoo and block party—to a virtual setting.

And while Franc, like most of the TU community, would rather have these events in
person, she appreciates the lessons she’s learned through planning a Homecoming completely
on a computer.

“We’re learning to adapt to the situations we’ve been given,” Franc says. “And you
know what? I’m excited for Homecoming. I know it’s going to be online and on social
media, but we’re going to represent Towson University the best we can.”

Homecoming 2020

Join TU for STAY HOMEcoming

TU Tigers across the globe are invited to celebrate Towson University’s virtual STAY
HOMEcoming 2020—Oct. 12­–18! TU students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members
are welcome to join us as we prove why we bleed black and gold.

Check out a complete list of STAY HOMEcoming events, and follow TU on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to stay updated on all things Towson University and Homecoming.

This press release was produced by Towson University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.