College of Charleston Homecoming 2025 Was a Blast!
Check out these videos from Homecoming 2025!
At the College of Charleston’s second annual Homecoming, Nov. 12-16, more than 2,500 alumni, families, students and friends connected with the College. Combining Family Weekend and Fall Alumni Weekend and more than 30 events, Homecoming had something for everyone.
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It all started with a reception to honor the more than 270 veterans and active-duty military students and the donors who support them.
Related: Learn more about the event honoring veteran and military students and the donors who support them.
Also that evening, the Division of Student Affairs opened the Homecoming carnival and pep rally with a Homecoming golf cart parade. This year, the parade route expanded to include King Street. More than 300 students, faculty and staff joined President Andrew T. Hsu in the parade, themed “Cougars Through the Decades” (1967-2025).
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On Thursday, Nov. 13, the popular National Pan-Hellenic Council Step Show was held at Sottile Theatre. More than 230 students attended the performance by four NPHC organizations. The theme this year was ’90s culture, and the winning step show was by Delta Sigma Theta, which presented “Princesses on the Yard at CofC.”
Later, the College held its annual donor gratitude gala at Festival Hall. The evening began with the recognition of 12 donors as members of the President’s Society, which recognizes the more than 80 donors who have committed $1 million or more to the College of Charleston. The evening continued with a celebration of the generosity and shared purpose of the more than 300 guests who have made an impact at the College through their philanthropy and engagement.
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Friday, Nov. 14 featured a packed day of activities and school spirit. Students from the classes of 2025 to 2029 wore spirit colors for their year. The Black Alumni Council held a breakfast at the Hill Exhibition Gallery and Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art with featured speaker Demetria Clemons ‘75. Tommy Dew ’90 led two groups for historic walking tours of the College campus and surrounding areas.
The Office of Nationally Competitive Awards hosted its second annual fall meet and greet, where guests learned the wide range of prestigious awards supported by the office, got some tips from students who have received national awards and received some guidance from faculty members who serve on awards committees.
For donors who established scholarships, the College hosted a luncheon where they had the opportunity to engage with some of their student recipients. The program featured Cadence Brown, who not only received scholarships, but also awards a scholarship in her hometown – the Change of Cadence. Brown also participated in a Q&A with Steve Swanson ’89, who created one of her scholarships, The Swanson Family Scholarship in the Honors College.
The School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs held a panel discussion with Deniz Houston ’16, Hannah James ’19, Samantha Kranz ’19 and Mary Geer Kirkland ’20, who shared their current professional roles and how LCWA helped prepare them for their careers. The event also marked LCWA’s inaugural Global Citizen Award, which was presented to Houston.
Alumni, students and parents attended the Committed to Charleston Rechartering Ceremony, which honored the student philanthropy group’s dedication to giving back to the College. The event followed the original 2013 ceremony that launched C2C. President Hsu; Dan Frezza, CAO; and C2C’s original vice president, Hannah Robinson ’17, spoke about the importance of giving back, and C2C students signed the charter stating they were dedicated to on-campus philanthropy.
The College Libraries held tours of its Special Collections; the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences and the School of Health Sciences held a panel discussion on the future of health care; the Student Government Association held an alumni reunion to celebrate 103 years of SGA at the College of Charleston; and the Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences hosted an alumni panel, networking session and reception.
To top off Friday’s busy schedule, a tailgate and watch party was held in the Cistern Yard for guests to enjoy as both the women’s and men’s basketball teams competed – and won – against Iona and South Carolina State, respectively. The tailgate included VIP tents with swag, giveaways, robotic sketch artists, face painting, plenty of goodies to eat and drink, and screens to catch the game.
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The penultimate day of Homecoming 2025 kicked off with the Parent Leadership Society fall breakfast meeting. The society recognizes parents who make an annual gift of $5,000 or more. The event provided an opportunity for parents and their students to hear from campus leaders.
The Department of Political Science and the Pre-Law Advising Program held “Legal Grounds,” which was followed by “Mind, Matter and Mimosas,” the School of Humanities and Social Sciences’ brunch.
The Honors College held an alumni breakfast and honored two alumni who were receiving alumni awards: Arlinda Locklear ’73 and Lancie Affonso ’96 (M.S. ’08). The School of Business held an alumni brunch, and the School of Education held an ice cream social for its alumni.
The School of the Arts held an alumni career panel featuring Brandon Alston ’24, Tamalyn Blackmann ’84 and Margaret Anne Florence ’01, who shared how they carved out meaningful careers in the creative arts. The school also hosted SOTA POP, where School of the Arts students and alumni, displayed and sold their work, which was full of perfect gifts for the holidays.
To continue engaging the families who came to visit their students, the Division of Student Affairs hosted the Family Fun Picnic on Rivers Green for families to connect and get a feel for the campus.
A new feature of Homecoming this year was a celebrity Q&A at Sottile Theatre. Hollywood actor, producer and screenwriter who filmed his hit HBOMax show The Righteous Gemstones in Charleston, was on stage with alumnus Will Ward ’93, a Hollywood talent manager.
The Alumni Awards ceremony was held with seven alumni receiving awards of distinction.
The evening closed out with two events: the signature Homecoming oyster roast in the Cistern Yard hosted by the Alumni Association, and the Cougar Fam Jam on Rivers Green hosted by the Division of Student Affairs.
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A Farewell to Homecoming at the Halsey provided the opportunity for President Hsu to bid farewell to guests who participated in the week’s festivities. The women’s volleyball team closed out Homecoming with wins on Saturday and Sunday against Elon.
Without a doubt, happy memories were made with the connection and reconnection of alumni, students and their families, and friends.
