After a year-long preparation and multiple committee meetings, many organizations participated in the first day of Homecoming Week. Clubs and organizations that took part had activities with the intent to connect with students on campus and remind them of the theme, “There’s no place like Fresno State.”

Fresno State’s Homecoming returns this week with multiple events and activities on campus.

The Memorial Garden was filled with festivities this Monday, Oct. 23 to kickoff the activities planned for this week and “Ignite the Bulldog Pride,” which included entertainment such as games, giveaways, ice cream, a DJ and a petting zoo.

Jerry Gomez, the program coordinator for Off-Campus Student Life, hosted glass painting at the event. He was there to answer questions students had, whether it be about the crafts or the OCSL program.

Gomez said that in the week leading up to the homecoming game, and Monday’s event specifically, it is important for students to build a sense of Bulldog Pride, feel connected, make friends and see what the university has to offer.

The OCSL program, as well as other clubs and organizations, used the event to help make those personal connections, especially as some students may still be trying to familiarize themselves with the campus.

Michelle Hollenbeck is a first year student on campus who has never attended a homecoming and is excited for the events happening throughout the week.

“For the first day of activities, I pet animals at the zoo, got ice cream and I think it was really fun,” Hollenbeck said.

Collaboration was fundamental to the process of making Homecoming Week, and the daily events like “Ignite the Bulldog Pride” happen. There have been campus-wide meetings between organizations on campus such as the Cross-Cultural and Gender Center and the athletics department.

Kirsten Martinez, a student Homecoming Committee member, said that with the collaboration of all the participating groups, there’s an opportunity for diversity and a chance to support the other clubs on campus.

In order to solidify the theme “There’s No Place like Fresno State,” ideas were pitched and eventually narrowed down, ultimately decided by Homecoming Committee and professional staff votes. The theme chosen is intended to highlight the uniqueness of the campus and the experiences that can only be shared between those who have learned, taught and been a part of the campus community.

“There really is no place like Fresno State,” Martinez said. “For a lot of us, Fresno State is just another addition to our ever growing home. We’re all motivated and taking different paths to success, and I think that’s what the theme is really representing; just how different, but united we are with the same Fresno State pride.”

Dhanush Ganipisetty, a foreign exchange student from India pursuing a master’s in Computer Science, said that this is his first semester here on campus and Homecoming is a brand new experience.

“[My friends and I] heard about the events happening for the rest of the week so we’ll try to go to those if there’s time for us. We’re looking forward to the weekend game,” Ganipisetty said.

Homecoming will continue with daily events and activities up until the big game this Saturday, Oct. 28 against UNLV.