UW Homecoming Committee

Since 1911, Badgers past and present have celebrated the time-honored Homecoming tradition at UW-Madison. Today, the UW Homecoming Committee, a student organization empowered by the Wisconsin Alumni Association, hosts a week of spirited events on campus each fall. This week includes:

• Kick-off celebration in Library Mall with a cardboard barge race!
• Campus-wide scavenger hunt!
• Charity Run/Walk across campus!
• Silly games in the McClain Center!
• Yell Like Hell competition!
• Air Band competition!
• Annual Homecoming Parade!
• And more!!

The mission of the University of Wisconsin Homecoming Committee is to bring together the Badger community by providing opportunities to honor Wisconsin tradition. Empowered by the Wisconsin Alumni Association, the Homecoming Committee reaches out to the student body, alumni, and community to celebrate what it means to be a Wisconsin Badger.

Our Vision:
As a Committee, our vision is to unite these groups by: organizing and implementing a week of events which encourages students to get actively involved in celebrating Wisconsin spirit; drawing alumni back to campus to remember the past, celebrate the present, and look forward to the future; setting the standard amongst peer organizations for community enrichment.

If the above goals are achieved, our roll as the University of Wisconsin Homecoming Committee is considered a success.


Proceeds raised at Homecoming events benefit the Dean of Students Crisis Loan Fund, which helps students with financial burdens following crises.

The UW Homecoming Committee is a nonprofit, student-run organization empowered by the Wisconsin Alumni Association. We are a committee of 55 volunteer members who plan a week of Homecoming events for students, alumni and the Madison community.

We don’t just stop there! Our organization is committed to honoring the great tradition of being a Badger among current students and alumni alike, and we do so by planning events throughout the year. We take part in spring’s All-Campus Party as well as Senior Week as some of our classmates take that step into becoming UW alumni. We also plan the Fifth Quarter celebration for Wisconsin Welcome in the fall to officially celebrate the newest Badgers on campus and teach them some of the traditions we have come to know and love. Even though these events and Homecoming Week are a major part of what we do, our organization does more than just event planning! Some opportunities available to students range from helping manage and execute the Homecoming Week marketing plan to selecting the University’s Homecoming Court members.

Our organization includes five different teams, each with various sub-committees of 2-4 people that accomplish various tasks of the organization. New members will be placed within these teams and to the different sub-committee positions.

• Events Teams (2): Parade, 5K Charity Run, Spirit Parade/ Yell Like Hell/ Banners, Air Band, Kickoff, Badger Games/ All-Campus Party event, Bucky’s Quest/ Senior Week event, Trivia Night
• Outreach Programs Team: Golf Outing, Alumni Connections, Blood Drive/ Food Drive, Homecoming Court/ Community Service
• Finance Team: Sponsorship, Sales, Fundraising, Finance
• Marketing Team: Public Relations, Campus Outreach, Membership

And while the money we raise during Homecoming Week is donated back to our fellow students, we still take time throughout the year to give back to the campus and the community through various community service activities and events. We also take time to have fun and frequently find that your fellow Committee members become more like your friends or your family (at least, the family you love spending time with).

Plain and simple, we aren’t your high school’s Homecoming Committee, and this isn’t your high school’s Homecoming.

• General Member Meetings are held twice per month in the spring semester and weekly in the fall semester.
• Team meetings are twice per month in the spring semester and weekly in the fall semester and meet with their sub-committees once per week in both semesters.
• The workload of each sub-committee differs and some may require members to be present during the summer months.
• During Homecoming Week (October 1-9), members are expected to be at every event throughout the week, though few ever request t a night off!
• Members typically spend $150- $200 per year on things such as the annual membership retreat, official organization apparel, and various social activities. This is a rough estimate, and members with financial concerns are always assisted as necessary.
• The UW Homecoming Committee does not support the use of alcohol and other drugs before or during official Homecoming Committee activities, including routine meetings and any other functions where members are representing the Wisconsin Alumni Association and UW-Madison.
• The UW Homecoming Committee does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, creed, ethnicity, ability, national origin or age.

The Homecoming Committee gives students an excellent opportunity to give back to the campus and the community while having a blast celebrating their Badger pride.