Marshall Hosts Unity Walk to Kick off Homecoming Week
Marshall’s Cheer Team participating in the Unity Walk
October 25, 2022
Fraternities, sororities, sports teams and other organizations from all corners of student involvement joined together to kick off the 2022 homecoming season at the annual Unity Walk.
Walking around the Huntington campus led by President Brad D. Smith, Student Government Association President Bella Griffiths and Student Government Association Vice President Walker Tatum, the Unity Walk serves to bring students from different parts of the campus community together ahead of the University’s homecoming festivities.
“All of us bring our unique backgrounds, but we are all Marshall,” Smith said. “It’s a great reminder of the connectedness and our commitment to a common goal which is to have a very inclusive university experience.”
Tatum also discussed how the event gives each group the opportunity to shine.
“I think it’s great for everyone just to be together and to see what their organizations stand for,” Tatum said.
Many community members have expressed excitement around this year’s homecoming because, despite having the Unity Walk last year, the 2022 homecoming season gives a long-awaited return to normalcy with no mask policy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re just trying to bring back the old and enhance what we couldn’t do in the last two years,” Matt James, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, said.
The Unity Walk event featured guest motivational speaker Jessica Kern Huff, wife of Marshall football coach Charles Huff, who talked about the importance of solidarity and togetherness at Marshall’s campus.
“The art of the human connection… it is undefeated,” Kern said. “There’s nothing like the will and the want of a campus who refuses to die.”
The Unity Walk ended with the announcement of the winner of the Unity Walk’s Banner Contest, Alpha Sigma Phi, as well as the announcement of this year’s homecoming court.
Another first for this homecoming season was the introduction of the university’s first Mx. Marshall candidate, Taylor Isaac.
The rest of homecoming week will include a social media campaign, parade, football game and other events following the “Fun in the Sun” theme, celebrating Marshall’s inaugural year in the Sun Belt Conference.
