At most schools, homecoming is almost all for the alumni. Students might get a few more parties or an easy win out of it, but ultimately, the goal is for alumni to reconnect to their alma mater. While alumni certainly return to Wabash each year for Homecoming in droves, the week also features current students heavily, particularly freshmen. While the traditions for first-year students have certainly changed over time — no more bonfires the size of a building — freshmen activities during Homecoming are still a vital part of what it means to be a new member of the student body.
“No matter where one lives, Homecoming is a rite of passage that provides a shared experience not only among freshmen themselves, but one that connects past, present and future generations of Wabash men,” said Associate Dean of Students Marc Welch ’99. “To me, Homecoming is a pivotal point when freshmen transition from new students to Wabash men.”
The buildup began in earnest on Sunday evening, when the Sphinx Club — which organizes, runs and judges the Homecoming festivities — emailed the schedule of events, point totals at stake in each event and the official criteria for Chapel Sing. By the next morning, freshmen were working to organize themselves to succeed with the chants and banner competitions, held Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. Both the chants and banners require freshmen to think creatively about how to praise Wabash and poke fun at their opposition on the gridiron before the football game on Saturday.
The most heavily awaited, and highest rewarded event is on Thursday morning, when Chapel Sing commands the attention of everyone on campus. After weeks of practicing “Old Wabash,” anticipation is high.
“I’m looking forward to Chapel Sing the most because we have the Glee Club concert right after, so I’m just going to see how bad my voice will be,” said Mann Vats ’30, a freshman at Kappa Sigma.
After Chapel Sing, upperclassmen can garner some points for their house with Senior Dodgeball, but Saturday is when it all comes to a head. Freshmen make wooden floats and act in creative skits to, once again, boost Wabash spirit and sap the opponent’s. Finally, after a week’s worth of fundraising for charity — with this year’s proceeds supporting the Evan R. Hansen Legacy Fund at Wabash and The Carriage House of Fort Wayne (on behalf of Leslie’s Hope) — the winner of Homecoming 2026 will be announced at halftime of the football game. Phi Gamma Delta is hopeful it can repeat successfully as Homecoming Week victors.
“I am excited for it,” said Cameron Lattimore, a freshman at Phi Gamma Delta. “I hope I get no sleep because it’s all going to be worth it when we win it. So that’s all that matters.”
Already busy Wabash schedules usually are pushed to the breaking point during Homecoming; there’s often a mix of excitement and anticipation among freshmen of the challenges that lay ahead.
“I’m looking forward to all the events: putting together the banners, floats, the chants and all that stuff,” said Gabe Fink, a freshman at Phi Kappa Psi. “I’ve heard from some brothers in the house that, in the past, there has not been a lot of time for sleeping this week. So we will be relying very heavily on caffeine.”
Still, even with the demands on their free time being greater than usual, it’s not pointless work that the freshmen are up to. In many ways, they’re laying the foundations of friendships that will last them all four years at Wabash, and hopefully decades beyond that.
“You build so much brotherhood this week,” said Sphinx Club Vice President Ayden Salpietra ’27. “You’re together constantly, working on projects. You’re doing everything together, and it’s for a bigger cause. It’s such a deep-rooted tradition, and the fact you get to work with your pledge class on it all week is just a beautiful thing.”
The skills they learn through Homecoming don’t just bring them closer with their friends in their fraternities and dorms, but it also marks a crucial turning point during their first semester of college. They’re not just fresh faces on campus anymore — they belong to a community.
“Homecoming activities promote the embodiment of Wabash: school spirit, teamwork, brotherhood, community, belonging, camaraderie and living unit pride,” said Welch. “For freshmen, Homecoming isn’t so much about coming home, but rather Wabash becoming home.”
Many men will return to Crawfordsville this week in a reflective mood, eager to catch up with pledge brothers and swap stories with classmates. But even for the students, who have yet to leave campus permanently, seeing the newest class of Wabash men begin their journey stirs up fond memories.
“I don’t think I took my time for granted, but it makes me want that time back a little bit more,” said Salpietra. “Seeing these guys go through it and get so close while doing it makes me just a little reminiscent.”