As LSU New Orleans prepares to celebrate its first Homecoming under its new name, the university is bringing together generations of Privateers to honor familiar traditions, create new memories, and celebrate the next chapter in its history.
This year's Homecoming festivities will feature returning favorites, new activities, and opportunities for students and alumni to reconnect with the university community.
For current students, the celebration represents an opportunity to embrace the excitement surrounding LSU New Orleans while continuing the traditions that have long defined the Privateer experience.
“Homecoming is always such a wonderful time of celebration and reflection on what it means to be a Privateer!” said Joy Ballard, Director of Student Involvement and Leadership. “I hope our current students see this new era as an opportunity to continue honoring all the things that make being a Privateer so great, but with a little extra energy and excitement.”
Several familiar traditions will return, including the annual tailgate, Homecoming Royalty elections, and the student organization competition for the Homecoming Spirit Award. Popular activities such as the petting zoo and silent disco will also be back.
This year will introduce new opportunities for students to participate, including a Tailgate Favorites Cookoff and invitations for students from select affinity groups to attend the Alumni Privateer Social.
Ballard said she is especially excited to see student organizations compete for the first LSU New Orleans Homecoming Spirit Award and to crown the university's first Homecoming Royalty in purple and gold.
While students look forward to making new memories, Homecoming also offers alumni an opportunity to reconnect with the university that helped shape their lives.
For Natalie Beck, LSU New Orleans' new Director of Alumni Engagement, the celebration carries special meaning. An alumna herself, Beck earned her first two degrees from the university in 2005 and her master's degree in 2007. Now, she returns to campus professionally as the university begins a new chapter.
“Welcoming alumni home under a new name means telling them that those experiences still count,” Beck said. “This Homecoming is a chance to say that every graduate, no matter which name was on the sign, is part of one family.”
Beck emphasized that although the university's name has changed, the experiences, relationships, and traditions shared by generations of graduates remain part of its identity.
“You are not just being welcomed to something new. You are being welcomed back to something that grew because of you,” she said.
She also hopes Homecoming will strengthen connections between alumni and current students, creating opportunities to exchange experiences, advice and ideas.
“Alumni have wisdom about careers, resilience, and finding your path. Students have energy, fresh ideas, and a view of where the university is headed,” Beck said.
For Ballard, the significance of this year's celebration extends beyond the events themselves.
“I hope they remember the energy and excitement of this time in our university’s history,” Ballard said. “I hope they remember being part of something new and feeling genuinely excited to be a Privateer!”
Cheria Scaffidi, Executive Director of University Advancement and President of the LSU New Orleans Foundation, said Homecoming represents an opportunity to celebrate the university's legacy while looking ahead to its future.
“There’s a new energy on the Lakefront, and you can feel it! Homecoming brings generations of Privateers together to celebrate the legacy we’ve built and the exciting future we’re creating at LSU New Orleans. And our alumni are the heartbeat of both!”
As LSU New Orleans celebrates its first Homecoming under its new name, the occasion serves as a reminder that while the university continues to evolve, the traditions, memories, and connections that define the Privateer community remain.
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