Locals, young and old, mingled in a sea of yellow T-shirts Wednesday afternoon for the annual Homecoming University Mile. The route took participants on a campus tour, beginning at the International Student Center and ending at the Activity Center.
As participants took their positions at the starting line, President Berry shot the pistol that signaled the beginning of the race. Supporters on the sidelines cheered on family members and friends with excited yells and whistles that echoed through campus. Participants raced through campus to win the grand prize: bragging rights.
While some racers participated with eyes only on the prize, other locals used the race as an opportunity to support ULM’s campus. Executive Director of Career and Student Development Kristin Chandler explained her reasoning for participating in the mile.
“My area oversees student development, so all the student organizations,” Chandler said. “We oversee a lot of the homecoming activities, and we just want to show up and support our students coming out to activities like this.”
ULM’s Department of Recreational Services did not limit the race to only students and faculty. Teachers, businessmen and government officials from the Monroe area also took part in the mile. Sterlington Middle School teacher Tonya Bagbey treats the University Mile as a yearly family tradition.
“Our family does this every year,” Bagbey said. “My husband loves to run, and he got started. My daughter graduated from here and told him about this, so we just started doing this as a family thing.”
Fraternity guys and sorority girls banded together to cross the finish line. Families wheeled strollers down the streets. Even children made their way to the finish line, winning a gold medal.
The University Mile brought the attention of not just ULM students but the entirety of Monroe to Homecoming Week.
“For many years, this has been a very community-embraced and loved event. A lot of the community does come out to participate in this,” Chandler said. “You see all ages come out and run. I love that, and our community feels welcomed on ULM’s campus.”
