Crimson Court to Include Local, Area Students
Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s annual Homecoming celebration on October 5 is expected to draw thousands to Indiana for alumni reunions and events for the entire community, including the annual parade and football game.
The Homecoming parade, with a theme of “Board and Card Games,” will start at 10:00 a.m. on October 5. It will feature more than 80 campus and community units, including the following floats by IUP fraternities, sororities, and organizations:
- Candyland – IUP Ambassadors student-alumni group
- Uno – Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority, Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, and Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority
- Monopoly – Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority, Sigma Pi Fraternity, and Theta Chi Fraternity
- Operation – Alpha Xi Delta Sorority, Delta Zeta Sorority, and Kappa Delta Rho Fraternity
- Life – Delta Gamma Sorority and Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity
- Clue – Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority, Sigma Chi Fraternity, and Sigma Kappa Sorority
- Deck of Cards – Kappa Sigma Fraternity
- La Loteria de la Cultura – Latino Student Organization and Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity Inc.
- Jumanji – IUP Pre-Veterinary Club
- Poker – Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority and Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity
- Break the Ice – Theta Phi Alpha Sorority and Acacia Fraternity
- Twister – IUP Women’s Rugby
- Battleship – IUP Young Life
Vehicles for the floats have been provided by a number of community members and businesses, including Altmeyer’s Trailer Sales and Penn Mechanical. Floats are being constructed at Mack Park.
IUP’s mascot, Norm, and Leslie Purser, a 1980 IUP graduate, president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, and Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, will lead the parade.
Major General Purser earned her bachelor of arts degree in studio art in 1980 and, upon graduation, was awarded her Army commission as a second lieutenant and was recognized as a Distinguished Military Graduate. After 37 years of service, she retired at the rank of major general. Her last assignment was as Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.
The parade will start at 11th and Philadelphia streets and travel east to Sixth and Philadelphia streets, south on Sixth Street to Church Street, west on Church Street to Oakland Avenue, and southwest on Oakland Avenue to 11th Street, where the parade will disband. All motor-driven floats will continue southwest on Oakland Avenue to the Robertshaw building for disassembly.
Immediately following the parade, student volunteers from Indiana Area High School’s varsity hockey team will clean the parade route.
Four float prizes will be given: first prize of $1,000, sponsored by the Alumni Association; second prize of $900, sponsored by Aramark; third place of $800, cosponsored by the Student Government Association; and fourth prize of $700, sponsored by University Advancement.
Parade judges this year are Peter Broad, representing Indiana Borough Council; Sam Kenly, representing Downtown Indiana Inc.; Cate Planisky, community representative; James Rickard, community representative and local artist; Curt Scheib, dean of the College of Fine Arts, Humanities, Media, and Public Affairs; and IUP alumna Patricia Simmons of Indiana.
In addition to the IUP Marching Band, the parade will feature marching bands from seven area high schools: Homer-Center, Indiana, Marion Center, Penns Manor, Purchase Line, River Valley, and United. The parade will also feature the “Legend Legacy,” a group of IUP Marching Band alumni.
Now in its fourteenth year at IUP, the Crimson Court will take part in all university Homecoming activities, including the parade. The Crimson Court consists of students chosen by a university-wide vote to represent each of the colleges at IUP. To qualify for the court, students must have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average and be in good judicial standing.
IUP’s 2024 Crimson Court is:
College of Arts, Humanities, Media, and Public Affairs — Keily Tinoco, an interior design and marketing major in the Cook Honors College from Cranberry Township. Daughter of Kally Arguello and William Tinoco of Nicaragua, she is a 2020 Santaluces Community High School graduate. She is the recipient of the 2024 Emerging Leader Award and the 2023 Suzanne Lynch Interior Design Scholarship and was selected for the All-PA Academic Team by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. She is a dean’s list student and received the Cook Honors College Scholarship. She is vice president of the IUP Figure Skating Team, a resident assistant at Delaney Hall in the Cook Honors College, a member of the Resident Assistant Honor Society and marketing coordinator for the Residence Hall Association, a social media student content creator for the IUP Office of Marketing and Communications, communications chair for IUP Ambassadors student-alumni association, a bingo host for the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Program, social chair for Rho Alpha Sigma, and a member of the Latino Student Organization.
Eberly College of Business — Naftali Carty, a hotel, tourism and event management major in the Cook Honors College from Roselle, NJ. Son of Ricardo Carty and Shauna Carty, he was homeschooled. A dean’s list student, he is the recipient of the Cook Honors College Scholarship and received the National Residence Hall Honorary Pin of Outstanding Recognition. He is the head resident assistant in Northern Suites, treasurer of the Residence Hall Association, historian of the IUP Ambassadors student-alumni association, a member of the National Residence Hall Honorary, treasurer of Rho Alpha Sigma, a member of Crimson Chords acapella group, a member of the IUP Ultimate Frisbee Team, and a member of Meeting Professionals International.
College of Education and Human Services — Abigail Knouse, an early childhood and special education major from North Huntingdon. Daughter of Kimberly Knouse and Joseph Knouse, she is a 2022 graduate of Norwin High School. A dean’s list student, she is vice president of programming for Sigma Kappa national sorority, vice president of the IUP student chapter of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, and a member of Kappa Delta Pi education honor society and the Order of Omega Leadership Honor Society. She volunteers with Best Buddies and Special Olympics.
College of Health Sciences — Molly McCullough, a nursing major and psychology minor from Johnstown. Daughter of Keith and Sarah McCullough, she is a 2021 graduate of Bishop McCort Catholic High School. A dean’s list student, she received the Sutton Scholarship, Corey Leech Memorial scholarship, and Ready-to-Succeed scholarship. She is IUP’s Newest Emerging Leader contestant, received the Residence Hall Council New Member Recognition Award, and was part of the IUP Alumni Association Homecoming Parade float winner in 2023. She is a member of the IUP Ambassadors student-alumni group, serving as vice president in 2023 and currently serving as cochair for the Homecoming Parade float. She is a member of the Residence Hall Council, serving as treasurer from 2021 to 2022, and is a member of Sigma Theta Tau international nursing honor society, Nurses Christian Fellowship, and the IUP recreational flag football team. She is a student worker in the Office of Student Life and works in the Folger Student Center.
John J. and Char Kopchick College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics — Daniel Kukula, a regional planning and political science double major in the Cook Honors College from Blairsville. Son of Marilyn and Henry Kukula, he is a 2021 graduate of Blairsville High School. A dean’s list and provost scholar, he received the 2024 IUP Leadership Award for Community Service and Engagement, the 2024 Dean’s Award for Undergraduate Research, and the Cook Honors College Scholarship and Sutton Scholarship and is a Cook Achievement Fund recipient for the study abroad trip to Iceland. He has represented IUP at multiple American Planning Association Pennsylvania Chapter conferences and at the 2023 Collegiate Information and Visitor Services Association conference. He is a former chief justice and Kopchick College senator for IUP’s Student Government Association, is president of IUP’s Planning Student Association, is a Crimson Guide for IUP’s Office of Admissions, and is a Welcome Week Leader. He is a member of the IUP Outdoors Club and Students for Sustainability. He was an IUP student volunteer at the Groundhog Day Festivities at Gobbler’s Knob.
University College — Gabriela Ortiz-Avila, from Scott Township, Pittsburgh. A 2023 graduate of Chartiers Valley High School, she is the daughter of Jacqueline Avila and Jose Eduardo Sanchez. A member of the Crimson Scholars Circle, she is a member of Crimson Cords IUP acapella group.
Open to all, the Alumni and Friends Crimson Huddle Pregame Party will be from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. October 5 in the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex. It will celebrate more than 35 reunion groups—including sororities, fraternities, academic departments, and sports team. In addition to the IUP Marching Band and the IUP cheerleaders, the event will include a performance by Count Me In. Band members are IUP graduates Thomas Angelo ’84, M’90; Matthew Miller ’01; and Christopher Welch ’92, M’95.
The IUP Ambassadors student-alumni group will offer special activities for children during the Crimson Huddle.
Admission at the door is $25 per individual ages 13 and older, $18 per child ages six to 12, and free for children ages five and under. Admission includes food and beverages.
More than 700 alumni and friends are expected at the Crimson Huddle, which will include a special celebration of graduates from the class of 1972.
Tailgating will open at 10:00 a.m. in the parking areas designated for tailgating in the stadium south lot between Miller Stadium and the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex.
The Homecoming football game between IUP and Slippery Rock University will begin at 2:00 p.m. October 5 at Cignetti Field in George P. Miller Stadium.
During halftime, the Crimson Court and prize sponsors for the parade floats will be recognized. The halftime show will feature the IUP Marching Band, under the direction of Cassidy Nalepa. The band will present the postgame show at the stadium immediately following the game.
Hundreds of IUP students from fraternities, sororities, and other student organizations are expected to participate in a community cleanup on October 6.
A complete list of Homecoming events and information on how to register for events is available at the IUP Homecoming website.
Group photo of Crimson Court, from left: Naftali Carty, Gabriela Ortiz-Avila, Molly McCullough, Kelly Tinoco, Abigail Knouse, Daniel Kukula