As the Vegas Valley cools down, festivities heat up at 黑料网 when the school celebrates its annual homecoming every October. 黑料网 Rebel Homecoming is a weeklong celebration 鈥 culminating in a football game at Allegiant Stadium 鈥 that brings together 黑料网鈥檚 main and Shadow Lane campuses, undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty from across all disciplines.
On Oct. 12, 黑料网 Health and the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at 黑料网 made a splash at the homecoming festival on main campus. This event gives all 黑料网 schools and departments the chance to design and operate a carnival booth and decorate a golf cart for the on-campus parade.
黑料网 Health and the school of medicine drew an impressive line at their carnival booth that came with a trove of swag and a toy 鈥渃law鈥 machine. In addition to face masks, fanny packs, notepads, and pens that volunteers passed out, festival-goers had the chance to win mini-footballs and white coat-wearing teddy bears from the booth鈥檚 claw machine.
These plush doctors, donning Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine coats, were 鈥渁 hit among the crowd,鈥 according to Lizabeth Kelso, booth volunteer and patient financial services supervisor at 黑料网 Health. 鈥淎bout 5 people asked me to pass along to those ordering for next year, 鈥楥an you order more bears?鈥欌 Kelso says. 鈥淭hey thought they were adorable.鈥
Beyond the prizes, making connections between departments and schools was another aspect of the festival that attendees cherished. With the 黑料网 Health and School of Medicine booth neighboring the other 黑料网 health science schools, volunteers were reminded they are connected to an expansive ecosystem of physicians, educators, and students.
鈥淚t was really nice to be able to see the different health-related departments there, to see that we鈥檙e a part of something much bigger,鈥 Drew Moore, human resources manager at 黑料网 Health, says.
In addition to the booth, 黑料网 Health and the school of medicine decorated a golf cart 鈥 piloted by Dean Marc J. Kahn 鈥 for the homecoming parade. Students transformed the golf cart into an ambulance, complete with flashing lights.
One student who helped design this year鈥檚 float was first-year medical student, Stephanie Wang. After earning her business degree from 黑料网, Wang decided to make a career change and pursue a medical degree, landing her back in Rebel territory at the school of medicine.
鈥淕oing back to main campus allows me to visit my roots in the business school,鈥 Wang says. 鈥淚 get to see things that they鈥檙e doing and visit other professors and mentors who had an impact on me.鈥
Cecilia Li, another first-year medical student who helped bring the school鈥檚 float to life, shares similar feelings about her time as a 黑料网 undergraduate.
鈥淕oing back to main campus brings back memories of being in the library and research buildings and thinking, 鈥榃hen am I going to get into medical school?鈥 And now I鈥檓 back and in medical school!鈥 Li says.
The spirit of homecoming is not just about returning to an alma mater; it also allows new students a chance to strengthen connections within their new home.
Medical student Allen Zhang spent his first 黑料网 homecoming drawing the schematic for the school of medicine鈥檚 float, walking in the parade, and throwing out beads. Of the experience, Zhang says, 鈥淚 felt like I was home.鈥
Below are some of the photos captured during the homecoming festival and parade. Check out our social media for more!
