On Saturday, October 4, Kean University held its Homecoming tailgate and football game. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., students, staff, alumni, and more gathered in the Kean Hall Lot for rock climbing, face painting, and fun carnival games.
With tailgating by Greek organizations and Kean clubs, music, and multiple food vendors, the event brought in hundreds of people part of the Kean community.
Jada Brown, a freshman exercise science pre-physical therapy major from Paterson, NJ, enjoyed all the tailgate had to offer and commented on the ‘Cougar Grand Prix’ F1-inspired theme.
“I got chicken tenders. face paint and henna, it’s been fun,” she said. “I really like the aesthetic […] I see people’s outfits, and I think they look really cute. I love it!”
The tailgating experience was a great way to show students who’s in their community. All orgs and clubs that participated in the tailgate offered snacks, food, and information on what they offer.
Marjorie Calle, a senior marketing major from Cuenca. EC, and the Vice President of the Ecuadorian Student Association of Kean University (ASECU) shared a bit about her club’s tailgating theme and what she was enjoying about the tailgate.
“We just made a cuy, or a guinea pig, in a car for Formula 1,” she added. “My favorite part of the tailgate is all the games here and meeting all these new people.”
‘Cougar Grand Prix’ was the talk of the campus; students absolutely loved it, from wearing race jackets to celebrate the aesthetics to the excitement of true car lovers. The tailgate provided a space for students to share their enthusiasm for the week.
Connor Newell, a senior public relations major from Hazlet, NJ, and an officer of Nu Sigma Phi Incorporated, shared his thoughts on the theme.
“I mess with the theme, I like all the designs, I think the shirts came out good, I think our table came out good, at the end of the day, I can’t complain and I’m happy with the result,” he said. “I think it was a fitting theme, F1 is definitely on the come up, I feel like it’s gotten popular over this past year, especially with the F1 movie coming out, so I’d definitely say it’s fitting for this year.”
Kean’s tailgate is always a true show of the unity that exists on campus. With performances from the Kean University Dance Club and the Kean University Top Knotch Majorette Dance Team, as well as strolling from the Kean Greeks and line dancing opportunities for everyone in between, Kean showcased its diverse community and love for celebration.
The event ended with one of Kean’s biggest Homecoming games against the Montclair State University Red Hawks. It was an exciting and action-packed game ending with a final score of 38-28, the Red Hawks taking the win.
Homecoming 2025 successfully kept up the momentum from Jump Into Kean Week, from the Bingo Brunch to one of Kean’s most interactive tailgates to date. The week welcomed new students, upperclassmen, alumni, and everyone included in campus life, back to campus in style.
