CU TRADITION, SERVICE REIGN, AS HOMECOMING ROYALTY IS CROWNED

ATHENS, W.Va. - Concord University celebrated Homecoming for most of the week spanning Oct. 6-11, especially for the students in the running to reign as Homecoming Royalty at the end of the extravaganza. There were six students who stood up and said they'd like to rule over the student body and alumni. They included:

• Amelia Muscari, representing Sigma Sigma Sigma, and Zoey Shamblin, representing Alpha Psi Omega
• Kindall Hamilton, representing Alpha Sigma Alpha, and Kai Forsyth, representing International Students Club
• Emma Blankenship, representing Delta Zeta, and Garon Wiseman, representing Tau Kappa Epsilon

Although they did compete in a popular vote, these students did not put just their popularity at stake. They also competed in creativity with their displays and parade floats, as well as their LipSync pieces, and they collected nonperishable canned food products to benefit the CU Food Pantry for students in need who don't live on campus.

Combined, these candidates collected 1,787 cans of nonperishable food for the CU Food Pantry.

Each pair selected a theme and spent all week performing and campaigning under that theme.

The drama of the week hit a high note as Homecoming royalty was crowned in Amelia Muscari, representing Tri-Sigma, and Zoey Shamblin, representing Alpha Psi Omega. The dynamic duo was revealed as the winners of the 2025 Homecoming crowns, and their supporters stormed the field for hugs, high-fives, and congratulations.

Amelia and Zoey ran under a theme of Broadway musicals.

They capped off a week that included a parade led by Grand Marshal John Frazier, who formerly held the bench of Mercer County's Ninth Circuit and three times served stints in the West Virginia House of Delegates.

Frazier met his wife, Brenda, and graduated from Concord in 1967 with a business degree before completing two years in the U.S. Army and returning to earn a law degree from West Virginia University. Frazier said the offer to serve as grand marshal for the annual CU Homecoming parade was a great honor, and he enjoyed the timeout that came in the midst of a family vacation to Pipestem Resort State Park, where he had gone ziplining with his granddaughters earlier in the day.

"That was on my bucket list," he said, though he admitted it would likely be his first and last excursion of the sort.

The retired judge and legislator rode in the back of an antique truck driven by Concord Director of Physical Plant Steve Miller with his granddaughters to lead the parade, with Frazier wearing his 1964 football letterman's sweater.

"I was a walk-on and played enough to earn a letterman sweater. I was slow, and had no skills," he said, humbly, explaining that he had played as a lineman.

Madison and Amelia said they enjoyed the experience of seeing Athens from the vantage point of the parade, tossing out candy alongside their Papa.

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