University of Missouri–St. Louis students and Louie the Triton gather to cheer on the Tritons during last homecoming’s Pack the Stands event. This year, UMSL fans will fill the bleachers as the men’s and women’s basketball teams clash with the Truman State Bulldogs on Feb. 19. (Photo by Derik Holtmann)

This month marks the third year in a row Jalen Walker-Wright has helped lead the planning and execution of the annual homecoming celebration at the University of Missouri–St. Louis.

Walker-Wright, an MBA student and graduate intern in the Office of Student Involvement, has seen firsthand how much the tradition means to people across campus.

“Why did I return? One, it’s part of my job description,” Walker-Wright said with a laugh. “But the reason why I’m committed to homecoming is because I understand the impact that it has for the UMSL community and how it brings everybody together. For one week, everyone from the chancellor and provost to staff, faculty, and students, can come together through various homecoming events. It continues to be a space for connection, celebration, and community that I truly appreciate.”

For the second year in a row, Walker-Wright is serving as a graduate advisor. Two years ago, as homecoming co-chair, he helped the Office of Student Involvement develop a two-week extravaganza in honor of UMSL’s 60th anniversary.

That experience has been valuable as he’s worked with Aniah Powell, homecoming chair and junior business major, and the students on the Homecoming Planning Committee to organize a week’s worth of entertainment. This year’s activities began last week with a canned food drive, but most of the events are scheduled between Tuesday and Saturday this week.

“There’s a lot to get done and not a lot of time,” Powell said. “But I feel that our team works well together. Our committees have a lot of great ideas, so we were able to schedule a lot of things that I think will be pretty fun and nice to see.”

The week’s theme is “The Louie of Hearts,” a concept Walker-Wright developed. He was searching for something he hadn’t seen since arriving at UMSL in 2019, and the playing-card motif came to him in a flash of inspiration.

“It was just an idea that just popped into my mind,” he explained. “I thought, ‘OK, I have this vision. I think we can execute it.’ We had several options, and overall, we said, ‘Let’s go with this. Let’s bring this to fruition.’”

The schedule of events includes familiar favorites such as the Chili Feed and Pack the Stands. At the Chili Feed on Feb. 17, attendees can sample a variety of recipes from academic units across the campus. The department that earns the most votes from hungry Tritons will receive the Golden Ladle Award. During Pack the Stands on Feb. 19, UMSL fans will fill the bleachers at the Mark Twain Athletic Center as the men’s and women’s basketball teams clash with the Truman State Bulldogs. In addition to the contest on the court, fans will be treated to activities, food and a raffle on the balconies.

The Homecoming Royalty Court will also be formally introduced to the crowd during halftime of the men’s game. But winners won’t be crowned until the Homecoming Dance on Saturday. The dance will move back to its traditional home at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center after a venue change last year.

The homecoming staff was happy to continue long-time events, but it also worked to bring fresh ideas to the table and build new traditions. The Student and Alumni Fashion Show is the latest addition to the homecoming lineup. Homecoming Advisor Elijah McCoy and his colleague, Jairo Javier Morales, had been toying with idea of a student fashion show sometime during the school year, but the pair decided to bring the event to a bigger stage during homecoming.

“With our theme, The Louie of Hearts, we wanted to create an experience that blended school spirit, creativity and a little bit of elevated flair,” McCoy said. “The fashion show felt like a natural fit. The inspiration came from wanting to expand how students can engage with homecoming beyond traditional events. Fashion is a powerful form of self-expression, and this event creates space for our community to celebrate individuality while still coming together. It’s fun, interactive and something we haven’t seen before at UMSL in this way.”

Tritons Got Talent is returning for the third year in a row on Wednesday. McCoy, who also serves as the coordinator of campus traditions and leadership programs in the Office of Student Involvement, established the contest, taking inspiration from a lip-synching competition the university hosted several years ago.

“After we saw the success of the first one, we continued that tradition as we saw more students from a variety of backgrounds, from athletes to music students, participating,” Walker-Wright said. “We just saw a lot of people interested in this show, and I believe we receive a pretty good turnout. So, continuing that tradition has been something that’s been exciting and something that I enjoy planning.”

The Student Wellness Fair is also back after its debut last year. On Wednesday, students will have the opportunity to explore resources and activities dedicated to their mental and physical well-being at the Millennium Student Center.

Powell and Walker-Wright are both eager to see their vision to come to life, and they hope their hard work will help the UMSL community find connection.

“I would love to see a sense of community, of togetherness and everyone mixing and mingling, and people making new friends,” Powell said. “When I was tabling, people were already saying, ‘I’m looking to make new friends.’”

McCoy concurred, and he’s confident there’s something for everyone at Homecoming 2026.

“Homecoming is about more than just a week of events,” he said. “It’s about building pride, strengthening relationships and creating memories that last beyond the celebration. Whether someone attends one event or participates in multiple traditions, my hope is that they feel a sense of belonging. We’ve intentionally planned programming that engages students, faculty, staff, alumni and even families so that everyone can find something that resonates with them. If people leave feeling seen, valued and proud to be a Triton, then we’ve done our job.”

Tritons interested in attending are encouraged to check Triton Connect and the UMSL Office of Student Involvement social media accounts for information and updates on the week’s events.