The University of Idaho’s Homecoming Week brings both the Moscow community and the school together through Vandalizing Moscow. It is a community and university collaborative event. Fraternities, sororities, residence halls and other living groups can paint and decorate the windows of downtown Moscow businesses.
This year, the businesses are showcasing the world alongside UI’s Olympic homecoming theme “Joe for the Gold.” Each business is assigned to a student from a living group to create the artwork that will be on display for the week.
The winners for this year’s Vandalizing Moscow sororities, Kappa Delta in first place, Delta Zeta in second and Alpha Gamma Delta in third.
For fraternities, Kappa Sigma took first, Alpha Kappa Lambda took second and Alpha Gamma Rho in third.
The window decorations bring a lot of revenue for downtown Moscow businesses. Vandalizing Moscow is one of the main community events for the university, other than the annual Homecoming Parade. It gives UI alumni a chance to return to their alma mater’s city and participate in the week’s events and support local business.
Executive director of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce, Gina Taruscio said homecoming is a time to celebrate the Vandals.
“We all celebrate homecoming,” Taruscio said. “It’s a way to show how cool Moscow is as a community in general. We love our students, we love our Vandals and we love our community.”
Winning team Kappa Delta’s homecoming chairman Meredith Breen said she feels homecoming is important because local businesses get the chance to show their support for the university.
“Homecoming is important because we can meet so many new people and rally around our school,” Breen said. “It’s really cool to drive up this street and see the paintings and Vandal pride.”
Many business owners and employees shared stories with the students and took photos with the paintings to celebrate their Vandal pride. UI senior Evan Barton, a two-year member of the Homecoming Committee, said Vandalizing Moscow is a fun and important part of Homecoming Week.
“It brings local business owners, community members and the University together,” Barton said.
Barton said it’s a rewarding experience to be a part of the committee.
“We get to help plan the university’s oldest tradition,” Barton said.
Destiny Alvarez
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