As Homecoming rolls around again this year, some student organizations are bringing their own distinct traditions to the celebration.

Residence Halls Association Speaker of Congress Kathy Rudd said RHA is involved in Homecoming through the individual residence halls.

“The halls take on Homecoming as one of the biggest projects of the year,” Rudd said.

Rudd said the halls participate in events, the biggest being the MIZ-BBQ, which took place last weekend. The halls individually, or in pairs, hosted barbecues for their residents.

“Personally, my favorite part is the barbecue, and it’s been great to see the ways the halls take it on,” Rudd said. “It’s a show of students’ talent in planning events.”

The residence halls also create banners revolving around designated themes, all of which are celebrations this year. Rudd said the residence halls really take the theme, such as baby shower or Election Day, and run with it. The halls also participate in the blood drive.

Missouri Students Association President Eric Woods said MSA also encouraged its senators to participate in the blood drive, in addition to the Homecoming Day of Service.

“We’ve tried to encourage everyone to get involved in their own way, and we’ve tried to put out information about what others are doing,” Woods said. “I think we’ve encouraged individual involvement more.”

For the first time, MSA is holding an alumni reception. Woods said those who have been involved in MSA in the past can come back and meet them and see the new offices.

“Hopefully we get a crowd,” Woods said. “This is the first time we are doing this.”

MSA is also hosting the EndZone student tailgate section in lot CG-17 at the corner of Tiger Avenue and Rollins Street.

“This isn’t new,” Woods said. “We’ve been doing this for every home game. But we are expecting a large crowd.”

Both individual students and student organizations have reserved spots at the tailgate. LGBTQ student group Triangle Coalition is one of the organizations that will tailgate at the EndZone.

“We decided to focus on Homecoming this year, especially with the 100th anniversary,” TriCo spokesman Paul Reeves said. “We want to show we are a part of the MU community like everyone else, even though we do have our own community.”

Reeves said there is a stigma around Homecoming that makes the LGBTQ community feel unwelcome, but it wants to be involved and create a safe place to celebrate.

The tailgate is just one of several group activities the organization has planned.

“The Triangle Coalition, in partner with the LGBTQ Resource Center, is getting together as a group to watch the Homecoming parade together at the corner of Hitt and Rollins streets,” Reeves said.

Reeves said he has never been a part of the Homecoming celebrations, preferring to stay home and avoid the chaos, but the group gives him an opportunity to enjoy the parade and tailgate.

Struby Struble, Triangle Coalition adviser and LGBTQ Resource Center coordinator, said in the past students haven’t felt welcome at Homecoming, although they are.

“With it being the 100th Homecoming, there is a stronger sense of Mizzou pride and our own pride and we’re starting to meld the two together,” Struble said.

Reeves said the LGBTQ Resource Center is hosting a Pride Homecoming, an open house where LGBTQ students, allies and alumni can come and check out the resource center.

“We are having a huge amount of alumni back,” Struble said. “Some of the founders of the resource center will be returning, along with one of the first coordinators.”

Visiting alumni will be able to see the center’s new space in the student center.

“For people to come back and see the progress we’ve made and the institutional support we have will be really moving,” Struble said.