This Homecoming at the University of Delaware, registered student organizations (RSOs) and fraternity and sorority communities participated in the annual banner competition.

Student organization participants submitted handcrafted banners to represent their groups and encourage the football team in its big game on Saturday, Oct. 29, against Towson University, which the Hens won 20-6.

The contest, run by the UD Alumni Association and Alumni Relations for the last few years, will now be managed by the University Student Centers to encourage participation from students on campus.

“The plan is to grow the competition among our student audience in the coming years,” said Alex Keen, assistant director of the University Student Centers.

This year, the banners were judged by Division of Student Life based on five criteria: originality and creativity, personal or group representation, the overall representation of UD, use of UD colors, and a proper display of YoUDee and the Townson Tigers.

The winning banner came from Alpha Delta Pi sorority, which is actively involved in philanthropies such as the Ronald McDonald Houses (RMH) that provide care, comfort and a "home-away-from-home" for seriously ill children receiving treatments nearby. The sorority also supports the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, which works to raise money to help fund research and for the families that are affected by pediatric cancers.

The second place banner was from Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority, whose philanthropies are Special Olympics, the S. June Smith Center and Girls on the Run.

The third place banner was from Nourish International, an RSO that engages students and empowers communities to make a lasting impact on extreme poverty.

The winning Alpha Delta Pi banner was displayed at the Homecoming Pep Rally held on the Harrington Turf directly behind the Perkins Student Center.

"This competition is a great way for our student organizations and fraternity and sorority chapters to show off their Blue Hen pride and get into the spirit of Homecoming," said Jennifer Tomasetti, assistant director for fraternity and sorority life.

The banners will remain in the Perkins Student Center for the remainder of the week, and members of the campus community are invited to stop by to see them.

For more student involvement opportunities like this one, visit StUDent Central and follow student events on these social media pages: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.