Community | FeaturedFebruary 17, 2024

Holcomb, Boylan Crowned at Homecoming 2024

On Saturday afternoon, February 17, 2024, the Where Memories Roar slate of homecoming festivities at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith concluded in the crowning of students Hendrix Holcomb and Krystal Boylan as 2024 Homecoming King and Queen. 

Kendrix Holcomb represented Pi Kappa Phi fraternity in the competitions. He is a senior Business Administration major from Nashville, Arkansas, and the son of Arthur Holcomb and Ywnetta Scott. He is also a founding member of the Council of Steppers and president of Black Student Alliance. 

“I just love being able to represent my school,” Kendrix said. “I love UAFS with every ounce and fiber of being and my body.  It’s transformed me as a person. It’s made me and our society better and I’m just so excited to see what I can do for it.”

Krystal Boylan represented the Nostalgic Numa Association. She is a senior Business Administration major with concentrations in Digital Marketing and International Management from Fort Smith. She is the daughter of Tom Boylan and Krystyna Nguyen. She is also Director of Logistics for 2024 Cub Camp, Belonging Equity Diversity and Inclusion Chairwoman of Gamma Phi Beta and President of the Vietnamese Student Association and Volleyball Club.

“I love homecoming because it is a way for all the RSOs to come out and support UAFS and show their school spirit. It’s an opportunity to get out in our communities and experience other cultures, it feels very united because we’re doing it all for the love of UAFS.” Krystal is a member of nine registered student organizations, from cultural clubs to sorority life, saying, “By being a part of so many things I feel like I get to see all aspects of UAFS and all the communities that make up our campus. I get to see UAFS as a whole, and it’s so amazing to be a part of it.”  

2023 Homecoming king and queen Jesse Witt and Shae Gilbertson both of whom graduated from UAFS in 2023, returned to campus to announce the winners during a jubilant presentation at halftime of the Men’s Basketball game. 

UAFS Chancellor Dr. Terisa Riley and husband Dr. Ricardo Maestas joined the festivities, offering the Homecoming court and all participants their sincere congratulations and presenting the newly-named king and queen with their crowns, sashes, a scepter and a bouquet of blue roses. 

The winners were selected from a homecoming court of eight students. Members of each court had the four highest scores of a combined student vote and interview scored by university faculty and staff. 

The three additional students elected to homecoming queen court include: Lena Davis representing Delta Gamma, a senior business sdministration major from Van Buren; Amaica Howard representing Gamma Phi Beta, a senior psychology major from Fort Smith, and Skylar Davis representing Alpha Omicron Pi, a junior criminal justice major from Poteau, Oklahoma

The three additional students elected to Homecoming King court were: Matthew Bonilla representing Kappa Sigma, a senior Business Administration major from Fort Smith; Ivan Welborn representing Sigma Nu, a senior Computer Science major from Fort Smith; and Aravinda Murali representing the Nostalgic Numa Association, a senior Biochemistry major from Fort Smith.

In addition to Homecoming King and Queen, awards were presented to top performing registered student organizations, who participated in competitions including a banner competition, dance off, and tailgate. Overall winners for the week included third place winners, who earned $100 for their organizations, The Reserve Officer Training Corps, the Black Student Alliance, and the Student Veterans Organization; second place winners, who earned $200 for their organizations Gamma Phi Beta and Sigma Nu; and grand prize winners, who earned $300 for their organizations, the Nostalgic Numa Association.

Individual award winners included:
Banner Competition Winners:

3rd Place – Nostalgic Numa Association

 2nd Place – AIGA UAFS Student Group for Design

1st Place – Pi Kappa Phi

 

Office Decoration Competition Winners:

 3rd Place – Boreham Library

2nd Place – UAFS Recreation and Wellness Center

1st Place – Baha’I Club and the World Languages Department

 

Dancing with the Lions Winners:

3rd place – Delta Gamma and Kappa Alpha Order

2nd place – Reserve Officer Training Corps, the Black Student Alliance, and the Student Veterans Organization

1st place (tie)– Gamma Phi Beta and Sigma Nu, and the Nostalgic Numa Association

 

Tailgate Winners:

3rd Place – Baha'i Club

2nd Place – the Nostalgic Numa Association 

1st Place – ROTC, BSA and SVO