UTSC Homecoming: Celebrating Connection, Inclusivity and Community

Tim Tang — the Dean of Student Experience and Well-being at UTSC says Homecoming is a capstone for all the orientation and transition activities. This year saw about 1500 registrations. 

UTSC Homecoming concluded with a party featuring hit songs for students to immerse themselves in. (Photo credits: UTSC Student Experience)

It was one of those unforgettable nights that brought students and alumni together in a shared celebration. The sweet aroma of food, the vibration of music through the speakers, the gentle brush of shoulders as students leaned in to catch a glimpse of the performances, all of it contributed to a memorable experience at the 2025 Homecoming at UTSC. 

Homecoming at UTSC is a beloved event organized during the fall semester of every year, hosting a range of performances by students, food trucks and vendors, music, and fun activities. In addition, Homecoming celebrates student talent through live performances that took place on the Aramark Stage.

Tim Tang — the Dean of Student Experience and Well-being at UTSC says he hopes students see themselves as part of the diverse and inclusive community which UTSC represents by attending this year’s Homecoming. 

“I just moved back from Alberta to Toronto, so it’s kind of been an amazing homecoming experience for me too personally, in addition to experiencing homecoming with our community for the first time.” says Tang, as he recollects his personal connection to the event.

Prior to this, he had been working in a post-secondary context for over 15 years from Ontario and Alberta universities focusing on student relations, alumni relations, and enrollment management. 

One special part of the event that stands out every year is the UTSC’s Got Talent show which provides the platform to show off students’ talents for a chance to have their names engraved on the UTSC’s Got Talent trophy. Each year the winning performance is awarded $1000 and last year the honour was given to OOPS, a K-pop student dance group.

The Student Well-Being dean also adds, “I thought people really loved the glow sticks. They served cotton candy on a glow stick, so you could enjoy the cotton candy and have a glow stick to be part of the dance party afterwards.” (Photo credits: UTSC Student Experience)

According to Tang, Homecoming is a capstone for all the orientation and transition activities that have taken place during the summer and into September. He mentions that this year saw about 1500 registrations. 

Speaking on a new strategy that focused on students and alumni which was incorporated this year, Tang mentions, “I think it’s a special experience, as students and alumni have the opportunity to connect and engage about navigating life after UTSC,” This serves as a connection point for new and returning students with alumni to share their experiences, insights, and advice on getting the best out of their university experience and succeeding in life. Beyond the idea of fun and partying, this connotes a broader theme of connection and learning through experience.

While expanding on Homecoming and its alignment with the spirit and values at UTSC, Tang highlights, “Homecoming is reflective of inclusive excellence and the culture of care in the way that students become partners in co-creating this experience…,” and also, “in the performances that really reflect the diverse population that we have here at UTSC.”

Although students are only students for four to five years, being an alumni will transcend the rest of their lives which expands beyond years and decades after their time at UTSC.

The planning committee for the event includes a broad representative group on the advisory committee, from members of the student life team, student representation across all faculties, students from residence, Retail and Conference Services, and Scarborough Students Union (SCSU). 

This speaks to the diversity of representation of students during the planning process, as it incorporates a wide range of perspectives and needs of students. It also promotes collaboration, helping to create an event that is reflective of the UTSC community.

The UTSC light show featuring multiple attractions, including signs like “I ♥ UTSC” to display the campus pride. (Photo credits: UTSC Student Experience)

A fun and notable activity unique this year was the dazzling drone light show, a first of its kind at UTSC, as noted on the UTSC Alumni and Friends website. The event also had some LED lawn games in which attendees participated. 

“We really wanted to make sure that we had a really diverse and representative group of people on the advisory committee, not just in different departments and functional areas, but that we had representation from a diverse and representative sample of students to be a part of the planning process,” he adds.

Tang gives special kudos to these teams for their dedication towards making the event a success. He acknowledges De-Mario Knowles and Emeka Okolo from SCSU on making the night memorable through their added humor and style while hosting. 

The Student Well-Being dean also adds, “I thought people really loved the glow sticks. They served cotton candy on a glow stick, so you could enjoy the cotton candy and have a glow stick to be part of the dance party afterwards. People were clamoring for them, which was really amazing.”

Discussing Homecoming’s growth and evolvement, Tang mentions, “I’d love to see what else we can do to strengthen the student and alumni connection, whether by creating opportunities for more conversation, connection, or mentorship.”

He highlights that students are unaware of the range of activities they can still engage in as UTSC alumni once they graduate. Therefore, he hopes that he can help them see the number of ways to remain a part of the community. 

Beyond the fun and lively celebrations, Homecoming is a long-standing tradition that helps to promote connection among students and alumni of the university, while creating a platform for students to show their talents through performances. This reinforces the importance of events like these in contributing to a vibrant campus culture and cultivating a sense of belonging that endures after graduation.