Behind the scenes and in the spotlight: Journalism students help drive Mizzou Homecoming
Photo: Katherine Schnelle
With over 100 years of experience, the University of Missouri prides itself on being the first and the finest in terms of Homecoming celebrations. Because Mizzou’s standards are high when it calls alumni home, students work tirelessly to help create the best experience for everyone involved.
Mizzou Homecoming takes months of planning, and, for the people involved, years of preparation to lead them to organize and facilitate the event by being the face of the student body with groups like Mizzou Homecoming Royalty and the Steering Committee.
Senior Joey Yancey, a strategic communication student, dreamed of being on Mizzou Royalty since he set foot on campus as a freshman. As the deadline to apply to Homecoming Court approached this fall, Yancey took a bet on himself to make his dream a reality.
“I wanted to impact lives and mentor people, and I think this is a great way for me to show people that are like me or look like me or maybe feel like they don’t belong sometimes, that there is a place for [them] on this campus,” said Yancey. “I think there’s no better way to do that than being the forefront, the face of Mizzou Homecoming at the place that invented homecoming.”
Although she never imagined herself in this role, senior Maggie Bunch, a journalism major with an emphasis in social and audience strategy, has taken the Royalty position in stride, utilizing her ability to point back to the J-School and all it has given her in her years here.
“As Top 10 Royalty, we’re representing the student body,” said Bunch. “In that role, we’re not only being representatives, but also being able to serve in a more volunteer role, too, throughout the process with the blood drive and the food drive, [while] also getting to partake in a lot of the fun stuff like getting to go to Talent all three nights [with] the Greek organizations that perform.”
Despite the time commitment and the higher responsibility, for Bunch and Yancey, being part of Mizzou Homecoming Top 10 Royalty has been the highest honor of their collegiate career.
“It’s the best of both worlds, being able to play an instrumental role in a tradition that has been so storied at this university,” said Bunch. “It feels like a holiday… It literally feels like Christmas Eve.”
Both Yancey and Bunch attribute traits that got them in the Top 10 to their studies in the J-School. Not only did the J-School aid them in their journey to becoming Top 10, but it also provides an opportunity for them to highlight the school itself.
“The J-School has done so much for me in a multitude of ways,” said Bunch. “It’s an honor to be able to represent a community that has inspired me and pushed me to be the best that I can possibly be.”
“The motivation to continue impacting Mizzou is [what] the J-School has given to me,” said Yancey. “I really have just learned how to express my thoughts and lead thanks to the J-School.”
While the J-School has two Top 10 Royalty representatives, 11 other journalism students — including Maura Pilafas and Adam Berkowitz — are working tirelessly behind the scenes to organize the event. This year, they showcased their skills in planning one of the earliest Homecomings since its inception in 1911.
Pilafas, a senior with an emphasis in Strategic Communication, was selected to be the account manager on the PR committee, allowing her to use her classroom knowledge to personify the event of Mizzou Homecoming itself.
“I’m the face behind [the] Mizzou Homecoming Instagram [account], and I basically schedule posts and criteria that all the other committees need to get up and at ‘em to blast out to other people,” said Pilafas. “We also work closely with the Mizzou Alumni Association in order to get out any graphics [or press releases] they need.”
While Pilafas pulls off an online persona for the event, Berkowitz, a senior with an emphasis in TV broadcasting, takes the stage and the microphone to be the live-action face of Homecoming.
“[For the interviews], they really want students to get involved, but they want to make sure that you’re placed on the committee that you’ll serve best on,” said Berkowitz. “Talent was definitely up there [as one] of my favorite committees, and when I found out I got Talent MC, I was really, really excited.”
As Pilafas and Berkowitz perform more planning behind the scenes, Homecoming provides a high-stakes event for practice to become perfection. Their skill development, however, is not the only reward for their hard work, as they find themselves surrounded by a strong community of other dedicated and driven students.
“I [have] always heard great things about PR and Homecoming,” said Pilafas. “[Before applying,] I’d also just seen how closely bonded all the people on Homecoming got in such a short amount of time, and I kind of craved for that connection.”
“Every time I’m with the Steering Committee, I feel like I’m in a room full of winners because these people are the most dedicated people I’ve ever worked with on campus,” said Berkowitz. “The Homecoming Steering Committee is a group of students [who] are super, super motivated and have such a high drive when it comes to getting things done.”
Pilafas and Berkowitz were joined by other J-School students who helped drive this year’s Homecoming. Those serving on the 2025 Steering Committee include: Sara Kate Burnett, tri-director; Jack Plansky, campus decs; Megan Mesikapp, parade; Kyle Button, PR; Callie Hazel, PR; Jackson Martucci, PR; Taylor Perkins, community service; Drew Gluckman, special events; and Annie Goldman, traditions.
Homecoming is truly a special experience at Mizzou, and it would not be where it is today without the strong student leaders from the School of Journalism who push forward to pull off an amazing event.
“Because of my excellent professors that have taught classes and mentors who’ve supported my journey along, I wouldn’t be in the position that I am without them,” said Berkowitz. “The Journalism School has always been there for everybody, and it’s impressive to see all of the outcomes of people that come from here.”
Updated: September 26, 2025