Hossain and Parker named WVU Homecoming Royalty, Alumni honors bestowed

Raimah Hossain (left) and Kylie A. Parker (right) are honored as the 2021 Homecoming Royalty during halftime of West Virginia University's football game against Texas Tech on Oct. 2, 2021. WVU Photo/Brian Persinger

A weekend of Homecoming activities at West Virginia University culminated Saturday (Oct. 2) with the naming of Raimah Hossain and Kylie A. Parker as the 2021 Homecoming Royalty, marking the start of a new tradition at the University.

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

The announcement was made during the halftime ceremony at Saturday’s Homecoming football game against Texas Tech.

Selected by their peers during two days of voting, Hossain and Parker were surrounded by members of the Homecoming Court and family, the Mountaineer Marching Band and tens of thousands of cheering fans, including alumni, attending the “Stripe the Stadium” game at Milan Puskar Stadium.

Hossain, a senior biomedical engineering major from Starkville, Mississippi, was sponsored by Camp Kesem at WVU. She serves as the inclusion coordinator for the Student Government Association, an ambassador for the Honors College and a member of Camp Kesem at WVU. Hossain is a participant in the WVU Summer Undergraduate Research Experience and served as a “Say it Loud” TedxWVU speaker in 2020. She is also a Neil S. Bucklew Scholar and Diversity Scholar.

Parker, a senior exercise physiology major and member of the Honors College EXCEL Program from Wheeling, was sponsored by Chi Omega Sorority where she serves as the president. She is also a member of the Honor's EXCEL program, Exercise Physiology Club and peer mentor and teaching assistant for the Honors College. Parker is the recipient of the Scholarship of Distinction, Arista Cup (Panhellenic) and has been selected for the Nancy Walton Laurie Leadership Institute.

Other candidates included: Ethan Cade, a senior environmental geoscience major and member of the Honors College from Wayne; Morgan Glass, a senior biochemistry major and member of the Honors College from Wheeling; Hunter Moore, a senior mechanical and aerospace engineeringfrom West Milford; Makenna Myers, a senior global supply chain management major from Ruffs Dale, Pennsylvania; and Ally Simon, a senior industrial engineering major and members of the Honors College from Elkins.

The 2021 WVU Alumni Association Homecoming and Alumni Service Awards were also presented at halftime. 

Dr. Gabrielle St. Léger (’01, ’01, ’12) is the 2021 Outstanding Alumna, and Jules “Jay” Jacobs (‘58) is the recipient of the David W. Jacobs Lifetime Service Award.

Samantha Joneswood (’18, ‘20) is the recipient of the Margaret Buchanan Cole Young Alumni Award, Dr. Drew Massey (’02) the James R. McCartney Community Service Award, Mike Manley (’72, ’74) the Paul B. “Buck” Martin Award, and Margaret R. Phillips (’75, ‘77) and Rod Phillips (‘75) of the WVU Alumni & Friends Palmetto Chapter in Hilton Head, South Carolina, are the recipients of the John F. Nicholas Jr. Award.

Elaine McMillion Sheldon (’09), assistant professor of cinema studies at the University of Tennessee’s School of Art and Academy Award-nominated and Peabody-winning documentary filmmaker, served as the Grand Marshal for the annual Homecoming parade Friday evening (Oct. 1). 

Read more about the Alumni honorees.

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