Homecoming lifts student voices and turns passion into purpose

When Lucia Fang stood at her Homecoming booth last fall, handing out tassels to symbolize how everyone is connected to substance use disorder, she wasn’t just campaigning – she was healing.

Her platform, Lifting Loved Ones with Lucia, grew from her own experience supporting a family member’s recovery. She wanted to show that the impact of substance use ripples outward, impacting families, friends, and entire communities of loved ones.

“Homecoming became a journey of self-healing,” Fang said. “After the campaign, I was proud to leave college knowing I had tried to do something bigger than myself.”

Beside her was Sarah Nugent, whose platform, Stand Up to SUD Stigma with Sarah, honored her sister, Kate, one of the founding members of Virginia Tech’s Recovery Community. Running for Homecoming Court felt like a way to continue her sister’s work and to create space for honest conversations.

Though they ran separate campaigns, Fang and Nugent collaborated for a powerful event. 

Partnering with the Recovery Community and Hokie Wellness, they filled Virginia Tech’s campus with educational booths, therapy dogs, and a Narcan training session, where nearly 100 students became certified to administer the life-saving medication.

“People would come up while we were tabling and share stories about their families,” Nugent said. “Starangers opened up because they saw we cared. And the conversations didn’t stop there – they kept going across campus.”

For both women, Homecoming was never about votes. It was about using the platform to carry forward stories that mattered, ones rooted in pain, love, and hope.

Beyond individual platforms, Homecoming Court members also fundraised to bring their causes to life. Using Virginia Tech’s crowdfunding platform, last year they raised a total of $7,725 for 13 departments and organizations thanks to the generosity of 215 supportive Hokies – showing a 91 percent increase in dollars and 48 percent increase in crowdfunding participation from the year prior.

Filip DeHaven, a current graduate student and member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, turned his campaign into a celebration of resilience. After years of struggling with his weight, Filip lost 100 pounds in just half a year. He used his platform, Feel Good with Fil, to promote body positivity and self-acceptance.

During Homecoming Week, he hosted the Feel Good 5K, and more than 200 Hokies and community members showed up to walk, run, or move however they felt comfortable.

“Being elected Homecoming royalty was one of the most memorable experiences of my life,” DeHaven said. “As a first-generation college graduate, it was incredible to share that moment with my family and know I was spreading a message of confidence and hope.”

Past campaigns have brought Denim Day activities, a letter writing event for high school students facing mental health struggles, and even a fashion show for pets awaiting adoption – with some events, like Filip’s Feel Good 5K, continuing beyond Homecoming. Each effort underscores how the court’s platforms extend far beyond the week of celebration.

For Fang, Nugent, and DeHaven, Homecoming wasn’t about crowns or titles, it was about having the courage to stand up and use their platforms for the benefit of the Hokie community.

“Platform over popularity, every day,” Nugent said.

That’s what Homecoming is about – not just celebrating being a Hokie, but what that means – showing up, listening, and lifting each other up.

Fundraising for this year’s platforms began Sept. 22, giving Hokies an opportunity to meet the court, learn more about their platforms, and support the causes most meaningful to them. To explore this year’s Homecoming Court and support their efforts, visit vt.edu/homecoming/court.