Game on with 2018 Homecoming Chair
Through serving on TU’s Homecoming Committee for four years, this year’s chair Makensey Schuchart has found a home on campus
By Kyle Hobstetter on October 29, 2018

When she went to the Fall Involvement Fair her freshman year, Makensey Schuchart ’19 thought she was just getting a free Homecoming shirt.
That shirt turned into four years of commitment to Towson University’s Homecoming Committee.
The York, Pennsylvania, native has loved homecoming since high school. And when she found out she could volunteer for the Homecoming Committee, she jumped at the chance and attended the group’s first meeting after the Involvement Fair.
After serving as a volunteer her freshman year, then working as director of royalty for two years, Schuchart is now chair of the Homecoming Committee. And while she admits that she was hesitant about taking the position, the Student Activities staff really encouraged her to take a larger leadership role.
“They really pushed me to go outside my comfort zone and do something different, because they knew my experience with Homecoming was so valuable,” Schuchart said.
Along with the Student Activities staff, Schuchart also got some encouragement from past Homecoming chairs. In fact, during her freshman year, she got a thank you letter from the Homecoming Chair that said, “I would really love to see you take on a leadership role.”
The letter inspired her, providing her with the confidence to apply to be the director of royalty.
Schuchart said she saw the dedication of the people who served in leadership roles while she was a volunteer. “I had so much fun during the first Homecoming week that I really wanted to be more involved with it,” she recalled.
Along with the fun, Homecoming helped Schuchart with academics. When she first arrived on campus, she wasn’t sure what major to declare and ultimately decided on business.
But after meeting with a previous Homecoming chair, who also worked as a student academic adviser in the Academic Achievement Center, she discovered TU’s healthcare management program.
Healthcare management actually was a better fit — Schuchart always had an interest in helping others. She has worked at a retirement community since she was 16 years old. In fact, she still works there over summer and winter break.
She’ll start a full-time internship next semester at a local hospital as part of her program.
“The classes have been interesting and challenging and I’m learning a lot,” Schuchart said. “I have a lot of supportive teachers who want to see me go to grad school.”
Along with her work with Homecoming and her academics, Schuchart has stayed busy with other on-campus organizations during her TU career.
She has served on the TU Holiday Committee, worked with Campus Activities Board, worked as an election commissioner for Student Government Association, and given campus tours as a Student Ambassador,
When asked why she got so involved on campus, Schuchart simply said college doesn’t last forever and she wanted to have a positive college experience.
“I’ve grown a lot since I’ve set foot on campus as a freshman,” she said. “I wouldn’t have grown without these experiences, so I’m really thankful for the opportunities.” And when it comes to her future, Schuchart doesn’t really know what to expect. But she knows she’ll be prepared because of her time at TU.
Schuchart doesn’t know what the future will bring, but she knows her time at TU has prepared her well.
“I feel I can handle being thrown into anything, adapting and learning as I go,” she said.