Sep. 24, 2025
At the University of Missouri, Homecoming is more than a football game or a parade. It’s the feeling of returning to a place that still feels like home.
For some alumni, Homecoming runs through family traditions, personal milestones and even career paths. Though their stories differ, each one is a reflection on the enduring draw of Columbia and the shared sense of belonging that brings Tigers back to campus year after year.
A family legacy
Annie John, BHS CDS ’20, comes from a long line of Tigers. Her grandfather, father, two aunts and older brother all graduated from Mizzou, while her younger brother continues to carry on the family tradition as a current student.
For the John family, Homecoming doubles as a family reunion. Each fall, they gather downtown to admire the decorations, wander through Greektown to see the house decs and cheer on the Tigers together at the game.
This year, the tradition takes on new meaning for John. It’s her first Homecoming as a faculty member in Mizzou’s College of Health Sciences. She said her late grandfather — a graduate of Mizzou’s College of Veterinary Medicine — would be especially proud that she’s returning to her roots and contributing as faculty, not only as a student.
John’s journey from fan to student to instructor has only strengthened her bond with Mizzou and Columbia. Now, she hopes to pass along that same sense of belonging to her own students.
“Homecoming always makes you feel like you are at home,” she said. “It’s when family ties grow stronger, traditions are renewed and memories are made to last.”