This year marks 100 years since North Carolina A&T’s first homecoming, a milestone that reminds us why we continue coming home. Since graduating in 2009, I’ve missed only one Greatest Homecoming On Earth. People often assume it’s because of the football game, concerts or traditions. Those are part of GHOE, but they are not why I return. I come home because GHOE renews me.  

When I arrived at A&T as a young Black man, I expected an education. What I found was confidence, purpose, lifelong friendships, mentors who believed in me and a community that expected excellence. A&T taught me that leadership begins with service and that I belonged in every room I would one day enter.  

Each October, GHOE becomes my annual reset. It is a family reunion rooted in celebration and empowerment, where classmates, professors, staff, alumni and friends reconnect, celebrate one another’s growth and remind each other what is possible. Every conversation leaves me inspired by the impact Aggies are making across education, business, healthcare, public service and countless other fields. Iron truly sharpens iron. I leave Greensboro each year with renewed purpose because Aggies challenge one another to keep growing.  

That is why my relationship with A&T did not end at graduation. Whether serving in alumni leadership, mentoring students, supporting university initiatives or investing in future Aggies through scholarship, my service is simply gratitude in action. The university invested in me first. GHOE’s economic impact on Greensboro is significant, but its greatest impact cannot be measured in hotel rooms, restaurants or packed stadiums. It is measured by the thousands of Aggies who return home, reconnect and leave recommitted to serving their communities and one another.  

As we celebrate a century of Homecoming, I hope the next hundred years continue producing Aggies who understand that Aggie Pride means Achieving Great Goals in Everything, Producing Renowned Individuals Dedicated to Excellence. Every year, I leave Greensboro standing a little taller than when I arrived, not because I forgot who I was, but because Aggies have a way of reminding one another who we are.  

I think my story reflects the enduring purpose of the Greatest Homecoming On Earth. While GHOE is celebrated for its traditions and economic impact, its greatest legacy is the lifelong renewal of the Aggie family. As North Carolina A&T celebrates 100 years of homecoming, this story illustrates how one week of reconnection inspires continued leadership, service and excellence.