By Alexia Finney | Staff Writer
As a little girl in the stands, Baylor alumna Laura Lalani always watched the Homecoming court with her parents, imagining the adrenaline she would feel on the stage, crowned and celebrated in a pretty dress.
In October 2005, Lalani lived that dream as she stepped forward in a sparkling blue gown, green velvet cape draped over her shoulders, silver tiara and a bouquet of red roses in hand as she accepted the title “Homecoming Queen.”
Since that defining moment in her life, Lalani has become Baylor’s associate director of student affairs and continues to work with students on the homecoming court.
Lalani continues to attend homecoming every year, and this will be her 42nd.
“I know it’s an unusual streak,” Lalani said. “We made it a tradition to come back each year with a group of friends. I eventually moved back to Waco in 2009. That definitely gave me an edge on that streak.”
In her 41 years attending homecoming, Lalani said she’s seen the court diversify. The greatest shift in diversification, she noticed, was the inclusion of males in 2021.
“There’s more diverse groups, more diverse types of people that may not have participated in it just 15, 20 years ago,” Lalani said. “Now also including males in the process.”
In addition, Lalani said the homecoming court candidates continue to impress judges, achieving Baylor’s interview criteria: “scholarship, philanthropy, spiritual commitment and poise.”
“I’ve definitely seen a wide canvas of submissions every year, [like] people that maybe have started their own projects that have impacted the community,” Lalani said. “It could be a nonprofit or starting a business.”
Reflecting on her own time as queen, Lalani said she cherished her time in the spotlight. Although her time has passed, she said her experience made her a better leader and gave her greater confidence.
“To be able to walk out into the middle of the field was just spectacular, to see all the fans,” Lalani said. “There were always these groups of little girls that were so excited, and they wanted a picture with you.”
One of those little girls could have been 2019 Homecoming Queen Kaylin Clemons. Similar to Lalani, Clemons’ journey to the homecoming court started before she set foot on campus.
“I determined it was going to be Baylor in the fourth grade, and it didn’t change since,” Clemons said. “At my high school, they would call me ‘that Baylor girl.’”
As a kid, Clemons said she found herself watching Baylor YouTube videos, dreaming of the day that she would walk around Penland and Fountain Mall.
“I definitely knew some of the larger traditions when I was little,” she said. “I knew there was a homecoming parade, and it was the biggest parade ever.”
After college, Clemons moved to Frisco, where she began work as a management consultant. She said during her transition to post-grad, Baylor remained central to her identity.
“Even after I moved to Frisco and built a life here, it’s one of those things that naturally comes up,” Clemons said. “Getting to open the door to those conversations sheds light on deeper things, like values and time spent.”
Since her crowning in 2019, Clemons said she continues to stay plugged in at Baylor, attending regular events and reunions.
“I’m there for every home football game, every home basketball game and every homecoming,” Clemons said. “I’m going down this Thursday, and I’ll be there all weekend.”
Like Lalani and the women who came before her, Clemons sees homecoming not just as a weekend of celebration, but as a living, evolving tradition that showcases pride and binds Baylor women and the Waco community.
“It’s this weird, beautiful moment where you’re fully present and realize the active part of history you’re making,” Clemons said.
