In 1922, Iowa State University started a tradition like no other. By combining the numerous student celebrations that took place during the spring into one big festival, Iowa State created a showcase for itself unparalleled by any other annual gathering.

Veishea, as the celebration was called, got its name from Professor Frank Paine, who coined the acronym to encompass each college from which the tradition was born: Veterinary Medicine, Engineering, Industrial Science, Home Economics and Agriculture.

This week marks the five-year anniversary of the last Veishea celebration in 2014. Riots that week forced then-President Steven Leath to suspend the remainder of the week’s activities and ultimately cancel Veishea indefinitely.

The task force was tasked with trying to understand the viability of continuing Veishea. They recommended “ending” Veishea as well as discontinuing the use of the name. President Leath took those recommendations.

Veishea was truly a university-wide celebration. It even reached beyond the barriers of campus to local businesses, area Iowans and alumni across the nation.

The celebration included numerous activities and traditions for festival-goers to partake in. Booths put together by students showcased their respective colleges. Groups across campus displayed their various cultures and foods. There was a student-produced musical. The annual parade grew from a couple of departmental floats to an enduring tradition of Veishea with attendance near 75,000 people.

Some might argue that today’s homecoming is a suitable replacement for Veishea. Iowa State’s Homecoming celebration is excellent, but it isn’t a replacement for Veishea.

Homecoming has not and will never rival the size of Veishea. The Veishea parade had nearly 75,000 people. If you’ve been to the Homecoming Parade, you’ll recognize that the scale isn’t even comparable.

One key distinction between the two celebrations contributes to this size difference. Homecoming is for alumni, but it’s essentially put on by the greek community. Veishea was by, and for, everyone — kids, students, faculty, alumni. It was for Iowa State.

Veishea didn’t just celebrate some football game in the fall. It celebrated what made and continues to make Iowa State University the amazing institution that it is. It gave us the tradition of Lancelot and Elaine: Iowa Staters through and through.

But the solution to community celebration isn’t a reinvention of Veishea. Iowa State should continue to invest in events throughout the year that work to establish tradition and help students, faculty and staff feel more involved in the university and Ames community.

It’s been 5 years since Veishea was retired. If Iowa State wants to bring it back, it cannot ride on the successes of its predecessors without falling into the same failures that lead to its demise.