AAMU Alumnus Returns as Co-Host 17 Years After Attending as a Freshman
Dusk 2 Dawn Returns: Branden Gaddis to Help Revive a Bulldog Tradition
Seventeen years after the music stopped, Dusk 2 Dawn is coming back.
The longtime Alabama A&M University tradition will make its return during Homecoming 2026, reviving the all-night alumni pep rally and after-party that generations of Bulldogs remember as part of the Homecoming experience.
And for alumnus Branden Gaddis, the return is personal.
Gaddis, who graduated from AAMU in 2013 with a degree in telecommunications and a minor in marketing, was a freshman the last time Dusk 2 Dawn was held in 2009. On Thursday, Oct. 15, he will return to The Hill not simply as an alumnus attending the celebration, but as one of its hosts.
The Renaissance Orchestra will be featured at Dusk 2 Dawn, the all-night alumni pep rally and after-party, Thursday, Oct. 15, at the AAMU Event Center.
Gaddis will share the microphone with fellow alumnus and fraternity brother Craig “Moolah” Mitchell as Dusk2Dawn begins at 10 p.m. at the AAMU Event Center. The event will also feature entertainment from the Renaissance Orchestra.
“The last time we experienced it was during my freshman year in 2009, and I fondly remember the incredible energy, fun and sense of community,” Gaddis said.
That energy — and the opportunity to introduce it to a new generation of Bulldogs — is what excites him most about its return.
“What I am most looking forward to is seeing every generation come together, bridging the gap to share in an experience like no other,” he said.
Branden Gaddis speaks into the microphone while serving as the public address announcer for Alabama A&M University men’s and women’s basketball.
Dusk 2 Dawn is returning as part of Alabama A&M’s Homecoming 2026 celebration, themed “A Different World: Same Bulldog Legacy.” Homecoming festivities are scheduled for Oct. 10-17 and will culminate with the Bulldogs taking on Grambling State University.
For Gaddis, bringing back Dusk 2 Dawn is about more than nostalgia.
“Bringing it back is an incredible move for the University,” he said. “It serves as a pilot to restore a signature tradition, giving current students an authentic taste of historic Bulldog culture while uniting alumni.”
The celebration will also have a purpose beyond the party. Presented by the Office of Development, Dusk 2 Dawn will serve as a fundraiser benefiting the AAMU Student Emergency Fund.
Gaddis describes the night as “partying for a cause.”
“Students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members can expect a high level of impact and a memorable, nostalgic yet elevated celebration,” he said.
Branden Gaddis celebrates with his mother, Brynetta Gaddis, after crossing into the Gamma Phi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. on March 23, 2011.
Today, Gaddis lives in Huntsville, where he serves as college and career director for United Way of Madison County. He is also one of the managers and president of the Renaissance Orchestra Arts Foundation and has been with the orchestra since its founding in October 2024. The Renaissance Orchestra will provide the featured entertainment for Dusk 2 Dawn. Gaddis also serves as the public address announcer for the Alabama A&M University men’s and women’s basketball teams.
His connection to AAMU remains strong, but his relationship with The Hill began as a student.
“My AAMU days were the best years of my life, filled with family, growth and the honor of pledging the Gamma Phi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.,” Gaddis said.
Now, nearly two decades after his freshman-year Dusk 2 Dawn experience, he has the opportunity to help create new memories for Bulldogs who never had the chance to experience the tradition.
Branden Gaddis with Q Parker of the R&B group 112 during a recent event at the AAMU Event Center, where Parker performed the national anthem.
For him, that means reconnecting with classmates, fraternity brothers, mentors and community leaders while helping bring generations of the Bulldog family together.
“It represents a multigenerational legacy that strengthens the Bulldog family spirit while directly giving back to support the Student Emergency Fund,” Gaddis said.
And when the lights come on at the AAMU Event Center Oct. 15, Gaddis will be ready to welcome Dusk 2 Dawn back to The Hill.
“I can’t wait to celebrate with everyone!”
“For Dusk 2 Dawn tickets and a complete list of Homecoming 2026 events, visit the AAMU Homecoming website.”