WEBCAST: WU candidates are chosen for Homecoming

WEBCAST: WU candidates are chosen for Homecoming

 

Washburn school pride was in high gear Monday night as students dressed to the nines and awaited the announcement of the 2011 nominations for homecoming king and queen.

The nominations and candidates were announced during the annual homecoming ball in the Memorial Union. This year’s homecoming theme is “Fear the Bod,” in conjunction with Halloween.

Some of the highlights of the ball for students included dancing under black lights surrounded  by fog.

Jessica Neumann, director of student activities and greek life, kicked off the announcement of the candidates. Neumann commented on the size of the ball’s turnout.

“We are super excited to see so many people dancing,” said Neumann. “This is the largest turnout to a homecoming ball since I’ve been here.”

Student organizations nominate students for Homecoming Court candidacy and then the list is narrowed down to 10 candidates. The 24 students who had been nominated by organizations took the stage.

Then the 10 candidates who had been selected for homecoming king and queen were announced.

Claire Crawford is a junior social work and Spanish major, and was nominated by the Dancing Blues. Crawford is the vice president of Delta Gamma and has been very active in volunteering in organizations like: Big Brothers Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity and Brewster Place.

Ashley Persinger, nominated by Beta Alpha Psi, is a senior accounting and finance major. Persinger is president of that organization and is also the treasurer for Circle K, as well as being a member of Phi Kappa Phi and a recipient of many scholarships.

Daphne Phillips is a senior mass media major and was nominated by the Mortar Board, an organization of which she is the communications director. She is also on the student media board and community and alumni director for the leadership institute on campus, in addition to being a volunteer at organizations like TARC.

Brooke Rollison was nominated by Bod Squad. The junior mass media major is a senator for WSGA and a resident assistant for residential living. She is also the communications director the leadership institute, a co-captain for the Dancing Blues and volunteers with animals.

Joni Wiley is the president of Alpha Phi and was nominated by the Future Alumni Network. A senior social work major, Wiley was named the 2011 Greek Woman of the Year and is interning at the Kansas Children’s Service League, in addition to extensive volunteer work.

The homecoming king candidates are just as involved as their female counterparts.

Senior corporate communications major Blake Bryant was nominated by Sigma Phi Epsilon. For that fraternity he is the vice president of programming and membership development and has done much volunteering in the community, including: Easter Seals Capper Foundation, Race Against Breast Cancer and 20 Under 40 selection committee.

John Henderson was nominated by Delta Gamma and is a senior English education major. He is president of Alpha Delta and an officer on many other student organizations, and has also been involved with Americorps and the American Diabetes Association.

David Hrabik was nominated by Beta Alpha Psi, an organization for which he serves as vice president. A senior accounting and finance major, he is treasurer for Mortar Board and involved in a number of other clubs on campus, in addition to being a resident assistant for Washburn University Residential Living.

Senior Brett Johnson was nominated by Zeta Tau Alpha and is a senior kinesiology major. Johnson is the student affairs advisor for WSGA and pledge educator for Kappa Sigma, for whom he has done volunteer work, as well as doing volunteer work with other organizations.

Jason Kealy is a junior criminal justice major and was nominated by the criminal justice association, of which he is the president. Kealy will be pledging Delta Chi and has been active in volunteering on and off campus, and has been a reserve police officer.

Voting for homecoming court will continue through Friday at 1 p.m. Students can vote on my.washburn.edu.

The winning candidates will be crowned on Saturday during the Homecoming Football game.