The annual Washburn Homecoming Ball took place Oct. 24.

Every year, Washburn comes together for Homecoming, a celebration of the university and its spirit, welcoming back alumni for a number of festivities during a week-long period. This usually begins with the Homecoming Ball, where the royal candidates for homecoming king and queen are announced.

The royal candidates are nominated by university registered student organizations and must complete an application and interview in order to be formally nominated.

Candidates for homecoming queen this year represent a wide variety of majors and diverse extracurricular activities. Kaylee Erickson, senior elementary education major, is director for the Campus Activities Board. Katherine Mathews, senior biology major, serves as the president of Zeta Tau Alpha. Marissa Dake, senior corporate communication studies major, serves as co-president of the Washburn Communication Club. Natasha Martinez, junior political science major, is president of the Washburn League of Women Voters. Sarah Edelman, senior business management major, serves as the student director of the Washburn Leadership Institute.

Similar diversity can be found in the candidates for homecoming king. Lucas Nutsch, senior nursing major, serves as junior marshall for Sigma Phi Epsilon and vice president of Washburn Student Ambassadors. Alex Green, senior finance major, is a member of the Washburn Golf Team and Student Athletic Advisory Committee. Malcolm Mikkelsen, senior biology major, serves as president of the Washburn Student Body and is a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. Cameron Juhnke, junior finance and economics major, serves as the social and awards chair of Kappa Sigma. Jack Van Dam, senior political science major, serves as a senior peer educator in the First Year Experience program and as president of the Washburn Residential Council.

Voting officially began at the ball and will continue throughout the week. The official homecoming king and queen are announced at the halftime ceremony of the Washburn football game against the Missouri Western State University Griffons. Students can vote online by clicking the voting link on the login page for mywashburn.edu, selecting a king and queen, then entering your student login information.

“I come to the [homecoming] dance every year,” said Jordan Guion, sophomore nursing major. “I am super excited. They have the best food and dancing and people really get into it.”