Matt Pederson is a senior secondary education-social sciences major from North Platte, Neb.
“It is an honor to be nominated for homecoming king, and it would be great to be part of such an amazing tradition,” Pederson said.
Pederson is the Sigma Phi Epsilon president, a member of the Innocents Society and a College of Education and Human Sciences student senator.
“I feel really fortunate to be able to walk out on the field with all of the other very worthy candidates,” he said.
Student athlete Amanda Gates, a senior communications major, was the captain of the Cornhusker volleyball team in 2008 and served on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.
“I think it’s a huge honor just to be on the court. The caliber of people I get to stand up there with are all great ambassadors for the university,” said the Columbus native.
She values finding balance in her life between being a student, an athlete, finding time for herself and giving back to the community.
Alex Wolf is a senior agricultural economics major, from Albion, Neb.
“I want to be homecoming king because I want to help promote school spirit and pride and represent the University in the best way possible,” he said.
Wolf’s activities include being the Interfraternity Council president, the Farmhouse fraternity vice president and an Innocents Society member.
“I think that I should be homecoming king because I have a tremendous amount of passion for the university and our athletic teams,” Wolf said, “and I can continue to instill this passion into the student body.”
For Cara Waldo, the traditions of UNL are not an unfamiliar thing. Her parents and grandparents were Cornhuskers, and now she is too.
“Having my family at the game to support me is what I’m really looking forward to. My family has been going to UNL for generations,” she said. “My family being there makes Homecoming more exciting.”
Waldo is from DeWitt, Neb., and is majoring in political science and international studies. She has taught English in Kenya and said that education is something she truly values.
“Teaching in Kenya gave me the opportunity to see some of the education disparities and made me even more thankful for my own education,” she said.
David Painter, is a senior chemical engineering major from Columbus, Neb.
“I feel pretty lucky to even be a candidate,” Painter said. “It has been a lot of fun, a big honor, and my family and friends have gotten a real kick out of it.”
Painter is the staff adviser for Nebraska Human Resources Institute, an ASUN senator for the College of Engineering and the president of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity.
“I feel pretty lucky to be a candidate,” he said. “Whoever wins it will be a big honor.”
Amanda Crook, a senior political science major from Nebraska City, Neb., said that being selected as one of the royalty has allowed her to recognize and celebrate the collective accomplishments of her classmates.
“All of the candidates are incredibly talented,” she said.
The external vice president for ASUN said the university means a great deal to her, so being a candidate is a great way to express her appreciation for UNL.
Carson Vaughan, a senior news-editorial and English major from Broken Bow, Neb,, is the founder and editor-in-chief of the DailyER Nebraskan.
Vaughan is the entertainment chairman for the University Program Council and a Member of Beta Theta Pi. He said he wanted to be homecoming king “to legitimize the fact that I still wear jorts (that is, jean shorts). … Despite intense peer pressure from greek students who believe Sperry’s and polos are avant-garde, I still wear jorts,” Vaughan said.
The jorts are not the only reason Vaughan believes he should be homecoming king.
“I have spent my student career at UNL working to refine the use of tradition in order to keep Nebraska’s best university progressive. I started doing so by helping to create the DailyER Nebraskan, and I’ll finish wearing my jorts,” he said.
Mary Jacobson, a senior English and pre-law major from North Platte, Neb., is involved in the University Program Council, in which she serves as a Night Life Chair. She said she has a passion for history and culture and hopes to travel the world as she works for the U.S. government. She is preparing for her career as she interns at the attorney general’s office and serves as a government liason for ASUN.
“I’ve really enjoyed being a student at UNL,” she said. “The university has given me so many opportunities.”
Aaron Gillaspie, a senior entrepreneurship management major from Lakewood, Colo., said he’s up against some stiff competition for homecoming king.
“Every one of these gentlemen brings something different to the table,” Gillaspie said. “In my four years here, I’ve been around the block. We’ve all been down different paths. I’ve been doing some great stuff while I’m here. All these gentleman are very deserving.”
While at UNL, Gillaspie has been honored as a member of the Brook Berringer Citizenship Team and is a HERO Award Recipient.
“I want to be homecoming king for what it stands for,” he said. “It exemplifies UNL as a whole and tries to put it into two people, a king and queen.”
Beth Butler, a Husker cheerleader and senior elementary education major, has always known she’s wanted to be a teacher. The Lincoln native is a Nebraska Human Resources Institute tutor and has valued her time at UNL.
“It’s an honor to be on the court and represent UNL. I loved every minute of my time here,” she said.
She also loves to be involved in her sorority, Chi Omega.
Steven Kaiser, a senior food science and technology major from Davey, Neb., is involved in UCARE, is the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Advisory Board vice president and is the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity public relations chairman.
“It is already a great honor being homecoming royalty, but I think it would bring a lot of pride to all of my organizations that I am involved in on- and off-campus, plus my hometown,” Kaiser said. “I am a well-rounded individual that represents a lot of different activities. Also, I see this as a lesson for my peers to lead by example and people will notice. Plus, my positive attitude and smiling face does not go unnoticed.”
Mindy Colgrove knows that part of being a girl is knowing how to have fun. This Illinois native is a coach for Girls on the Run, a national organization that teaches young girls about having a positive self-image while maintaining a fun, relaxed environment.
“It’s a learning experience for both ends,” she said.
The senior biochemistry and pre-law major from Naperville, Ill. is also a leader in the Honors Peer Mentor Program. She said she enjoys helping others and serving as a role model for young girls.
Jared Tidemann, a senior political science and international studies major, said he enjoys being a candidate for homecoming king.
“It is fantastic to be recognized as a candidate around so many other great individuals who have accomplished so many things,” he said. “I feel like whomever students pick to represent them as their king deserves to be homecoming king. If that ends up being me, then all the better.”
Tidemann is Speaker of the Senate for the ASUN, a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and is on The Big Event Executive Team. His hometown is Brookings, S.D.
“I think it would be fun to be part of the Husker homecoming tradition and be crowned king,” he said. “It would be an incredible honor to receive that recognition from my peers.”
Kristin Hiebner, as nutrition exercise and health science major from Henderson, Neb., said she’s very grateful for all of the opportunities the university has given her.
“I love being able to represent a place that has taught me so much about the world and myself,” Hiebner said.
She is an officer at the Nutrition and Health Promotion Association and works at Snyder Physical Therapy as a therapy aid.
“I’m interested in helping people obtain their best quality of life possible,” she said.
Jason Plouzek is a senior business administration major from Hickman, Neb., who has lived in the state his whole life.
“[I’ve] bled red since the day I was born,” Plouzek said. “I want to be the UNL homecoming king because it is truly an indescribable honor. To be elected king by our students would honestly be overwhelming. I’m kind of a corny individual when it comes to feelings, so needless to say, the feeling of happiness I would have from being the UNL homecoming king would be unforgettable and leave me speechless, which I must say making me speechless is a once-in-a-lifetime event.”
Plouzek is a staff specialist for New Student Enrollment, a public relations chair for Interfraternity Council and a Mortar Board member.
“I am involved, I study and I like to think I do what UNL students do best: have fun. But the main reason why I should be king isn’t about being a regular student,” he said. “It’s just about me having the upmost gratitude and appreciation to all UNL students if I had the opportunity to be your king.”
As Melissa Gattis, a senior management major, reflects on her years at UNL, she remembers when the upperclassmen helped her become who she is today. Gattis is from Greeley, Colo., but quickly grew accustomed to a new life in Nebraska.
“I didn’t really know much about Nebraska, but now it just feels like home to me,” she said.
Gattis has served as the Director of Freshman Campus Leadership Associates with ASUN and familiarized incoming freshmen with ASUN and UNL. She also gives tours and recruits students as a College of Business Administration student ambassador.
Robert Tualaulelei, a senior broadcasting major from Kailua Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii, had a long trip on his route to a homecoming king nomination.
“I’m from the one state that’s not connected to the U.S.,” Tualaulelei said. “When I came here, I didn’t know anyone in this school. Come all this time later, it just feels like it’s come full circle - from knowing no one to having friends being involved in all these organizations and see how this school works.”
Tualaulelei is part of many activities, ranging from being president of Phi Delta Theta fraternity to being a former news anchor for Star City News, the College of Journalism and Mass Communications’ live news telecast, and to formerly working as public relations director for the University Program Council.
“Being on the court is one of the greatest honors I’ve ever had,” he said. “Even if I was to win, it would just be the biggest thing for everyone who has helped me get settled here in the state. For me, it would be the hugest honor I’ve ever had in my life.”
Nikki Hutsell, an international studies major from Hampton, Neb., formerly served as the president of the Union Board. She was also involved in UCARE and received the Research Award.
She said if she was to win the title of homecoming queen, it would be an honor to represent the university in that way.
“The experience [of being a homecoming candidate] so far has been great,” she said.
Hutsell also worked as an undergraduate research assistant with the UNL Public Policy Center.
Stephen Krumland, a senior Spanish, Latin American studies and pre-med major, said he isn’t running for homecoming king, but he’s just honored to be part of the process.
“Being a homecoming candidate is an honor in itself,” he said. “I am not campaigning for homecoming king, so I don’t feel like I should be king for any particular reason.”
The Lincoln native focuses on being a resident assistant in Neihardt Residence Hall, a volunteer at St. Elizabeth Hospital and Clinic With a Heart, and he is a new member educator in Phi Kappa Theta fraternity.
“It’s fun being part of homecoming and Husker tradition, and I look forward to the rest of the week’s festivities and the game on Saturday,” Krumland said.
Megan Collins, a business administration major from Omaha, is involved in ASUN, Chi Omega and the Honors Program as a student board member. She finds it a great honor to be selected for court and to stand next to the other candidates.
“They’ve been chosen because they’ve contributed so much as a student,” Collins said.
As a freshman, Collins, who now serves as president of ASUN, became immediately involved with the organization and helped with bringing back the parade after 20 years.
“I hope that it can become again a tradition on our campus,” she said.
nateruleaux@dailynebraskan.com
2 comments
So, when it comes to royalty, Africans, Africans in Diaspora, African-Americans and citizens with African origin knows exactly what it means to be in a battle for royalty.
I understand that the University is a categorized as a “Predominantly White Institution” (PWI) however for “colored” people like me coming here is a sense of pride to be a husker. However, the arrays of students nominated for homecoming royalty fails to show the array of backgrounds as your article indicated; and it also fails the diversity test that the institution is trying to portray to attract best talent in terms of manpower and students.
I do not what the criteria are for homecoming King and Queen Nominations, but what I do know is that the nominees are not representative of the student population in this Husker nation. We should not pretend it is… and your article does a mis-service to that!