Kings, queens and royalty of any gender have the opportunity to rule during this year’s Homecoming Week — but students hoping to wear these crowns will have to hurry, as the applications are due today.
Chosen royalty will participate in the Homecoming Dance, the Crimson Rally and are presented at the Homecoming football game. The five winners will receive $1,000 to go toward tuition.
Prior to last year, homecoming royalty was comprised of a king and queen, as well as two male and two female attendants. Now, in an effort to be more inclusive, the positions became “court members,” and there is no longer a gender quota, joining a nationwide trend to open the process. Last year, the U welcomed three men and two women as their royalty.
Brittni Strickland, ASUU senior class president, said she hopes by continuing this change that there will also be an increase in the diversity of the applicants.
“The U is home to students of all different backgrounds and identities,” she said. “I know that the students who are selected will be exceptional and represent our school during Homecoming Week.”
Students are eligible to apply if they have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, attend and participate in all Homecoming activities and are full-time students at the school. After applications are submitted, members of the Alumni Association, faculty, the ASUU senior class vice president and Strickland will choose 15 finalists to compete for the final five spots. Winners will be announced on Sept. 25.
“Homecoming is approaching quickly,” Strickland said, “and I can already tell you it’s going to be amazing and packed full of memories.”
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