BY LAURYN BECKER
A special tradition at every homecoming is who the royalty candidates are and ultimately, who will win Homecoming Queen and King. Fort Hays State University is no different. With several candidates chosen by different student organizations, Student Engagement narrowed the candidates down to five King and Queen finalists.
The first Homecoming Queen candidate is Jenna Confer. Confer was nominated by the Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority and is a senior majoring in Elementary Education and is also obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Music.
Photo courtesy Clade and Jenna
“ It means the world to me that Alpha Sigma Alpha nominated me for the homecoming court. The organization has given me SO much that has not only helped me grow as a leader but also as a woman of poise and purpose. I’m honored to represent ASA and be a representative for all sorority life at FHSU,” Confer said.
“I think students should vote for me because I strive to be a present role model who is genuine and spreads kindness throughout campus. I want to show students that leading with grace, gratitude and purpose is what makes a true leader. When it’s all said and done, I just want to be a role model for new students and represent what amazing opportunities are available at FHSU.”
The first Homecoming King Candidate is Clade Anderson. Anderson was nominated by Alpha Gamma Rho, and is a senior obtaining a bachelor’s degree in both Agronomy and Ag business.
“It really means a lot to have Alpha Gamma Rho and Alpha Sigma Alpha but not only AGR and ASA but the entire Greek Life community behind us, that just shows that we have a lot of support and we truly are a little family,” Anderson said. “This is a great opportunity to really spread the word about Greek Life, ASA, and AGR. It is an honor to be able to represent our sororities and fraternities values and Greek life values as a whole.”
The second Queen candidate is Meleny Jacome-Banuelos. Jacome-Banuelos was nominated by the Fort Hays Tiger Marching Band, and is a senior majoring in Organizational Leadership and minoring in Music.
“Being nominated for homecoming royalty means so much to the band. It is brought up in every rehearsal. The Tiger marching band is one of the largest student organizations. Not only that, but the marching band is a great symbol of Tiger spirit. Rain or shine, we will be marching to support the football team. The band is known to have an unbreakable spirit,” Jacome-Banuelos said.
“Therefore, it’s a big deal to have someone representing them in such a visible way. The band has not had this type of representation in quite some time. I am truly honored and humbled to be representing such a great student organization that is filled with many students who care deeply about the university.”
The second King candidate is Ryan Stanley. Stanley was nominated by the Student Government Association, and is a senior who is studying Management and Spanish.
“Students should vote for us because, as you may have guessed, we love the Tigers. To be able to pursue our passions and represent the Tiger colors on our marching band and Track uniforms at the same time is something we don’t take for granted. We represent the Black and Gold to the best of our abilities and have so much fun doing it,” Stanley said.
“Students should also vote for us because we have spent our time on campus intentionally. Though we are maybe over-involved at times, we have pursued opportunities and relationships that help us become forward-thinking, world-ready. FHSU is near and dear to our hearts and we would be honored to represent the students in this way. ROLL TIGES!”
The third Queen candidate is Holly Linenberger. Linenberger was nominated for Queen by Circle K International, and is a senior majoring in Interior Design.
Photo courtesy Holly and Cole
“It is an honor to be nominated for Homecoming Royalty. Circle K international will always be close to my heart. I am now the President, and I couldn’t be happier,” Linenberger said. “What an honor it would be to represent Fort Hays State University as Homecoming Queen, it would be one of my greatest accomplishments here at Fort Hays. It would be such an honor to come back after I graduate and help crown the next Royalty. Homecoming is a great opportunity to come together and be with the past, present and future Tigers.
The third King candidate is Cole Berry. Berry was also nominated by the Tiger Marching Band, and is a junior majoring in Organizational Leadership.
“Students should vote for us because of the Tiger Pride we each display. Both of us are involved in many organizations on campus and have been for multiple years. Through those connections and alongside our organizations we have been able to positively impact campus as a whole, whether it be the students themselves or the campus reputation,” Berry said. “We both enjoy FHSU and would recommend it to anyone that is looking for a University to attend as it has been such a great part of each of our lives to this very day.”
The fourth Queen candidate is Erica Barwick and was nominated by United Methodist Campus Ministry. Barwick is a senior majoring in Natural Resources and Agriculture.
“Being nominated for Homecoming Royalty by the United Methodist Campus Ministry and Catholic Disciples is an extreme honor. We both are humbled by this experience,” Barwick said. “I know when I was participating and planning all the organizations’ events, I never expected it to lead to this. I was just doing it to benefit the students and bring God’s word to campus. We hope that we can meet our organizations’ expectations through this experience.”
The fourth King candidate is Trevor Meyer. Meyer was nominated by Catholic Disciples, and is majoring in Management Information Systems and minoring in Marketing.
“Erica and I are grateful to be on the Homecoming Court,” Meyer said. “We know how blessed we are to get to this point. Erica and I would love your vote and encourage you guys to vote for us because we are involved in many different organizations on campus and we have a huge amount of FHSU pride.”
The fifth and final Queen candidate is Beatrice Walsh, who was nominated by the Criminal Justice Club. Walsh is a 5th-year student who will graduate in May with a master’s degree in Criminal Justice Studies.
“When students vote for us, they’re not just voting for a popularity contest. They know they are voting for two individuals who strive to be their best every day, to help those around them in any way they can, and who respect individuals no matter what,” Walsh said. “They know they are voting for two people who display their Tiger Pride every day, in all activities on and off campus.”
The final King candidate is Johnny College, who was also nominated by the Criminal Justice Club. College is senior majoring in Criminal Justice.
“It means so much to me that Criminal Justice Club nominated me as a homecoming candidate. Last year, I was just a member, and Beatrice Walsh, my running partner for homecoming, was President. I remember when the officers from last year approached me and told me that they thought I would make a great President to lead the next year’s officer team. I realized I had some pretty big shoes to fill now that Beatrice was going to move on, but I knew everyone would support me in my decisions that I make,” College said.
“Voting for me, Johnny College, would mean that anyone can find a home here at Fort Hays. I am proud to be an example of someone who was an outsider that not only transferred schools, but lived in a different state, and can call Fort Hays home.”
Voting for Homecoming Royalty will take place from 9 a.m. Wednesday morning to 12 p.m. Friday afternoon. Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned during half-time of the Homecoming football game on Saturday evening.
To vote, go to https://tigerlink.fhsu.edu/submitter/election/start/498578. For more information and stories regarding Homecoming, stay tuned to Tiger Media Network.