Lately on campus, there have been an unusually large number of decorated cars in the parking lots. Aesthetics and obstructing the driver’s view aside, the paint serves a purpose in the highly visible campaign for Homecoming king and queen for Texas A&M University-Commerce.
The competition is a bit tougher for the women, with nine nominees running versus the seven men up for king. The candidates were nominated by the group they represent, which generally helps in the campaign for campus royalty. Friends, boyfriends and girlfriends also find themselves in the middle of the quest that separates a candidate from simply a member of the Homecoming Court and gives them the title of king or queen.
For some candidates the dare to win is more than enough to get them and their closest friends going.
“It’s kind of challenge to myself, because it’s something outside of what I would normally do. I was the quiet kid in high school. Also, it’s a way to represent my fraternity,” Shawn “Fig” Newton, a junior member of Kappa Sigma and nominee for king said.
Newton along with one of his best friends and campaign manager, Lisa Simons, have taken networking to a new level with personalized T-shirts, posters, a Facebook group that boasts 150 members and even a music video to the tune of “Fergalicious” cleverly renamed “Figgylicious.” They are also responsible for more than 70 cars with window paint endorsing Newton. As a business administration major, Newton agreed that the campaign experience would be helpful for his future career.
“It helps with diversity, because you’re dealing with a lot of people. You’re going to have to be an expert in sales to pretty much put yourself out there to a random stranger,” Newton said.
Advertising and marketing skills are also desirable in a campaign, and senior public relations major, Jenny Zeilselder, knows her background will come in handy as she attempts to convince students to vote for Kappa Delta Chi nominee, Sunjay Bustamante.
“I know certain things to do in regards to awareness; I’m the publicity chair for the sorority so everything I’m learning right now has been a positive influence for the campaign. Honestly, I got excited when she asked me to do this, because I knew I would get hands-on experience,” Zeilselder said.
It is not uncommon for a candidate to use food to entice voters to use their MyLeo accounts and vote Oct. 23-34. Shawn Netwon knocked on all the doors of Whitley Hall offering Fig Newtons and Sauileoge “Stitch” To’af? with Robyn Calhourn gave away free chocolate candy.
“I passed out suckers that I made into ghosts. I’ve also shoe polished cars and used word of mouth, flyers and Myspace. Pretty much all of my friends have put ‘Vote for Sunjay’ in comments, and I’ve texted everyone in my phone,” Sunjay Bustamante, senior speech communications major and nominee for queen, said.
Bustamante wanted this Homecoming to be fun and memorable, and felt that nominees should be very active in the school. Although the competition is tough this year, one candidate feels he must run to fulfill a request.
“My primary reason for running for Homecoming king is because Phi Theta Kappa asked me to run last year, and I told them I would run this year for sure. I’m keeping up with that promise. My second reason is because it would be really cool if a band geek actually won,” Sauileoge “Stitch” To’af?, a senior music education major and nominee for king said.
People volunteer to help out with campaigns for different reasons. Some see their friend’s victory as a victory for many and whole-heartedly lend their support, and others can find themselves in a tough situation.
“I volunteered because Robyn Calhoun is one of my best friends and Stitch is my boyfriend. It’s been really hard because Shawn “Figgy” Newton is my little bro’ for my sorority, but I had to take sides,” Heather Reagan, a sophomore elementary education major said.
Candidates for queen include: Nina Adams, Casey Warren, Lacy Alexander, Angelica “Gellie” Reed, Adria “The” Renee Green, Sunjay Bustamante, Randahl Hickman, Robyn Calhoun and Laurel Brooke Flores. Nominees for king are: Christopher D. Hall Jr., Sauileoge “Stitch” To’af?, Anthony Demark Johnson, Cairo L. Thornton, Robert Musgrove, Laron Earl Tryon and Shawn “Fig” Newton.