CAFNR
students represented well in 2007 MU homecoming royalty race
by
Abby Grimmett, posted Oct. 22, 2007
MU
homecoming activities have come to and end. A highlight for
many was to see who would win the prestigious titles of homecoming
king and queen. The candidates were narrowed down to five
men and five women who are seniors at MU. This year, three
seniors represented the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural
Resources in the contest: James Tvrdy, Jacob Adams and Brandy
McDowell.
The application
process began with about 100 students who went through paper
cuts. After that, 75 went through the first round of interviews.
The interviews consisted of questions about MU traditions
and the candidate themselves. The group of 75 candidates was
cut to 30 after the second round, issue-based interviews.
Questions ranged from state education policy to the debate
on the MU name change.
Ten contenders
remained in the end, including three CAFNR students. The top
10 candidates were required to participate in the homecoming
activities such as the blood drive, Tigers Taming Hunger and
Tiger Tango.
Above:
The top ten royalty candidates were congratulated at a ceremony
at Les Bourgeois winery in Rocheport, Mo. (L-R Ross Pierson,
Anne Case-Halferty, Patrick Elmore, Sameera Ali, Jacob Adams,
Brandy McDowell, James Tvrdy, Sarah French, Scott Radloff,
Alexa Fornoff. ) photo submitted by Jacob Adams.
James
Tvrdy
James Tvrdy is a senior agricultural business student from
Cameron, Mo. Tvrdy is representing the men of Alpha Gamma
Rho. He serves as a CAFNR Ambassador, was a member and director
of the homecoming steering committee and spent last semester
studying agriculture abroad in Costa Rica.
Tvrdy
said he is thrilled to be a top 10 candidate.
“It
is a lot of fun hanging out with the top 10 candidates and
getting to take part in all of the homecoming events,”
Tvrdy said.
Tvrdy
said some his favorite homecoming events were Tiger Tango
and the blood drive. He was looking forward to the parade
on Saturday morning, as well as the game.
“My
entire family is coming and it will definitely be good to
see them,” he said
Jacob
Adams
Jacob Adams, is a senior agricultural education-teaching student
from Columbia, Mo. Adams is representing the men of Alpha
Gamma Sigma. He serves as CAFNR Student Council vice president,
and is active in Agricultural Education Society, Collegiate
Farm Bureau, Alpha Tau Alpha and was a Special Olympics swim
coach.
Adams
has especially enjoyed spending time with the other candidates.
“[The
best part is] getting to meet the other people and forming
bonds with people who love the University as much as I do,”
Adams said.
Adams
was excited for Saturday’s game, but he was also nervous.
He is mostly grateful for the experience and the opportunity
to represent CAFNR in the race.
“I
have really made some great friends and I am thankful for
all that MU has done for me,” he said.
Brandy
McDowell
Brandy McDowell is a senior agribusiness student from Greenfield,
Mo. McDowell represented the women of Pi Beta Phi. She is
active in the Alumni Association Student Board, CAFNR Ambassadors,
True Tigers and she was an MU cheerleader.
“It
has been an absolute honor to go through the process,”
McDowell said.
McDowell
learned she was one of the top 10 candidates after she received
a phone call at 5:30 a.m. while she was grading microeconomics
exams.
“It
was really exciting but almost a relief,” she said.
McDowell
wasn’t nervous about being in front of the crowd on
Saturday.
“It’s
great to think I’m representing MU students and alumni,”
she said.
MU students
had the opportunity to vote for homecoming royalty from Monday,
Oct. 8. to Friday, Oct. 19.
