The IDS got to know each member of this year's 2014 Homecoming King and Queen Court and were asked the following questions.
HOMECOMING COURT KING NOMINEES:
Lucas Burch
IDS: What is your major and what are your plans after college?
Burch: My major is informatics, and post-graduation I’m looking into a career as a business analyst. I’m currently in the process of interviewing.
IDS: Why did you apply for homecoming court?
Burch: Traditionally someone from Student Athletic Board, which is a student organization I’m involved in, does it every year, and we have a lot of great pride when it comes to homecoming, so I decided to step up and do it.
IDS: What made you choose to come to IU?
Burch: I wasn’t really sure when I came to college what I wanted to major in, and IU had a great campus and wide range of majors and activities to get involved with.
IDS: What do you consider your best memory in your time at IU?
Burch: Being at the IU-Kentucky game my freshman year, when we knocked off the No. 1 (team).
Saleh ElHattab
IDS: What is your major and what are your plans after college?
ElHattab: I am majoring in computer science and mathematics alongside a business certificate and a Spanish minor. I plan on heading to the Bay Area after graduation to work in the tech sector.
IDS: Why did you apply for homecoming court?
ElHattab: I thought being a part of the court would be a fun thing to do during my senior year.
IDS: What made you choose to come to IU?
ElHattab: I decided to attend IU because of the opportunities that it offered me during my senior year of high school. A respectable university close to home with a huge pool of potential extracurricular involvements alongside a beautiful campus was difficult to turn down.
IDS: What do you consider your best memory in your time at IU?
ElHattab: I will always remember the silence and ensuing chaos in Assembly Hall as the ball left Watford’s hand at the buzzer of the IU-Kentucky game my freshman year.
Andrew Guenther
IDS: What is your major and what are your plans after college?
Guenther: I am majoring in political science and psychology with certificates in public affairs and political and civic engagement. After college, I hope to get my JD and MBA in order to go into public-private business and advocacy ventures in order to strengthen collaboration between business and government.
IDS: Why did you apply for homecoming court?
Guenther: To me, being a true Hoosier means being engaged and involved on campus in order to promote change. Being on the court and representing the undergraduate student body is something I am honored to have been selected to do.
IDS: What made you choose to come to IU?
Guenther: When I was in high school, people spoke about Indiana University as a panacea for all varieties of people. When I stepped foot on campus and saw the beauty and diversity of IU, I knew I made the right choice in applying.
IDS: What do you consider your best memory in your time at IU?
Guenther: My fondest memory at IU so far was definitely during my freshman year. Sitting in my floor lounge with my friends, watching IU football charge their way to victory is something I will never forget.
Alexander Nevill
IDS: What is your major and what are your plans after college?
Nevill: Accounting and finance. I’ll be working in NYC for J.P. Morgan in their investment banking division.
IDS: Why did you apply for homecoming court?
Nevill: I thought it would be a neat opportunity to meet other students who have been involved throughout campus.
IDS: What made you choose to come to IU?
Nevill: I came to IU because I knew they had a great business school and specifically an investment banking program. Additionally, I thought it was the best value school of all the universities I considered.
IDS: What do you consider your best memory in your time at IU?
Nevill: Storming the court after beating Kentucky on Watford’s buzzer beater.
Matthew Renie
IDS: What is your major and what are your plans after college?
Renie: I’m a finance major, and I’m moving to Chicago to be a strategy consultant.
IDS: Why did you apply for homecoming court?
Renie: One of my friends in my fraternity actually won homecoming king, so I saw him go through the process, and it looked like a very fun thing to do.
IDS: What made you choose to come to IU?
Renie: I’m originally from Indianapolis, and IU is a great state school, but the Kelley School of Business really drove me to see how great of an education I could receive while attending a big public university, and that really appealed to me.
IDS: What do you consider your best memory in your time at IU?
Renie: Watching my fraternity, Beta Theta Pi, win Little 500 and watching Christian Watford help us beat Kentucky with a buzzer beater.
Adam Sobol
IDS: What is your major and what are your plans after college?
Sobol: I’m studying informatics with a minor in business. After college I’m going to the master’s of science program in information systems at the Kelley School of Business.
IDS: Why did you apply for homecoming court?
Sobol: Mainly because I had remembered listening to other people’s accomplishments last year, and I was very impressed with everyone. I just felt that I am a good ambassador for the University, and I’ve had a lot of experiences that are similar to theirs. It would be a cool opportunity to pursue.
IDS: What made you choose to come to IU?
Sobol: I call it the trifecta. I got into the school of informatics as a direct admit, and I also play the cello, so I play in the all-campus orchestra. I really like minoring in business, as well, and the Kelley School of Business is one of the best schools for that in the country.
IDS: What do you consider your best memory in your time at IU?
Sobol: When we beat Kentucky, I was in the balcony with all of my friends and everything was shaking like crazy. Everyone ran down to the courts, and it was so much fun.
HOMECOMING COURT QUEEN NOMINEES:
Amyra Asamoah
IDS: What is your major and what are your plans after college?
Asamoah: I am double majoring in economics and communication and culture. I am very interested in international relations though, and I am currently applying for positions in the field. My plan after college is to start work at an foreign policy think tank or NGO.
IDS: Why did you apply for homecoming court?
Asamoah: One reason I applied to be on Homecoming Court, aside from the fact that I love IU, was because I wanted to step outside of my leadership comfort zone. I am used to leading people that I know in small clubs that I am familiar with. Homecoming Court gives me a chance to be a better leader by learning how to represent a community that is large, diverse and, in many ways, excitingly unfamiliar.
IDS: What made you choose to come to IU?
Asamoah: I always wanted to make sure I attended a college that was big enough to be fun and spirited, but also attentive enough to make me feel unique and cared about. One of the main reasons why I chose to attend IU was because I fell in love with the student-focused, friendly environment that we have here in Bloomington.
IDS: What do you consider your best memory in your time at IU?
Asamoah: The semester I spent abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, is probably my fondest memory from these past four years. I immersed myself in Danish culture, traveled throughout Europe, and learned a lot of invaluable life lessons about growing up. I am so grateful to IU for allowing me to have that opportunity.
Alexandra Callahan
IDS: What is your major and what are your plans after college?
Callahan: My majors are accounting and finance, and next summer I will be starting full time with Procter & Gamble as a financial analyst.
IDS: Why did you apply for homecoming court?
Callahan: I applied because my sophomore year, one of the older girls in my house was on court, and she’s one of the girls I’ve looked up to the most. I respect her a lot, so I wanted to continue her legacy and try it out for myself.
IDS: What made you choose to come to IU?
Callahan: I grew up as a Big Ten baby, since both of my parents attended Ohio State. I knew I wanted the experience and passion that comes with a Big 10 school, so I toured IU because I was interested in the Kelley School of Business. The second I stepped on campus, I knew it was the right place to be.
IDS: What do you consider your best memory in your time at IU?
Callahan: Going through recruitment for the first time since our sorority, Theta Pi, was so new on campus. Seeing so many girls take leadership positions and really grow into strong women was a great experience. The bid night we had my sophomore year is certainly something I’ll remember.
Brigitte Hackler
IDS: What is your major and what are your plans after college?
Hackler: I am an accounting and technology management major, with minors in French and psychology. I am going through recruiting at Kelley right now, looking at various accounting positions in Indianapolis and Chicago.
IDS: Why did you apply for homecoming court?
Hackler: A former professor suggested I apply, and it sounded like a fun and unique opportunity. I love IU homecoming week each year; usually my family comes down for a big tailgate and the football game. I am excited to participate in the events of the week and to represent IU!
IDS: What made you choose to come to IU?
Hackler: I am a fourth-generation IU student. My great-grandmother graduated from IU in 1918. My grandfather played football here in the 50s. Both of my parents, and several of my aunts and uncles went to IU as well. It runs in the family. At first I wanted to be different and go somewhere else, but I was drawn in when I visited one weekend in the spring of my senior year of high school. Since making my decision to come here, I’ve never looked back, and am not ready to leave!
IDS: What do you consider your best memory in your time at IU?
Hackler: Too many to choose from. My freshman year Jon Stewart came to the auditorium to do stand-up. I remember it was the end of my senior year of high school when the IU Auditorium announced he was coming, and I bought tickets immediately. What I didn’t realize was that Stewart was just one of the many interesting, diverse and memorable people — both famous and not — whom I would get to see or meet at IU. My older brother came down to Bloomington to go to the show with me, and it was a great night.
Taylor Stinson
IDS: What is your major and what are your plans after college?
Stinson: My majors are supply chain management and technology management, and I have a minor in psychology. After graduation I will be with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Chicago, doing management consulting for them.
IDS: Why did you apply for homecoming court?
Stinson: I wanted the opportunity to give back to IU as much as I could, whether that be through the homecoming court and hopefully serving as a mentor, or representing the women of our campus. I want to be proud of my personal accomplishments.
IDS: What made you choose to come to IU?
Stinson: I was being recruited to play college volleyball, but I decided that I didn’t want to pursue that. Instead I knew I had a passion for business, and I wanted a campus that had strong greek life, great opportunities and was a big and well-recognized school, and IU really fit all those things for me.
IDS: What do you consider your best memory in your time at IU?
Stinson: I am the president of Women in Business, and we had our call-out meeting recently. About 300 women showed up, and it was so humbling. I had the opportunity to stand up in front of everyone and describe our organization and welcome everyone, and that’s something I’ll take away after I graduate.
Megan Van Pelt
IDS: What is your major and what are your plans after college?
Van Pelt: I am a senior — education major. I plan on continuing my education after graduation. I am a direct admit into the Indiana Maurer School of Law and will be there for three years as I pursue my law degree.
IDS: Why did you apply for homecoming court?
Van Pelt: Indiana University has given me so many awesome opportunities. This was another opportunity that I really wanted to be a part of. I love IU and want to share that by being apart of the homecoming court.
IDS: What made you choose to come to IU?
Van Pelt: I chose to attend IU because it is a Van Pelt tradition. I couldn’t not be a Hoosier too! Even as a little girl, I knew I wanted to go to IU.
IDS: What do you consider your best memory in your time at IU?
Van Pelt: I have so many fabulous memories from my time at IU. However, my all-time favorite memory was discovering the streets of Bloomington and IU’s campus during my training runs for the Chicago marathon. My fabulous friend Joey Henne would even bike alongside me to share the fun.
Nichelle Whitney
IDS: What is your major and what are your plans after college?
Whitney: I am studying human biology with a concentration on human health and disease. Upon graduation, I will be attending graduate school for a Ph.D. program in cancer biology. I hope to spend my career as a professor and a cancer biologist. I will travel the world, hopefully teach internationally and maintain several charity foundations.
IDS: Why did you apply for homecoming court?
Whitney: I applied for the IU Homecoming Court because I genuinely love IU. I love the woman I have become while at IU, and I love the legacy that I will leave on this campus. Even if I do not win, it is still an honor to be selected as a candidate for this year’s Homecoming Court.
IDS: What made you choose to come to IU?
Whitney: IU was really the only college I wanted to go to. I was in love with the campus since I laid eyes on Showalter Fountain. I love the potential and success of the College of Arts and Sciences as well as the School of Medicine.
IDS: What do you consider your best memory in your time at IU?
Whitney: I have such a long list of fond memories at IU. In brief, I loved the experience I’ve had being on the Homecoming Court, I love being a founding member of my sorority Delta Phi Epsilon, and I have enjoyed meeting Meryl Streep, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson and Dr. Lamont Hill.
