This week’s campus celebrity is University of Delaware royalty! In 2014 she was crowned Homecoming Queen and is full of blue hen spirit! In honor of homecoming this weekend, learn more about Nicolette!
Graduation Year: 2015
Major: Marketing
Hometown: Bayridge, Brooklyn
Her Campus: What made you decide to run for homecoming queen last year?
Nicolette Cafiero: I decided to run for HQ because I had had the most amazing fours years at UD. I felt like this school gave me three really important things. 1. Being the knowledge to move forward in any career of my choice – I had amazing professors throughout my time at UD that really taught and mentored me. 2. The opportunities to develop my skills and experiences. My time serving as President and Philanthropy Chair of my sorority, being an active member of the Greek Council, a member of Relay for Life UD, and many other campus activities allowed me to develop actual personal skills that I value very much today. And then lastly and most importantly, the friendships. UD introduced me to some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. I admire so many of my classmates and I have grown immensely as a person just from knowing the people that I met at UD. Running for HQ meant being able to represent the school that had given me so much.
HC: How did you feel when you got crowned?
NC: Being crowned was amazing!! The best part about it all though was seeing my dad in the crowd when it happened. He had drove all the way down to Delaware that morning to see me. I told him a bunch of times that it was really unlikely that I was going to win and that he should prepare himself for that. He said he was proud of me no matter what. When they said my name, and I was standing on the field, I looked up in the crowd and saw my dad with a huge smile on his face but also close to tears (lol). He was so excited, he started running down the stands (he literally almost fell down like 20 flights of stairs) and came to find me. He was so happy. My dad had done everything for me my whole life, so to make him this proud of me meant everything. That was definitely the best part of being crowned and something I’ll never forget.
HC: What does it mean to you to be queen?
NC: Being HQ to me means so much. Again, I had made such great friends at UD. Not just my best friends, but even the people in my classes, or people I’ve met here and there, acquaintances. So many of those people told me they voted for me and that meant so much to me. It was a huge honor- probably the biggest honor I’ve received in my life and it made me feel really really happy. I am so grateful for everyone’s love and support.
HC: What is your favorite memory of UD?
NC: Hmm it’s so hard to pick a favorite memory. I think I’d have to pick two. One being when I was Philanthropy Chair for my sorority Chi Omega. I was the first sophomore to be elected into the executive board position and I was super nervous but also determined. The year prior we had raised $2500 for Make A Wish, which was great but not enough to grant a wish. The year that I was Philanthropy Chair, after working really really hard for 6 months, I hosted and produced our annual fundraiser Mr. fraternity. After a long six months, I was proud to announce that we had raised $15,000. that was over 60% more than years past and enough to grant not 1 but 2 wishes. Granting the wishes of those deserving little kids was definitely a highlight of college for me. And then my other favorite memory goes back to the night before graduation. My freshman floor friends had remained good friends since freshman year. We came together the night before graduation for a bar crawl which ended up with us all jumping in the fountain. We had jumped in the fountain on the last day of freshman year as well. It was like déjà vu. being back in that fountain in the middle of the night with my best friends that I had lived with for a year was so amazing. Seeing how much we had all changed and how much had happened over the four years, but still somehow remaining friends was everything. Tearing up now just thinking about it.
HC: What is your favorite place on main street?
NC: My favorite place on Main Street is Taverna – I worked there for a year as a server. Made some of my best friends there – we were like a family. Also the chicken pizza is my life.
HC: What do you think is the best part of homecoming?
NC: Best part of HQ is seeing all of your friends. Seeing each other after not seeing each other for a little bit and it’s like nothing’s changed. Also just being back on campus. I’m still convinced that UD campus is the most magical place on earth!
HC:Are you coming back this year for homecoming/what are you most looking forward to?
NC: Yes I’m coming back and I cannot wait! Mostly excited to see all my friends… Literally so excited!!!
HC: Any advice or shoutouts to all the blue hens out there?
NC: Advice: take class seriously! A college education is not something to take for granted. Take time for yourself, you’re building your character and your brand in college – get involved, do things that make you happy, do things outside of your comfort zone – figure out you. Once you leave college you bring that brand to where ever you go next. Don’t stress about finding the PERECT job after college – it will all work out. And most importantly enjoy your time at UD, meet as many people as possible, everyone has something interesting about themselves that you can learn something from .. And there are amazing friendships waiting to be built. That’s all I’ve got!