Are you wondering who you’re going to vote for on this year’s homecoming court? Find out more about your 2015 candidates before you vote! Voting is now open until Monday, Nov 9 on your MyVCU webpage under the poll section. Winners will be crowned during the men’s basketball game on Nov 13:
Freshmen Lord Nominees:
Name: Erick Torres
Major: Biology
Why did you choose to be on homecoming court? I chose to be on homecoming court because it would be an honor to represent VCU’s freshman class. I feel as though this will also allow me to be more open with others at VCU and to learn about different cultures on campus. VCU has done a lot for me and this is an opportunity to give back. I think being on the homecoming court shows how much I love this school which brings out the ultimate school spirit.
Who is your favorite fictional character and why? I would have to say Spider-Man would to be my all-time favorite fictional character. I like Spider-Man because he’s very relatable. Growing up I felt as though I was an awkward kid, but I like to help others out and I saw this in Spidey. He also has very awesome powers which made him my childhood hero.
Name: Timothy Ruth Jr.
Major: Theatre Performance
Why did you choose to be on homecoming court? I chose to be on homecoming court because I wanted the freshmen class to be represented in the best way. Also, I wanted to be a service to the Richmond community and show people what Richmond has to offer.
If you could be anyone for a day, who would you be and why? I would be Christina Aguilera. I chose Christina Aguilera because she is such a great human being and does a lot of service projects around the world for hungry children. Also, her voice is amazing and I wouldn’t stop singing for that entire day!
Freshmen Lady Nominees:
Name: Nia Campbell
Major: Art Foundation
Why did you choose to be on homecoming court? VCU is incredibly diverse, but the environment I come from is far from it. Students like me weren’t known for or encouraged to do activities like getting involved in homecoming. This is not the case at VCU, but much of the outside community still thinks that way. So, I decided to run for homecoming court to show the outside world that VCU doesn’t have the same cliques and stigmas that exist elsewhere.
What do you do in your free time? In my free time I most often write and sketch. I also sew, scrapbook and love watching movies.
Name: Genaya Gaines
Major: Biology
Why did you choose to be on homecoming court? I choose to be on homecoming court because it’s a great experience and also a way start making valued memories. Being on homecoming court means representing VCU and my class. It is a chance to show school spirit and influence the VCU community and alumni to do the same.
What song is on repeat on your playlist right now? Jugg by Fetty Wap is on repeat on my playlist right now.
Name: Tonecia Brothers-Sutton
Major: Broadcast Journalism
Why did you choose to be on homecoming court? I chose to be on homecoming court because I wanted to get involved with the community at VCU and meet new people. I also didn’t have homecoming court at my high school so now that VCU offers students to participate; I was really excited to get involved!
Who is your hero and why? My hero is my mom because I am the only child and we have been really close throughout my entire life. She has always taken care of me and I admire how strong she is.
Name: Emma Sue Sims
Major: Journalism
Why did you choose to be on homecoming court? In high school, I was extremely active in extracurricular activities. I was always busy doing something. Coming into college, I didn’t want to just drop my interest in community involvement. To me, the best way to jump right into staying involved was homecoming. We are welcomed to join service projects, like gleaning a local farm to bring food back to RAMpantry, and we are encouraged to talk to different people in order to make more connections in the community. Homecoming to me is a great way to get invested in VCU spirit from the start and to stay involved.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In five years I hope to have already graduated from VCU. I hope that in five years I will be writing for a newspaper or magazine as well as working on my own online publication. I’m a journalism major because I want to inform the community with the news they need and hopefully give people a more positive outlook on the world at the same time.
Name: Evie Joy Sabo
Major: Psychology
Why did you choose to be on homecoming court? I chose to be on homecoming court because it’s always been a dream of mine. I love being a part of a group that not only has a fun competition, but gives back to the community as well. Applying for the position, I thought how fun an experience it would be. And now that we’re starting the events and doing community service, it just feels really good to be spending my time helping others and having fun with the other members.
What cheers you up? There’s this Ewan McGregor movie, Beginners. To me, it perfectly captures depression and what it means to live life, not only in spite of the sadness, but to embrace it as well. I like to watch that when I’m down and journal.
Sophomore Duke Nominees:
Name: Kaleb Franklin
Major: Human Resource Management
Why did you choose to be on homecoming court? At first I chose to be a part of homecoming because a friend recommended me to do so, they said I’d be a great fit for the position. Then I realized it would be a great opportunity for me to represent VCU and show my ram spirit. Being on homecoming court to me is actually pretty big honor mainly because I get to represent VCU. My ram pride runs deep so this is a pretty huge deal being able to represent.
Have you ever had a nickname? What is it and how did you get it? I’ve have quite a few nicknames, but my most common one for right now would be “K”. It’s basically just the first initial of my name so there isn’t really a super in-depth meaning. I kind of gave it to myself because people either couldn’t pronounce my name or they spelled it with a “C”. One of my pet peeves is being called “Caleb” so it was an easy reminder that I’m “Kaleb” with a “K”.
Name: Miles Hicks
Major: Mass Communications-PR
What does being on homecoming court mean to you? When I came to VCU this semester being on homecoming court was never something I would have considered. I have never been nominated or voted in any court ever in my life, so one day I just saw an email and thought to myself, “why not?”, and that “why not” became a “let’s give it a go”. Being on homecoming court to me means that I am not only representing me but everyone here at VCU. This is my first semester here and I have already met such amazing, diverse and kind people. To have made it this far into court has truly been incredible and I cannot thank everyone who has supported me thus far in the campaign for court.
If you had a time machine where would you go and why? If I had a time machine I would go back to the day when I received the news that I was accepted into the VCU Peppas. I came to college thinking that I never would have the talent to be a part of the best pep band in the nation, but Ryan Kopacsi and Duane Coston saw something special in me and I remember in my audition me saying, “I really just want to find a home here at VCU”, and because they saw something in me I found where I belong. I can never thank the Peppas enough and look forward to an amazing season with them!
Name: Chandler Iley
Major: Biology Pre-Nursing
Why did you choose to be on homecoming court? I wanted to be on homecoming court because I have a great awareness of what is going on around campus. Also, I love VCU and know that I could be a great representation of my class and my school if elected as the VCU homecoming duke.
What is your dream car? My dream car is an old, red, two-door Jeep Wrangler because I like how they look and I could also drive it on the beach.
Sophomore Duchess Nominees:
Name: Bree Prince
Major: Criminal Justice and Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies
Why did you choose to be on homecoming court? I chose to run on court to bring VCU together and to truly celebrate the spirit of homecoming.
What Disney character would you be and why? If I could be a Disney character I would love to be Tiana from Princess and the Frog because she was sassy yet elegant.
Name: Destinee Moragne
Major: Accounting
Why did you choose to be on homecoming court? I wanted to be on homecoming court because it gave me the opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone. By being able to meet new people, having the opportunity to publically speak in front of large crowds, and represent the class of 2018, homecoming court presented a strong contingency for me to expand my comfort zone. Another reason why I chose to be on court was to represent Student Government in a positive light. I wanted to break down the stereotypes and demonstrate that SGA does indeed care about the students of VCU and embraces diversity overall.
What’s one quote of life motto that you live by? Aaliyah, the artist, stated in her song Try Again: “If at first you don’t succeed. Dust yourself off and try again. You can dust it off and try again”. Those lyrics describe my life motto. I have learned a lot in a matter of a year, and one of the largest lessons I have gained is that I am not perfect and that I will make mistakes; what matters most is that I learn from my fault, its consequences, and continue to endeavor.
Name: Jessica Schuler
Major: English
Why did you choose to be on homecoming court? I was so excited to be nominated to represent my organization, Alpha Omicron Pi on this year’s homecoming court, but I wouldn’t even let myself think that I would actually end up on the court. Homecoming has always been one of my favorite times, whether it was in high school or experiencing homecoming here at VCU last year. It just brings the school together, it’s why school spirit has always been so important to me because while VCU has such a diverse community, the one similarity that we all share is that we’re all VCU students and I should hope that we all love VCU. Having the opportunity to represent VCU and my organization on the court is legitimately one of the best things that could happen to me. It means a lot that my organization nominated me and believes that I would represent the school well and quite honestly I’m just really excited about what this upcoming week is going to bring. It’s going to be hectic and busy because the homecoming committee has done really well in planning a lot of really awesome events this year, but it’s going to be a lot of fun too! I’m just really excited to use this opportunity to experience VCU to the fullest and get to know more of the community!
What motivates you to work hard? Deadlines. And I say that only half-jokingly because while deadlines do get me motivated, it’s really the feeling of competition, so I’m moreover competing with myself to beat the deadline, which is part of why I’m such a big procrastinator, I just work harder when I’m under pressure, which I’m sure is the case for most people. I’m also super competitive in intramurals, when I played soccer on a house team at home I would be incredibly lazy in practices due mostly to the lack of competition. When there is competition, I’ll work hard. Then of course I work harder for things that I’m passionate about, for instance I’m passionate about the organizations I’m involved in and my major and philanthropy and because of those passions I’ll go out of my way to put my best effort into those undertakings.
Name: Briana Debrew
Major: Advertising
Why did you choose to be on homecoming court? I decided to try out for homecoming court because I was looking for more ways to be more involved on campus and because I am a transfer I don’t really know a lot people yet and I figured this would be a great way to meet new people as well.
What is your most treasured possession and why? My most treasured possession is probably my phone! I cannot go 2 seconds basically without looking at it. I mean my hotline does not bling as much as I like it to but Instagram and vine are just as entertaining!
*Other nominees: Dajia Resurreccion
Junior Prince Nominees:
Name: Issmeal “Ish” Anany
Major: HPEX Exercise Science
Why did you want to be on homecoming court? I wanted to represent the junior class on the 2015 homecoming court for many reasons! The main goal that I would like to achieve along with the rest of the homecoming court is to build up school spirit and make VCU more LIVE than ever! I feel like I will represent VCU and the Class of 2017 very well because I think that I embody what it means to be a true VCU Ram. Leadership, scholarship and service are three pillars that I live by and I feel like these pillars are what have allowed me to stay on the right track and aspire to do great things at VCU and the surrounding community. I hope to share my passion and ignite a passion in others and I feel like there is no better way to do so than to represent the junior class on the 2015 homecoming court!
If money was no object, what would you do all day? If money was no object I would spend a lot of time with my friends, family and give back to the community every day. I hold my relationships with others very close to my heart and I love to spend quality time with my friends and family because it genuinely makes me happy! I would give back to the community every day because I love to make people’s days and make them smile. Friends, family and giving back to the community are all ways I feel the most joy. If money was no object I would invest all my time into those three things because in my eyes, that would provide me with the richest quality of life.
*Other nominees: Tristan Ledbetter, Suraj Telhan and Stanley Dillon
Junior Princess Nominees:
Name: Krystal Pham
Major: Mass Communications- PR
What does being on homecoming court mean to you? Being on homecoming court to me means being chosen and honored to represent your love and admiration for your university, what your organization stands for, who you are as an individual and to hold truth in being a well-rounded student and person.
What would you choose as your spirit animal and why? I’m definitely a dolphin. They leap, they love, they swim and play. Aside all cuteness, they’re very smart too! No one hates dolphins; they’re always smiling.
Name: Angelique Scott
Major: Art Education and Craft/Material Studies
Why did you choose to be on homecoming court? Homecoming is one of my favorite weeks at VCU, aside from Welcome Week. It is a time when everyone, both alumni and current Rams, come together and celebrate all of the wonderful things about VCU and what it means to be RamProud. I chose to be on homecoming court because I believe I am a great representation of a student leader on VCU’s campus. I have a very outgoing personality and display great school spirit! Being on homecoming court means that I am able to get others excited for homecoming and can connect with both the campus and Richmond community in both social and service events.
If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be? If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life it would be mangoes. I am of Caribbean descent, specifically the Island from Barbados so mangoes were one of my favorite fruits growing up. Not only are they so delicious but also they are very healthy! They also taste great in smoothies!
Name: Nora Dhere
Major: Mass Communications
What does being on homecoming court mean to you? To me, homecoming represents the best parts of college. During my past two years here at VCU, I have not experienced any other time where I saw such a diverse group of students come together with one thing in common: their pride and love for VCU. Homecoming week was one my fondest memories from freshman and sophomore year, and being on homecoming court this year means that I can make this week special for other Rams who have not already fallen in love with VCU. Homecoming means pride and it is always important to be proud of where you are spending the best years of your life.
What’s been your biggest success up until now? My biggest success up until now was discovering what I am passionate about and creating a vision for my future. During my first two years at VCU, I have changed my mind about my future and major numerous times, but when I started taking my mass communications classes, my vision for the future became clear. Joining the Robertson School of Media and Culture has solidified my goal of working in television and being able to make a difference in the media industry. Being able to decide what path I want to take in life has been a huge success for me, and the skills that I am learning at VCU are equipping me with tools that I need to achieve greater success.
*other nominees: Christina Cowley and Sabrina Evans
Senior King Nominees:
Name: William “Trey” Nunnally
Major: Graphic Design
What does homecoming court mean to you? I remember back to when I was a freshman at my first lip-sync performance and thinking, “I’m going to do that one day.” I was a shy little kid and coming out of my shell VCU made me into the social butterfly I am now. I’m not afraid to put myself out there and get involved. I think Homecoming is the best way for me to get involved because of the school spirit and celebratory nature of the events. Homecoming is like a school wide party where no matter your grade, major or any affiliation we can all rally around a common interest. I love promoting my organization, Alpha Kappa Lambda, and being on court has introduced me to so many people I wouldn’t have otherwise met.
What is your favorite movie and why? It may sound silly, but my favorite movie is still The Lion King. My mom will tell stories about how I asked to watch it so much as a child she thought the VHS would break. I really appreciate tradition so keeping the same favorite movie keeps me connected to my family and all those fun memories.
*other nominees: Lawrence Cooper and Xavier Waller
Senior Queen Nominees:
Name: Brittani Parham
Major: Psychology and African American Studies
Why did you choose to be on homecoming court? I always seem to lead projects and things on campus but I tend to do so from the background. Homecoming Court was a time for me to embrace the limelight and really put myself out there. It also gives me the opportunity to fellowship with other students who love VCU just as much as I do. I wanted to have fun, be vulnerable, and share my experience here at VCU, so I took a chance.
If you were a superhero what powers would you have? I would want to be able to generate food whenever I wanted! I am constantly cooking, eating, and feeding other people! Food is the key to the heart; it brings people together!
Name: Meron Yohannes
Major: Political Science, minor in Public Administration and Policy and recently accepted into the Accelerated Master’s Program for Public Admin
What does being on homecoming court mean to you? Being on homecoming court means that I get to represent one of the many types of students VCU has to offer. Showing everyone what I am all about while growing into a better version of myself. Homecoming is about embracing the beloved traditions but also embracing the changes of the new school year. Homecoming court expresses that this year because it is filled with so much diversity and people representing so many awesome clubs and organizations that have been on campus for a long time but every school year they are changing, growing, and accomplishing new goals.
How would your friends describe you? My friends would say that I am an honest and hardworking person. I am a very busy person because I am so determined to make a name for myself. Besides that I am a rational person and pretty outgoing, I tend to make people around me very comfortable because I am easy to talk to and a good listener.
Name: Amy Chong
Major: Biology
Why did you choose to be on homecoming court? If you had told me four years ago that I would be on homecoming court, I never would have believed it. VCU has given me so many opportunities and helped me grow into a person I am proud of. Having only been part of Alpha Sigma Alpha for a little over a year, the fact that my organization trusts me to represent them is an amazing feeling. ASA has made me so much more outgoing and taught me how to balance my life, socially and academically, and most importantly given me a family 3,000 miles away from home.
What is your biggest fear? My biggest fear is losing someone that I love because my friends and family mean the world to me. I’m also terrified of spiders.
*other nominees: Georgia Cipriani and Jasmine Lawrence