Name: Jayna Duckenfield
Major: English
Year: Senior
Hometown: Garner, NC
Name: Michael Grimes
Major: Music Education
Year: Senior
Hometown: Apex, NC
Q: Congrats on winning Homecoming King/Queen! What was the best part about being on the court?
Jayna: The best part about being on court was definitely the overall experience. It didn’t hit me until the Friday before the game that I was a part of something big. It was an honor to be selected to stand with some stellar members of the student body.
Michael: The best part about being on court to me was getting to represent not only the university, but SOUL as well. SOUL has been one of the best experiences of my college experience and I felt extremely honored just to represent the thing that has given me so much enjoyment and memories. I also had a really good time meeting everyone else on court. I got to meet 15 other individuals on this campus that represent very different organizations I would never get the opportunity to talk to or interact with. Everyone on court was just so nice and caring and overall, just good people. It was an honor to be grouped with them and to be given a reputation that I am like these other incredible individuals.
Q: What organization do you represent and how are you involved with it?
Jayna: I was representing Student Orientation Undergraduate Leader Club. I’ve had the opportunity to be a SOUL for 2 years. As a SOUL, I’ve been able to work alongside several academic advisors and help welcome incoming freshmen and transfer students into the Appalachian family.
Michael: I also represent the Student Orientation Undergraduate Leader club or SOUL for short. SOUL’s work with incoming freshmen at orientation, making sure that they are prepared for when they arrive in August. The job of the SOUL is to help the students with their schedule, but also informing them of the resources and other opportunities available to them on campus. I have been a SOUL for two summers and I have absolutely loved my time on the job. I got to work with over 600 students in my two years on the job and met and talked to even more than the ones who were in my group. I still talk to many students I met at orientation and see many of them around campus. I wish I could come back for a third year, but unfortunately I cannot due to the fact that I am graduating!
Q: What other activities are you involved in at App State?
Jayna: I’m the Vice President of my a cappella group, The Mountain Ayres. I’m also a part of the Servant Team in my campus ministry, Reformed University Fellowship (RUF). I’m a member of the International English Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta. Lastly, I’m a consultant at the University Writing Center.
Michael: Being a music major I am kept very busy in the School of Music. I have performed in many ensembles at Appalachian that include, but are not limited to the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Symphony Band, Marching Mountaineers Marching Band, and Horn Choir. I am a paid hand this year for the Marching Mountaineers Marching Band and am the Brass Caption Head. My position has me in charge of all the brass in the marching band and I also help the entire band learn their music and drill when learning the show. I am also the President and Music Director of ASU VoiceMale, an all-male a cappella group on ASU’s campus. We perform for many events on and off campus and regularly travel to other schools in North Carolina to perform. I am also involved in NAfME and NBA, which are music societies for music educators.
Q: How would your friends describe you?
Jayna: I felt weird speaking for my friends, so I asked two of them to describe me and this is what they said: (haha) “well spoken, smart, spontaneous, intuitive, funny, and humble.”
Michael: My friends would describe me as energetic, friendly, caring, professional, musically inclined, and crazy. I have had the pleasure of befriending a large variety of people in my time at Appalachian and each see a different part of me, but I think these words for the most part could sum up what they would say.
Q: What are your plans after you graduate?
Jayna: After I graduate, I hope to get accepted to be an intern for RUF at another university while simultaneously pursuing my dream of being an author.
Michael: My plans after I graduate are to teach in the public school system for three years before I get my Masters in music education. I am not sure whether I will come back to Appalachian for it or go to another university. After I get my Masters, if I feel like public school is where I will do my best work, then I am going to stay there. If I feel that I can do more then I plan on doing Doctoral work at Florida State University or another university and then teach at the collegiate level. Somewhere in there, I plan on getting married and having kids, but I feel like that part I can’t really plan for. All I can say is that I am excited for what the future holds for me!