Name: Mary-Kate Hovanic
Year in School: Senior
Hometown: Emmaus, PA
Major/Minors:
Major – Communication Studies
Minors – Leadership & Psychology
On Campus Involvement and Positions:
Alpha Sigma Alpha: Vice President of Membership Education
Student Ambassador: Training Manager
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Lambda Pi Eta: Comm Honor Society
Order of Omega: Greek Honor Society
Weekly Day Care Volunteer
Crew 2 Leader 2015
2014 SLAP facilitator
Tell us about Homecoming! What was your favorite moment from the past week (besides being crowned Queen)?
“I loved meeting so many new friends this week! I am someone who loves to talk and get to know people, so when I passed out root beer floats in the plaza, I had a blast! Everyone I met was so nice. It was also just so cool to be so supported this week by everyone! I can not even begin to express my gratitude! I had so much help, and this just further solidified that CNU was the absolute best place for me because I am surrounded by so many awesome people!”
How does it feel to be CNU’s Homecoming Queen?
“It feels so surreal and it is still hard to believe that it happened! I remember seeing my Crew Leader crowned Homecoming Queen my freshman year and thinking how cool it was that she got to do that! I never thought this would happen, but I feel so grateful and excited that it did!”
Who do you look up to? Why?
“I look up most to my parents and brother! They all live their values and are such strong people. My parents are so involved in my life. They have been to every major event in my life and they go out of their way to always be there. They give so much to our family and friends. I know I can go to them for anything. I want to be just like them one day!
My brother is just the coolest person on the planet. He works really hard for everything and is the funniest person that I know! I wish my Twitter was that funny!”
What is one of your favorite CNU memories?
“I would have to say one of my favorite memories happened when what I thought would be a very boring Friday night in Rappahannock. My family is all really into the Fitbit challenges and that week we were in an ongoing challenge that was about to end at midnight between my dad, mom, brother (Ethan), and one of my best friends, Mariah. Mariah, Ethan, and I were so close in steps but I was winning. At 10 p.m. Ethan surpassed my steps. Mariah and I were determined to win so we spent the next two hours running around Rappahannock. It was so strange but so much fun! The climax of the night was with 10 minutes left till 12 and Ethan and I were so close in steps. I was determined to win so I ran the entire parking garage and all the floors. I looked crazy but it was so much fun and I won!
Another memory would be this year my roommates surprised me with a 22nd birthday party at Ihop. We did everything in the Taylor Swift song “22” that night. We ate breakfast at midnight, dressed like hipsters, made fun of our exes, and so on. I had never had a surprise party before and so when I walked in and had 30 friends sitting in Ihop to hang out with me I was so excited. It was such a fun night and one that I will always remember.”
What do you plan to do after graduate?
“I have no idea. Honestly, it changes every single day! I am going to take a year and do some sort of one year fellowship and then decide from there. What I do know is that I want to work with people. I love interacting with people and helping them. I am not sure if I want to pursue that goal through higher education or nonprofit work. Hopefully I figure it out at some point.”
What do you do in your free time?
“Most of my free time consists of catching up with people while eating. I also volunteer with my roommate at a day care down the street. The times that I am there are my absolute favorite times of my week! The kids are so fun and entertaining. I have so many funny stories of the things that they say and do!”
What advice would you give to your fellow Captains?
“Be in the moment! I know college is stressful and full of so many things that you have to get done, but I feel like I have wasted so much of my time stressing about work! CNU is the best place on Earth; enjoy it while you are here because I can tell you, as a senior, it goes by too quickly!”
What is something people may not know about you?
“Every year I run the Captain’s Chest Toy Drive for foster kids in the Newport News Community. We ask different organizations to donate gifts. Over the past two years, we have been able to give six bikes and over 100 gifts to deserving kids in the community.”
What is something that inspires you?
“This summer I went to the Dominican Republic with my brother to work in a children’s home. The people I met there were so inspiring. They were so kind and hardworking. They had so much passion for their home and were continuously working to make it a better place. The kids I worked with were between 4 and 18 and they all looked out for each other and were a big family. The high school students amazed me with their servant leadership. They run a VBS (Vacation Bible School) for hundreds of kids and make sure they have an awesome time!
How have you changed from freshman year of college to now?
“I think I have gotten a lot more independent! I have amazing friends and family who have always been there for me, but it is cool that I know I can also depend on myself.
Also, college has allowed me to become really comfortable with who I am. I came to CNU and I didn’t know how good it felt to embrace being goofy and awkward. It is so much more fun to go through life dancing through the plaza or laughing at yourself than just trying to be someone that you aren’t.”
Is there anything else you’d like people to know about you?
“This is super embarrassing and I have no idea why I am talking about this, but YOLO. So, freshman year, I was hanging out in my residence hall room with some friends discussing how wrong it is to bully people. We had just watched a movie where students where so mean to each other and giving each other a ‘swirly.’ None of us had ever experienced a ‘swirly’ and wanted to truly understand what it meant. I was nominated and willingly accepted the task. After extensive cleaning of the toilet (!!), I was swirlied. The experience was not a positive one – I wanted to scream but could not. My advice would be don’t bully people; it’s mean!”