As homecoming week comes to a close, HerCampus had the chance to talk with the latest ISU Royalty. Homecoming Queen Sarah Bollinger and King Brian Kulaga share their experience and tell us a little bit about themselves.
Meet Homecoming Queen Sarah Bollinger
Sarah is a senior, Bilingual/Bicultural Elementary Education with Spanish and TESOL.
KB: Why did you decide to run for homecoming queen?
SB: I received an email saying that I had been nominated so I decided to apply for it. I am also very heavily involved in many activities at ISU and extremely passionate about this school and knew it would be a great honor to be Homecoming queen! ISU has offered me so many incredible opportunities to take on leadership roles, study abroad, grow in my faith, develop lasting relationships, and so much more. So I was genuinely honored and thrilled to be nominated for homecoming queen and be able to represent ISU in a passionate way!
KB: How did you campaign for homecoming queen? Were you able to get people involved to help you?
SB: I remember looking on Facebook the Monday of Homecoming Week and seeing dozens of statuses encouraging others to vote for me. I was so happily overwhelmed with the amount of love and support my friends and fellow Redbirds were showing me! I was told people were writing on classroom boards encouraging others to vote for me and one of my good friends created a Facebook page for me. I was able to meet a lot of new people at the Homecoming Week events. I think word-of-mouth was the main source of campaigning.
KB: What do you have to do if you are a homecoming nominee during homecoming week?
SB: You are required to wear your Homecoming Court sash at all times when on campus. You also get to help out and attend the Homecoming week events. On Monday night, Homecoming court is introduced at the kick-off on the quad. On Tuesday night, we judge and demonstrate the team competitions on the football field. Wednesday night is the carnival, Thursday night we had dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Dietz and Mrs. Groves, and Friday night was the bonfire and crowning! On Saturday, Brian, the king, and I got to ride in a fire-truck during the parade and then we were announced during halftime at the football game.
KB: How did you feel when you found out you were homecoming queen?
SB: It was such a surreal moment! I was so excited because my family and so many friends and fellow Redbirds were at the bonfire when we were crowned. I remember coming off the stage and being swarmed with people congratulating me, hugging me, and asking to have pictures taken with me! I didn’t even know some of them, which was so cool to me. Being crowned Homecoming queen is truly such a blessing and I am so grateful for the loving, close-knit community we have at ISU.
KB: Do you have any favorite things you enjoy doing outside of class?
SB: My favorite hobbies include outdoor adventures with my family such as camping, hiking, and rock climbing. I love attending church and Bible study, volunteering in classrooms, working with children, and being with people. I work a lot with international students teaching English and helping them feel at home in the United States.
KB: What are your plans after ISU?
SB: I am very open to going wherever I feel the Lord leading me after graduating from ISU. I will be certified to teach bilingual education and I know this is a growing field of education so I can be flexible. Studying abroad in Spain for a semester really inspired me to continue learning about and experiencing new cultures. I hope to continue traveling and meeting people from around the world as I teach children.
Meet the Homecoming King Brian Kaluga:
Brian is senior in the Special Education: Learning and Behavior Specialist I program
KB: Is there a reward or benefit if you are crowned?
BK: Nope! I mean, you get to keep the crown and sash, but the true reward is feeling pride for ISU and knowing that your involvement on campus truly paid off and made an impact!
KB: How did you campaign for homecoming king? Were you able to get people involved to help you?
BK: I joke that my friend Maddie Williams , whom I sang with in the ISU Clef Hangers, was my “Marketing Manager” for the week – haha! Due to my busy schedule with teaching and clinical experiences, I asked Maddie if she would spearhead the marketing frontier, and she willingly agreed! She developed the Facebook page “Brian Kulaga for Homecoming King” and also chalked the quad! I owe a lot of my publicity and success to her. I also owe her a lot of coffee in return for her help – haha!
KB: How do you feel about being crowned homecoming king?
BK: Grateful, humbled, surprised, and nervous! Sarah and I were announced at the Homecoming Bonfire on Friday evening. They first introduced all of the nominees and then designated the 2013 King and Queen. When they announced my name I smiled and then immediately hugged all of the other candidates to show that I really wasn’t concerned about the competition component and was just happy to have been nominated with these honors. It was an honor to be crowned King. I was also happy to receive the honor with Sarah. Her and I have been friend since Freshman year; it was awesome to reunite for such an exciting week of events!
KB: Do you have any favorite hobbies outside of class?
BK: I like singing/acting, although I usually stick to doing those over the summer when I have more free time! Other hobbies include reading, meeting new people, and watching American Horror Story!
KB: Are you part of any clubs/organizations here on campus?
BK: Yes! Tons – haha! Here is a list: CEC National Committee Member, The Illinois State University Clef Hangers, Badminton Intramural League, Student Council for Exceptional Children (SCEC) President, Male Educators, SCEC Vice President, Students Today, Leaders Forever (STLF), Student Ambassador Leadership Team (SALT), and Honors Program. Being involved has definitely been a huge part of what made my experience at ISU so positive!
KB: Given the chance, would you run again?
BK: I would run again, without a doubt, just to be with the other members of the Homecoming Court again. The nine other members of the court were some of the most outgoing, enthusiastic, and sociable people I have ever met. The week was one of the busiest, but happiest weeks that I’ve had in a long time!
KB: What are your plans after ISU?
BK: My short term plans include looking for a job in either the Chicago Suburbs area or here in Bloomington-Normal. I don’t really mind what type of setting (elementary, middle school, or high school) is available; I’ll go wherever I am needed! In regards to long-term goals, I would eventually like to receive a Masters Degree and Ph.D. in Special Education or another related field and eventually teach at the collegiate level. But, life can change in an instant. I am very open to opportunities that arise and understand that my plan for life may change based on opportunities/obstacles that arise, but I think teaching at a College/University and conducting research would be ideal.
KB: Would you encourage others to run for homecoming king? Why or why not?
BK: Yes! If you are committed to and proud of Illinois State University, being a part of the Homecoming Court is something that is astoundingly rewarding. It brings together some of the most involved, dedicated, and friendly people on campus thus making the experience, whether you are crowned King/Queen or not, one that is so worthwhile.