Name: Cecil Keyes
Age: 20
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Kansas City, Mo.
Relationship Status: Sorry ladies (and gents!), he’s happily taken!
Major: Communications
Favorite Color: Blue! It makes me so happy and you know the sky is blue, and it reminds me that I get to wake up every morning to a new day.
Catchphrase: “J. Crew is bae.”
Favorite Quote: “We delight in the beauty of a butterfly, but we forget the journey it took to get there.” – Maya Angelo
On Friday I sat down with KU sophomore Cecil Keyes to talk about some of his favorite things about KU, what his perfect date would be and what it’s like to be a campus cutie!
What are you involved in here at KU?
I’m the Philanthropy Chair for Beta Theta Pi, I started Greek Allies with Omar Rana, a previous Campus Cutie and Mr. KU contestant, and I dabble in the Go Greek Team as a Greek Ambassador!
That’s a lot of stuff! Tell me your favorite thing about being so involved.
Definitely being a part of my fraternity! I know it sounds cheesy, but they were so accepting of me when I came out in the spring semester of my freshman year, I’ve grown so much with their support!
Wow! That’s so awesome! So what kinds of things do you look for in friends?
I look for people I can be funny, I’m really sassy and I want friends who can give that right back! I also want friends that will push me, after a rough semester I want people who can bring me to my greatest potential!
So, did your friends encourage you to come to KU or was it something else?
Actually, two things helped me decide to come to KU – my bid to my fraternity and most of my family also came to KU. I have an extremely close relationship with my parents.
Okay, now into the fun stuff! Tell me some things you look for in a partner?
They have to be motivated! I don’t really like passive people, I love someone who can tell me straight up – I can’t fix it unless you tell me! I also like someone who is intelligent and I can have great conversations with!
What is your idea of a perfect date?
Well, I saw this one on Tinder one time, but Ryan Nelson took it already. If I could actually have a perfect date, I would have to say I love spending time with the person, very laid back!
What’s it like being gay at KU, is it hard meeting guys? What kinds of advice to you want to give other people in the same position?
Being gay at KU is has been such an awesome experience! I’ve brought guys to date parties at my fraternity and everybody has been extremely supportive. And to all of my fellow LGBTQ+ people at KU I would have to say that it’s 2015 and it’s the perfect time not to be afraid of coming out – KU is an extremely supportive place to be!
Anything else you want people to know about you before we end the interview?
Beyonce is the only woman that can turn me straight, I should be paid to stalk people on Facebook and I order extra rice at Chipotle because I’m trying to eat a meal – not a snack!