Happy Derby Days! What better way to mark the well-needed onset of warm weather than a week of fun competition and philanthropy? Meet this week’s Campus Cutie and Derby Days coach, Grant Spencer!
Full Name: Grant Spencer
Home State: Overland Park, Kan.
Year: Sophomore
Major: Finance
Minor: ESE (Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise)
HC (Her Campus): What are you looking forward to most about Derby Days?
GS (Grant Spencer): Well, it’s for a great cause – it benefits Brenner Children’s Hospital. The concert’s always a really good time – it’s on Wednesday. We’re trying to publicize that and get as many people as we can. And then Thursday we have Airbands which has always been a really good tradition and a fun time. I’d say those two days are what I’m most excited for.
HC: Can you tell us more about the concert this year?
GS: Yeah, it’s BoomBox. They’re an up-and-coming band. So we’re excited for that. It’s at Last Resort. We’re selling tickets in Benson and outside the Pit all week, so we’re hoping to get some good numbers.
HC: What are some of the other Derby Day events?
GS: We also do a field day, which is an event that we have on Davis field with all the sororities. It’s during the day. There’s usually been nice weather and it’s a really fun time.
HC: So can you tell us more about the philanthropy behind Derby Days?
GS: Sure. Every day [this week] there are different events that raise money, and at the end of the week we take all the money we’ve raised and donate it to Brenner Children’s Hospital. In the past, we’ve raised around $10,000 to $15,000, so our goal is going to be $15,000 this year.
HC: Do you have any advice for girls looking to win Airbands?
GS: (Laughs) Just have fun with it. Don’t stress out too much. You know, just have a good time.
HC: Good advice. So what else are you involved with on campus?
GS: Obviously Sigma Chi. I’m in the business school. I do intramural sports – I play softball, basketball, and football.
HC: Do you have a dream job?
GS: Right now it’s kind of ambiguous. I don’t know exactly what I want to do – something in the financial services industry – but specifically, I’m not really sure right now. We’ll wait and see what happens.
HC: Describe your dream girl.
GS: Someone that I can connect with. Someone that I get along with really well. Someone with similar interests who’s fun to be around.
HC: How would you describe yourself?
GS: Fun, smart. I guess athletic, and active.
HC: So what’s your favorite thing about spring and the warm weather?
GS: Definitely getting outside and enjoying the nice weather – playing sports, especially because in North Carolina we get perfect weather in the spring.
HC: Yeah, hopefully we’ll be getting some nicer weather from here on out. What’s the next vacation you’re hoping to take?
GS: Well the next vacation I am taking will be before I go abroad – so I’ll be over in Europe. I’m going with my family to Paris for a of couple days and then to Barcelona where I’ll be studying in the fall.
HC: What made you want to go to Barcelona?
GS: Well first, it’s compatible with my major, so I’ll be able to take some business classes there and get credit towards my major. I also have a lot of friends going there, and I’ve studied Spanish for three years, so it’s kind of a good combination [of things].
HC: And the song that you’re obsessed with now is?
GS: “Neato” [by Three Loco]. Or anything Drake.
HC: What’s your favorite thing to watch on Netflix?
GS: I don’t watch many TV shows so I would say movies – action movies or sports movies, one of the two.
HC: And top five random things that you like?
GS: I like Chinese food. I like to travel a lot. I like Kansas a lot (laughs). I like cars – I’m very interested in cars. And sports – college basketball is my favorite sport.
HC: How’d you enjoy Carolina Cup this year?
GS: I really liked it – it was a really good time. We had a lot of people out there so it was fun to be with all my friends even though the weather wasn’t the best. But it didn’t rain. The drive back was long, but the event was fun.
HC: So bowtie or no tie?
GS: I went no tie. I think bowtie might have been the move, but I went no tie just ‘cause of the rain.
HC: And what are you looking forward to most from now until the end of the school year?
GS: Derby Days right now. And beach weekend.
*Photography by Raquel Broehm