Pictured Above: Sara Henk (upper left) is a junior accounting major running for homecoming royalty. Anastasia D’Ausilio (upper right) is a senior business analytics and information systems major running for homecoming royalty. Israel Hickey (lower left) is a junior biology major running for homecoming royalty. Veronica Jimenez (lower right) is a junior political science major running for homecoming royalty.
Courtesy of Sara Henk, Anastasia D’Ausilio, Israel Hickey and Veronica Jimenez
By Sophie Ojdanic
Around the clock meetings with all three campuses and the entire Harborside Activities Board could only mean one thing – it’s Homecoming season.
Savannah Kunkle, a junior history major, was the primary worker on Homecoming week this year.
Kunkle, now a paid employee of the Harborside Activities Board (HAB), said she had worked as a volunteer with HAB’s Homecoming week preparations in 2018 and 2019.
The choice to move homecoming week virtual was a hard one, Kunkle said.
“We have had meetings since April on trying to make it fun,” Kunkle said. “We made it in-person then changed it.”
But Kunkle believes the move to a virtual Homecoming week isn’t all bad.
“We have more monetary flexibility now,” she said. “We can add to prizes and swag bags.”
With the virtual move, another question came in the form of student turnout.
Student Government’s special election, also held virtually, only drew 30 voters, or 0.78 percent of the campus’ eligible voting population.
Kunkle was not worried, however. As of Oct. 1, there were over 100 votes in for Homecoming royalty.
“I will say that it’s a very close race,” Kunkle said.
Homecoming week started on Sunday with HAB’s virtual “Launch Party Live,” where musician Levi Stephens performed.
On Monday, Oct. 5, students can reserve spots via PeteSync to have their fortunes read by a fortune teller.
Tuesday serves as casino game night, in which students can play classic games like poker for prizes.
Wednesday’s event, “A Night to Dismember” is a virtual murder mystery party, where students can sign up in teams to solve a whodunit crime. Participants in this event are also eligible to win prizes.
Homecoming royalty will also be crowned on Wednesday.
On Thursday, students can attend a virtual “night of magic” to see a magician perform.
Students will be able to “step into the ‘20s” on Friday in a virtual reality space created by HAB.
Lastly, on Saturday, students can participate in a Madden 21 tournament to win a copy of Madden NFL 21.
USF’s Homecoming football game starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Arguably the most notorious part of Homecoming week is the crowning of Homecoming royalty.
The St. Petersburg campus saw seven self-nominations for homecoming court this year, more than both the Tampa and Sarasota-Manatee campuses.
“I always wanted to run for homecoming since high school,” said junior biology major Israel Hickey. “I’ve wanted to try since high school and just never put myself to it … I wanted to try and make the most of this year.”
Senior business analytics and information systems major Anastasia D’Ausilio is also running for homecoming royalty.
“I fell in love with the homecoming traditions my first year of school, from the CarniBull to the ball,” D’Ausilio said. “I like to be involved on campus and show my school spirit.”
D’Ausilio hopes to win homecoming royalty with Sara Henk, who is her little in Delta Sigma Pi, USF St. Petersburg’s professional business fraternity.
Henk, a junior accounting major, is also hoping to win with D’Ausilio.
“I chose to run for homecoming royalty because I feel like it would be a great opportunity to represent USF St. Petersburg in a new way and help represent our students,” Henk said.
Veronica Jimenez, a junior political science major and SG senator, is also running for homecoming royalty.
“I thought (running for royalty) was another great way to be involved on campus,” Jimenez said. “I am very passionate about this campus and this school, as I have also been in SG for three years.”
Jimenez said she had no preference for who she won with, if she wins homecoming royalty.
“The court is filled with awesome students,” Jimenez said.
Homecoming royalty expressed their excitement for the homecoming week festivities.
“I am so excited for the homecoming football game, as it is so much fun to share school spirit with everyone else,” D’Ausilio said.
Henk also looked forward to the football game.
Hickey said the event he looks forward to most for Homecoming week is casino game night.
Jimenez echoed the sentiments of her fellow homecoming royalty nominees.
“I am very excited for the fortune teller … as well as casino night and the Homecoming football game,” Jimenez said.
Homecoming royalty nominees Skyler Adams, Aldo Jesus and Noelle Bederman did not respond to The Crow’s Nest’s requests for comment.
Kunkle said no matter who wins, she is confident that the nominees will positively represent USF St. Petersburg.
“Being Homecoming royalty is being a campus representative,” Kunkle said. “Royalty must uphold the standards and traditions of the campus and community. I’m very proud of all the candidates, and I think no matter who wins, it will be a good choice.”
Courtesy of USF St. Petersburg Homecoming
