‘It’s a lot of pressure’
Following Saturday’s men’s basketball game two students will take home the titles of Mr. and Ms. GCSU 2010.
Selected by Registered Student Organizations on campus, current nominees had to undergo an application process set forth by the Student Government Association.
According to the nomination packet, an individual must have at least 60 credit hours, a grade point average of at least 2.75, active involvement on campus, community service contributions and be a full-time student in order to be considered eligible.
In addition, they must be held to a high standard of conduct and have a float in the Homecoming Parade. A representative from any RSO can nominate one of their members by completing an official nomination form located within the packet.
“I think it takes someone that is approachable, someone that cares about the school, and someone that truly takes a personal interest in the student body as a whole and as individuals,” said the reigning Ms. GCSU, Keri Allgood.
Furthermore, David McLaughlin, a senior management major and secretary for SGA shared his beliefs on the election.
“There is a lot of interest this year, especially in Ms. GCSU,” McLaughlin said. “It’s nice to see that we do have candidates that are qualified and people who have high standards of service and community with GCSU, and they deserve to be recognized for that.”
Some students take a traditional route to campaigning, while others become more creative with their strategies. Sheet signs by Maxwell Student Union, flyers and chalking are some of the most commonly used advertising methods utilized by current candidates in the past. However, SGA set new chalking restrictions which banned liquid chalk, chalking on bricks or stone surfaces and chalking on steps. The nomination packet also included a map which established the approved areas reserved for chalking.
“The whole thing, it’s a lot of pressure, but in the end it’s worth it,” Allgood said.
Students voted for their candidates of choice by logging into their myCATS account Wednesday and Thursday. Many students believe that Mr. And Ms. GCSU is just a social competition, but for others it is about recognizing well-rounded individuals who have exceptionally impacted the GCSU campus and community.
“Long ago it was simply a popularity contest, and now it has really become more about people promoting what they’ve accomplished and why they think they should play that role,” said Tom Miles, director of Campus Life.
The titles of Mr. and Ms. GCSU are more than just a crown. Honored students are expected to “serve as an Ambassador for Alumni Relations, serve on the Campus Ethos Committee, be present (for) at least three Ethos Programs per year, (and) be present at the next Homecoming to give away their crown to the next set of winners,” as stated in the nomination packet each candidate receives.
Despite the requirements, Allgood has enjoyed being crowned Ms. GCSU.
“(My experience) has been pretty incredible,” Allgood said. “I’ve gotten to meet so many great people and that’s what I’m all about, meeting new people and learning about them.”
Old traditions and new traditions help to create student excitement for Homecoming this year. Saturday will start off with the Bobcat Ramble, and the latest tradition, Tent City Tailgating by Centennial Center at 9 a.m., followed by the Homecoming Parade at 11 a.m.. Finally, the announcement for Mr. and Ms. GCSU 2010 will take place after the men’s basketball game at 3:30 p.m.
Posted by Ashley Ooten
on Feb 19 2010. Filed under News.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
