Homecoming

Tomorrow night I leave for Tennessee to attend my first post-graduation Homecoming. It is sure to be a busy and fun-filled weekend with friends and family. As some of you know, I'll be crowning the 2011 University of Tennessee Miss Homecoming as my final duty as last year's Miss Homecoming. I absolutely love Homecoming and am really looking forward to all of the festivities! 

Looking back, I can certainly promise you I never thought in a million years I would go from this:

Brittany and I before our first football game as students.

to this:

Dad and I on the field last year.

in just four (and a half) years.

A lot of people have been asking me over the past few weeks:
What is Miss Homecoming?
How does it work?

As defined by All Campus Events (the student organization that organizes homecoming), Miss Homecoming should be "a senior woman who possesses poise, leadership skills, loyalty, strong character, and most of all true "Volunteer Spirit." She will be one who the students, administrators, and peers will be proud to have representing them as the emblem of the University of Tennessee and all for which it stands."

- Any registered student organization at the university is able to nominate one senior woman for Miss Homecoming.

- The nomination process consists of a nomination statement from the organization, two self-written statements from the candidate, and additional information about the woman's involvement both on and off campus.

- The nomination packet is followed by two rounds of interviews conducted by university administrators. The first round is a group interview (3-4 women). After the first round, the candidates are narrowed down to the Top 10. The second round is an individual interview (which, by the way, was by far the hardest, most intense interview of my life). The candidates are then narrowed down to the Top 5.

- Throughout Homecoming week, the Top 5 candidates participate in a number of different events to promote voting. However, no individual campaigning is allowed.

- The Top 5 candidates are then voted on by the student body through an online system and the winner is announced at halftime.

This weekend I'll be in the annual homecoming parade on Friday night and will then crown Miss Homecoming 2011 at halftime. Five amazing ladies are nominated this year and I'm so excited for all of them! Best of luck to all of you. You've all been great representatives of our university! 

With that, I'll leave you with one of my self-written statements from my nomination packet. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and 

GO VOLS!

Tennessee has always been my home. Though I considered many different colleges, I followed my heart to the University of Tennessee. The fear of becoming a "number" at a large institution deterred many of my friends from attending Tennessee. However, my love for my home state and home university wouldn't let me go anywhere else.

The opportunities I have had over the past four years have cultivated a greater love for our university and for the state of Tennessee than I could have ever imagined. Now, as I look back on my four years as a Volunteer, I realize this University has changed my life. My experience at UT as a member of some of the most rewarding organizations on campus has allowed me to meet amazing people, enjoy my education, and make a difference at a university where so many worried they would become a "number."

Enlightened by my experiences, I hope my love for our university has shone brightly to my family, friends and fellow Volunteers during my time at UT. No matter where life takes me when I graduate, I will be forever grateful to this university.

While I have been highly involved in campus life and have tried to live the true "Volunteer Spirit," being chosen to represent my university as Miss Homecoming 2010 would be one of the highest honors I could imagine. I am humbled by this nomination. Thank you for this consideration.