Hayley Hulin
Life Editor
The Campus Activities Board introduced the 2015 Homecoming Court at the magical Lumos and Yule Ball Monday in the Campus Center.
After a week of nominations, four men and four women were voted by students to represent the University of La Verne as Homecoming princes and princesses.
“It’s a great honor to be representing an org and students who support me,” Homecoming prince Christopher Gonzalez, senior business administration major and Phi Delta Theta member, said. “I believe it boosts student and alumni morale. Homecoming allows us to partake in a longstanding tradition.”
The Homecoming princes include Gonzalez; public relations major, CAB member and Phi Delta Theta member Tyler Bertao; political science major, past ASULV president and Phi Delta Theta member, David Asbra; and liberal studies major and football player Travis Sparks-Jackson.
The princesses are accounting major and Phi Sigma Sigma president Jennifer Nguyen; speech communications major and Black Student Union president Bradlee Johnson; communications major and Sigma Kappa president Alyssa Navarro; and communications major and ASULV president Lauren Crumbaker.
These seniors have held multiple and diverse leadership positions during their time at the University.
“Homecoming is nice since we are a small campus,” junior kinesiology major Cristal Montiel said. “We get to show gratitude to leaders on campus.”
Montiel attended the Lumos and Yule Ball to support her sorority sister Nguyen and other friends on homecoming court.
“Usually it’s mostly just Greeks who are on court,” Board of Trustees member Wendy Lau said.
“I like that it’s diverse in experience and demographic. I also think it is really cool that they all know each other. Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, and I’m glad they are being honored,” she said.
The princes and princesses believe they made the court because their peers recognized them from the numerous clubs and organizations they are involved in.
Their diversity ranges from Greek affiliations, ASULV, CAB, BSU, football and many others.
“I didn’t know Travis is representing sports and Bradlee is representing BSU,” sophomore undecided major Trevor Welch said. “There are actually people who represent me.”
Welch attended with his BSU club members to support Johnson, the club’s president.
“I’m proud and honored to be voted by my peers,” Johnson said. “It’s not common that non-greeks and African Americans are on court, or even win.”
For the Lumos and Yule Ball, commonly known as Illuminations, the Campus Center stairs were decorated with balloons, twinkle lights and stars, and desserts were provided in the Romero Family Lounge.
Court walked down the stairs in pairs dressed like Hogwarts students as CAB gave a brief biography for each.
“I’m a huge Harry Potter nerd, so being nominated with this theme makes my life,” Bertao said.
Court members must attend most Homecoming Week activities, including Snitch Hunt, The Great Feast, Quidditch, Pie a Muggle, Hogwarts Lazertag and the Homecoming Street Fair.
“I love the street fair and football game,” Nguyen said. “We already have so much spirit as it is, but now there’s even more.” ‘
Pie a Muggle is the opportunity to pie a member of homecoming court, which is a tradition held at the University for many years.
“The pies, I forgot about that,” Crumbaker said. “I’m kind of excited because I’ve never had anything like that done before.”
Most of the wizarding court agreed that their favorite part of Homecoming Week is the street fair, parade and football game.
Homecoming King and Queen will be announced during halftime at the football game Saturday at Ortmayer Stadium.
Hayley Hulin can be reached at hayley.hulin@laverne.edu.
