Candidates for West Virginia University’s 2014 Homecoming court have been selected. The five female and five male candidates will now compete for the title of king and queen.
Homecoming queen candidates are: Bria Cross, from Wheeling, WV; Kaylee Kuzma, Waterford, PA; Makayla Lewis, Bunker Hill, WV; Rachel Poe, Morgantown, WV; and Alyssa “Squeaks” Testa, Fredricksburg, VA.
Homecoming king candidates are: Matt Elder, from Boca Raton, FL; Samuel Richardson, Pittsford, NY; Tommy Skinner, West Grove, PA; Glen Smithberger, Scott Depot, WV; and Nick Woloszyn, Fredonia, NY.
Voting will take place on Oct. 1 and 2 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in several locations across campus.
Oct. 1
Mountainlair, outside the Student ID center
Student Rec Center, side room past the front entrance
Health Science, lobby area by caf�
Oct. 2
Mountainlair, outside the Student ID center
Student Rec Center, side room past front entrance
Engineering, in front of G39 Engineering Building
The entire court will participate in the Homecoming parade on Oct. 3. It will take place on High Street beginning at 6:30 p.m.
The 2014 Homecoming king and queen will be crowned during the halftime ceremony at the WVU vs. Kansas football game on Oct. 4 at Milan Puskar Stadium.
Biographies for the candidates are as follows:
Homecoming queen:
• Bria Cross, an elementary education major, is the president of the WVU Dance Team and a four year team member. During the 2013-14 school year, she served as team vice president. She is a member of the Student Dance Association and has been a Dance Now student choreographer and dancer. She is a member of Delta Gamma sorority. Her community service activities include Team Impact, Easter Seals volunteer, Greek Clean Up, Madison Nursing Home and Service for Sight. She is the daughter of David and Cheryl Cross. She is sponsored by the WVU Dance Team.
• Kaylee Kuzma, an exercise physiology major emphasizing in aquatic therapy, is an Adventure West Virginia Orientation Trip Leader, Challenge Course Facilitator and part of the Adventure Leadership Committee. She is also an officer of the Outdoor Adventure Club, secretary of the Slackline Club, officer of the Exercise Physiology club, an athletic tutor and part of the Mountaineer Thon Committee. Kuzma has volunteered in many settings including Ruby Memorial and HealthSouth Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, Banff Mountain Film Festival, Dance Marathon and Relay for Life, among others. She is the daughter of Jeff and Marlene Kuzma. Kaylee is sponsored by Adventure West Virginia.
• Makayla Lewis, a public relations major, is a sister of the Beta Upsilon chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. She is also the chair of the Students Advocating for Legislative Advancement through the Student Government Association. Lewis has competed in the Miss West Virginia Scholarship Pageant, where she has placed 1st and 2nd runner up. Her community service activities include volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House Charities, the Children’s Miracle Network and Reading is Fundamental. She is the daughter of Tim and Janette Lewis. She is sponsored Kappa Kappa Gamma.
• Rachel Poe, an accounting major, is the current president of the Panhellenic Council. During the 2012–2013 school year, she served as vice president of risk management for Alpha Phi sorority. She is a member of Mortar Board, Beta Gamma Sigma and the WVU Honors College. Her community service hours include the Alpha Phi Red Dress Gala, Sundale Nursing Home, Greek Clean-up and Christian Help. She is the daughter of Rocky and Cathe Poe. Rachel is sponsored by the WVU Panhellenic Council.
• Alyssa “Squeaks” Testa, an athletic training major from Fredericksburg, Va., is the secretary of the West Virginia University Athletic Trainers’ Association. She has served as a student athletic trainer for WVU teams including baseball, club/intramural sports, swimming and diving, football, and is currently working for the women’s soccer team. She has given back to the community through activities including the Relay for Life, WV women’s soccer 4v4 breast cancer tournament, College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences blood drive, student athletic trainer for Morgantown’s youth baseball, soccer, track and pole vaulting Gatorade camps, and preparing meals at the Ronald McDonald house, among others. She is the daughter of David and Lisa Testa. She is being sponsored by the West Virginia University Athletic Trainers’ Association.
Homecoming king candidates:
• Matt Elder, a marketing major from Boca Raton, Fla., is the assistant director for the Mountaineer Maniacs. He is also the recruitment chairman for the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. Matt serves on the Mountaineer Week committee and also works as a sports marketing intern for WVU Athletics. He is involved in many community service activities such as Maniacs blood drives, Ryan’s Rally and his fraternity’s philanthropy which raises money for the Wounded Warriors Project. He is the son of Ken and Tricia Elder and will be escorted by his mother and grandmother. He is sponsored by the Mountaineer Maniacs.
• Samuel Richardson, a senior multidisciplinary studies major, is a Military Police Soldier in the West Virginia National Guard. As a proud brother of Sigma Nu Fraternity, Sam took it upon himself to reactivate the Order of Omega at WVU with the goal of creating a stronger Greek community. Last year, Sam teamed up his fraternity and the Maniacs where he launched and managed Breast Cancer Awareness Month, successfully raising $4,000 for the Betty Puskar Cancer Center in Morgantown. Sam has served in the Student Government Association and is the current chief of staff for the Mountaineer Maniacs. He is the son of Janet and Doug Richardson.
• Tommy Skinner, a finance accounting double major, is a 21st Century Business Scholar and the secretary of the Resident Assistant Council. He has served as the president and the treasurer of the National Residence Hall Honorary, and he is a member of the WVU Fly Fishing Club. In addition, he is a WVU College of Business and Economics student ambassador. He has done volunteer work with the Ronald McDonald House, Relay for Life, the Boys and Girls Club, and Christian Help. He is the son of Tom and Kelly Skinner. He is sponsored by the WVU Fly Fishing Club.
• Glen Smithberger, a secondary education mathematics major, is currently a captain and president of the Men’s Ultimate Frisbee Team and held both positions last year. He is the director of community service for the Mountaineer Maniacs and served on the Olympic Sports Committee the previous year. He earned Eagle Scout at the age of 16 and has also been a Big Brother with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. He has volunteered at Night Serve, Boys and Girls Club, local nursing homes, blood drives, and is an avid blood donor. He is the son of George and Jeanette Smithberger. He is sponsored by the Ultimate Frisbee Team.
• Nick Woloszyn, a finance major from Fredonia, N.Y., is currently the vice president of finance of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He has held past positions as vice president of recruitment, and most recently, president. He is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society and the WVU Finance Club. Woloszyn has volunteered at numerous philanthropic events, Greek Clean Up, the Ronald McDonald House and Relay for Life. He has also facilitated regional leadership seminars for his fraternity. He is the son of Edward Woloszyn and Joann Negro. He is sponsored by Sigma Phi Epsilon.
For more information on all Homecoming activities, go to http://homecoming.wvu.edu/.
-WVU-
ta/09/26/14
CONTACT: Bob Campione, Office of Student Activities
304.293.4397, Bob.Campione@mail.wvu.edu
Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.