COVID-19 didn’t take away the excitement mass communication seniors Justin Lorio and Anna Jones felt when they were announced Homecoming king and queen.
The two were crowned at halftime during the LSU Homecoming football game against South Carolina on Oct. 24.
“I genuinely did not expect to win, and I didn’t want to get my hopes up about anything, so it was definitely very shocking to me,” Jones said. “It was a very exciting moment and one that I’m never going to forget.”
“It’s always been, since freshman year, something I have dreamed of,” Lorio said. “There’s just nothing quite like the atmosphere of being in Death Valley, and the experience you get out of being not only an LSU fan, but also a student. It was definitely a dream come true.”
In previous Homecoming celebrations, the King and Queen celebrate close together on the football field. Due to COVID-19 regulations, Lorio and Jones were required to be six feet apart and wear their masks as they took photographs in the seating area.
“I looked at my pictures, and I wish you could see the smile on my face,” Lorio said. “You can see it in the eyes, but the smile tells the story. That was hard.”
Jones said that even though they were unable to be on the football field and share the same experiences as previous Homecoming Kings and Queens, it was still “a very special experience.”
“I really think that the people on the Student Homecoming Committee, and the people from LSU Student Life who put this on worked really, really hard to make sure that we still had a special day, even though we didn’t get all of the same things that people normally get,” Jones said. “I think they went above and beyond to make sure that we still felt special.”
The Homecoming Court selection is based on “leadership, service and spirit,” according to the Homecoming Student Committee. Lorio and Jones have contributed within and outside of the LSU community through multiple internships and volunteer work.
Jones’ position as treasurer of Tiger Prison Project and news editor at The Reveille are two activities that have “shaped [her] experience” the most.
“Tiger Prison Project has really been important to me,” Jones said. “That’s the legacy that I hope to leave here because I know the people that founded the club last year worked really hard to found it. They all graduated the year after, so it’s up to us, the officers who are in charge now, to keep it going.”
Jones is also a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and serves as her sorority’s collegiate relations chair. This year, she joined the campaign management committee of Dance Marathon, which raises money for Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital through various fundraisers. She is also a member of LSU’s women’s choir.
Lorio has been involved with multiple LSU organizations as well, including STRIPES, Bengal Bound, LSU Ambassadors, Manship Ambassadors, Student Government and Dance Marathon. Lorio said he is passionate about incoming students and describes STRIPES as “an overall great experience every student should have.”
“[STRIPES] shows you the spirit of LSU, the traditions and also educates incoming freshmen where they can find their fit and the resources that they could use as a first-year student,” Lorio said.
Outside of the University, Lorio has experience working for the New Orleans Children Hospital. He describes the Miracle League of Greater New Orleans as “a special home” for him.
“[The Miracle League of Greater New Orleans] started as a baseball league, but now it’s a sports league for children with special needs,” Lorio said. “Being out there and getting to see the joy in a child’s face that typically wouldn’t have the ability to do so is something that has always found a special heart in me.”
After graduation, Lorio and Jones plan to pursue careers to help their communities. Jones hopes to attend law school to pursue a career as a juvenile defense attorney. Lorio plans to move to his hometown, New Orleans, and describes “being able to give back to lesser areas” as his ideal career.
Mass communication senior Anna Jones was crowned LSU Homecoming Queen Oct. 24, 2020.
