Both the Homecoming king and queen crowned during a pregame ceremony in Tiger Stadium on Saturday have made the University and Baton Rouge their homes away from home. Sydney Brown and Hunter Hartwig, both mass communication seniors, are out-of-state students – Brown from Park City, Utah and Hartwig from Katy, Texas. “I didn’t know anybody when I came to this school,” Brown said. “So to start out there literally not knowing anybody to get to where I am now, I’m really honored.” Brown and Hartwig were the only two out-of-state students of the 10 on the Homecoming Court. Megan Matherne, LSU Homecoming committee chairwoman, said about 8,000 students voted in this year’s Homecoming election. Matherne said she was pleased with the student body’s participation as more students voted this year than the year before. Matherne said being crowned king or queen is an honorary title recognizing students for their involvement in the University and Baton Rouge communities. She said the only obligation after being crowned is returning the next year to crown the new ing and queen. “At a university like LSU, I think a lot of students are very involved with tradition, and this is one of our greatest traditions at LSU,” Matherne said. Matherne said the Homecoming Web site includes information about Homecoming celebrations as far back as 1937. “It’s something that’s been held in high esteem throughout our school’s history,” Matherne said. Brown is a member of Zeta Tau Alpha, LSU Homecoming Committee, Advertising Federation, Order of Omega and College Democrats. “The people who are on Homecoming Court are generally extremely involved,” Brown said. “They really set a great example, and I was so honored to be in the company of the nine other people who were on court with me.” Hartwig is a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, LSU Ambassadors, STRIPES and the Interfraternity Council. “Student involvement is so important to our University,” Hartwig said. “It’s what drives our University. It’s what drives the student section at LSU. And just seeing [the homecoming court at the game] might make people want to get involved and really help our University out.” Matherne said the process of being selected Homecoming king or queen starts with nomination by themselves or a faculty member. The student then fills out an application, and from the pool of students, 15 men and 15 women are selected. The 30 students are interviewed and given random topics for an impromptu speech, which they are on judged by members of the University community. The student body then votes for king and queen from a group of five men and five women selected from the application process.
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