Taking up the reigns

Drizzling rain failed to put a damper on homecoming festivities at Saturday’s football game. The crowd was undaunted by the weather and cheered on as SMU crowned its new king and queen, Jay Evans and Tricia Anderson.

Evans, representing Lambdi Chi Alpha fraternity, is an advertising major from Jackson, Miss., and hopes to work at an ad agency in Dallas following graduation in the spring.

Evans views his involvement in Lambdi Chi as one of his most valuable experiences at SMU. He feels that it has prepared him for the diversity and challenges of the workforce.

“It has given me my closest friends and a different outlook on life,” says Evans.

Most of all, he relies on the support of his fraternity brothers who “always have a shoulder for [him] to lean on.”

Evans credits the greek system, along with his other involvements, for giving him strong friendships and a rich college experience.

“I can’t say enough positives about it (Lambdi Chi). It has been rewarding in all aspects,” Evan said.

On receiving the honor of homecoming king, Evan says he was shocked.

“It makes you feel good about everything you’ve done,” he notes.

In addition to being overwhelmed, Evans states that it was “a huge honor and a great reward” for four years worth of hard work.

Chi Omega nominee, Tricia Anderson, shared the excitement with Evans as she was crowned queen.

Anderson is a biology major and plans to attend medical school after graduation. She hopes to eventually specialize in rural health care and work in areas that are in severe need of medical attention.

Anderson credits her involvement in Chi Omega as a kind of family.

” [I] have found my best friends and girls that I will know the rest of my life,” she said.

She is also dedicated to Young Life, an organization which provides positive influences on the lives of young people, where she feels she has grown up and learned a lot.

Anderson says she has handled being involved in all of these activities by picking a few interests and dedicating all of herself to them.

“You can only be truly passionate about a few things,” Anderson said.

She sticks with the activities she cares about most and pushes herself to excel in these areas.

One of Anderson’s richest experiences at SMU was this summer when she was a part of the Richter International Fellowship, a grant program that endows research by honor students. She spent part of the summer backpacking in Ireland while studying the lingering effects of Irish Republican Army terrorism on the Irish people. She credits SMU for making this experience possible

“I was completely shocked and blindsided,” said Anderson when announced homecoming queen Saturday.

Although her parents, who live in Chicago, could not travel to the game, Anderson and her mother share a special homecoming bond. Exactly thirty years ago, in 1972, her mother was a homecoming nominee at SMU and won second runner-up.

“They were so happy for me and excited when I called,” said Anderson when she spoke to her parents on Saturday.

Both Evans and Anderson are still feeling the excitement of the weekend.