Which Royals will take the crown?
Vaqueros, Tuesday is the last day to vote for UTRGV’s Royals – a Homecoming tradition that represents the university’s spirit.
As UTRGV students, Vaqueros are able to cast their ballot through an email sent by Student Activities.
Pulse reached out to all ten Royals candidates and as of time of publication eight candidates shared why you should vote for them.
Eduardo Aceves
Q: What made you want to run for Homecoming Royal?
A: “It started off as a little joke … the joke just kept going until I said ‘Actually, watch me win a crown,.’ Nobody believed me.”
Q: Why should students vote for you?
A: “I love human interaction … I love to be a social butterfly.”
Q: Describe what UTRGV spirit means to you?
A: “UTRGV spirit is very much Texas, but very much the Valley. It’s very much Tex-Mex and it’s proud of being Hispanic”
Klaryssa Acosta
Q: What made you decide to run for Homecoming Royal?
A: “I’m a returning student … Two years ago I wasn’t really involved. Now I’m a little bit older, I’m a junior now. I want to push myself and get out of my comfort zone.”
Q: Why should students vote for you?
A: “I am seeing the impact that UTRGV has now … I just feel like being a part of that and also just being a voice to spread that word.”
Q: Describe what UTRGV spirit means to you?
A: “Being a part of the UTRGV community. Being a part of the student body, coming together and just supporting our school, supporting the students is one of the things that comes to mind.”
Janeth Alba
Q: What made you want to run for Homecoming Royal?
A: ”UTRGV has always felt, at least for me, more than just a university. It’s a reflection of my cultural heritage and my identity. It’s given me a voice and a purpose”
Q: Why should students vote for you?
A: I feel like people should vote for me simply because of the fact that it would be an incredible honor to give back to the university that gave me so much. And I’m not just representing myself, I’m representing every first-gen [eration] dreamer as a first-gen student.
Q: What does UTRGV spirit mean to you?
A: “I’m the oldest in my family, so I’ve always been the role model ideally… It’s not just being a role model at home, it’s also being a leader at UTRGV. So since the beginning, UTRGV has presented me with so much and I’ve taken every opportunity to leave, lead and serve.
Alisha Atkinson
Q: What made you want to run for Homecoming Royal?
A: “To build more of a community, not just outside of my [organizations], but also at UTRGV.”
Q: Why should students vote for you?
A: “I think people should vote for me because of my journey. I’m from Austin and I moved down here to the Valley. It kind of pushed me to become who I am now, a very confident person and very passionate about helping others.”
Q: Describe what UTRGV spirit means to you?
A: “I think UTRGV spirit, to me, means community … I feel like when you just include others and you empower others, that’s like the UTRGV spirit, you uplift others.”
Lani Brewer
Q: What made you decide to run for Homecoming Royal?
A: “I’m a fourth year senior, and I haven’t gone anywhere else for undergrad … I love the school. I think it’s given me a lot of opportunities in pursuing medicine. I’ve gotten to see a lot of the state through track.”
Q: Why should students vote for you?
A: “I think people should vote for me because I’m very active in the community … I think I’ve been a good role model for all underclassmen”
Q: What does UTRGV spirit mean to you?
A: “It means being proud to go here and showing it, showing up to sporting events, showing up to the different pop ups they have on campus. Showing up for your peers in ways that matter, whether that be on campus … a game, a theatre performance or a baptism at church.”
Simone Griffith
Q: What made you decide to run for Homecoming Royal?
A: “One of the main reasons I wanted to was to step out of my comfort zone and do something that is really fun. I’ve always enjoyed growing as a leader and I think this will also give me the opportunity to grow and inspire those around me to do something that you’re not normally used to doing.”
Q: Why should students vote for you?
A: “People should vote for me because I have grown to be a leader. My main goal is just to create a safe place for others.”
Q: What does UTRGV spirit mean to you?
A: “UTRGV spirit means community. Everyone is coming together to celebrate. School spirit just means recognizing the legacy that school has given us and the opportunity for us.”
Heather May
Q: What made you decide to run for Homecoming Royal?
A: “I really like staying involved on campus and I thought this was a great way to be a part of student-life even more.”
Q: Why should students vote for you?
A: “I try my very best to represent everyone. I want to represent UTRGV as a whole. [I want to make everybody feel like a family.”
Q: Describe what UTRGV spirit means to you?
A: “The sense of community and togetherness,spirit just means you come together to cheer on one group as a whole. It’s an amazing atmosphere.”
Adolfo Salinas
Q: What made you decide to run for Homecoming Royal?
A: “I mean since my freshman year, I’ve been wanting to run, but I’ve never had the courage until this year. And I was like ‘You know what?’ It’s just one of the lifetime opportunities … so I decided to run and give it a shot.”
Q: Why should students vote for you?
A: “I was born in McAllen, but I’m from West Texas. I was raised in a small town. I think people should vote for me because I’m not from here, so it really doesn’t matter where you’re from. I think being a Vaquero is good enough.”
Q: Describe what UTRGV spirit means to you?
A: “To me, it means going out and having fun, attending all the events, and just getting out of your shell and going out decked in UTRGV merch … and just meeting a bunch of people because you never know who you’d run into.”
