Homecoming 2024 Majesty voting opened Thursday and ended Wednesday.
On the election survey, students were emailed information about the Homecoming Court committee with some information about them. You may know them. You may not. Either way, get to know the 2024 Homecoming Court below.
Shelby Clark
Shelby Clark, senior marketing major, said she is greatly honored to be nominated for a Homecoming Majesty.
“There’s so many amazing students on campus, so to be selected among the few is a really big honor,” Clark said.
Clark wants to be on the Homecoming Court because she has been a proud student leader for the four years she has been at USI.
“It was kind of like a happy wrap-up, and I wanted to be on court to be with all the student leaders and represent the university at such a big event.”
On campus, Clark has been in the women’s choir, Honors Program and served as the editor-in-chief, news writer and digital editor of The Shield. Currently, Clark is the publicity chair of the Asian Student Union and the marketing officer of the Business Professionals of America chapter at USI.
“The most life-changing experience was serving as the editor-in-chief of The Shield,” Clark said. “I got to work with amazing staff and students. I always tell people I had the best students on campus on my staff. It was a wonderful experience to get to work with them, lead them and to also document the history of the university.”
Clark said working toward diversity, equity and inclusion has been and is a goal of hers.
“Serving as the publicity chair of the Asian Student Union has been very impactful, both to learn about Asian culture, but to also educate others on campus about Asian culture,” Clark said.
Clark’s favorite memories from her time on campus involve hanging out with her friends.
“Laughing about things, bonding over projects, being in student organizations, eating lunch together, getting coffee,” Clark said. “When I think about USI, I think about a blur of moments with friends.”
In the future, Clark sees herself as a leader who makes a difference.
“I’m excited for what the future can bring because there’s nothing set in stone,” Clark said. “I’m excited to see where God takes me and how I can best use my gifts to help others and to make a positive impact on others.”
Drake Cunningham
Drake Cunningham, senior nursing major, said he feels “inexpressibly honored” to be a part of the Homecoming Committee.
Cunningham said he wants to be on the Homecoming Court because he feels like he needs to represent USI, his fraternity and his supporters.
“Since I am a senior and my last semester at the university that saved me, I felt it was my duty to represent Lambda and the people who have supported me the last four years,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham has been a member of Lambda Chi Alpha for five years and has been the recruitment officer, vice president and committee chairman for the Internal and Recruitment Committees. Cunningham has also been involved in Welcome Week for three years and for one year as a team leader, and has been a member of a men’s club focused on life tasks and mental health.
“Lambda and the brothers in it have had my back and lifted me up every time I have been knocked down since I’ve joined,” Cunningham said. “Their physical, mental, and emotional support through my deployment to Afghanistan, the loss of loved ones, and moving in and out of apartments has made my time here enjoyable, memorable and special.”
Cunningham’s parents are his biggest influences.
“My mother has been a nurse longer than I have been alive, and her stories of healing and aiding not only patients but their families is what drove me towards nursing. Her spirit and determination push me to be my best. My father’s support and gentle spirit reminds me to always be loving and kind.”
Cunningham’s favorite memories come from his freshman year.
“I moved into the dorms with completely random roommates, and those random dudes turned out to be my new favorite people,” Cunningham said. “The late-night Taco Bell runs, the bro-date movie nights and all the shenanigans we found ourselves in on campus set the tone for the next four years. They helped me settle into USI and are still some of my best friends today.”
Cunnigham’s hopes and plans for the rest of his time at USI include winning Homecoming, enjoying the last three months on campus and graduating.
In the future, Cunningham sees himself in an educator position.
“Rather that be educating patients about how to properly care for themselves and prevent adverse health outcomes or educating the next generation of nurses, my heart will be happy that I am able to have a positive influence.”
Chase Forston
Chase Forston, senior criminal justice major, said he is excited to be nominated for a Homecoming Majesty and wants to be on the Homecoming Court to show how much he loves USI.
On campus, Forston is involved in the Student Government Association as the chief financial officer and is the treasurer of the Criminal Justice Student Association.
Forston’s favorite memories from his time at USI involve sitting in the Chick-fil-A area for hours and socializing with everyone there.
In the future, Forston sees himself with a family, working a job and striving to do great things for the community or the world.
“I have made the best memories here at USI and will miss all the friends I have made. It will be very difficult to leave USI, but I will always know that I am welcome,” Forston said.
Audrey Fox
Audrey Fox, junior French education major, said she is excited to be on the Homecoming Court and is looking forward to it.
“I’ve already bonded with the other nominees, and it should be a fun week,” Fox said.
Fox wants to be on Homecoming Court because she likes representing USI.
“I’m really passionate about spreading awareness of different kinds of organizations and opportunities on USI’s campus,” Fox said.
On campus, Fox is the president of the Activities Programming Board, a French tutor and involved in Welcome Week.
Of her commitments, Fox is the most passionate about APB.
“I think it’s a great way to get people involved on campus and give them different opportunities to meet other people on campus,” Fox said. “I think sometimes USI gets a bad reputation of not having a lot to do, but then APB can provide that for students.”
Fox’s favorite memories from her time at USI involve the day-to-day activities.
“I really appreciate the little things on campus, like hanging out with my friends in the library or seeing people on campus,” Fox said.
In the future, through her role as a teacher, Fox hopes to be a positive influence on students’ lives.
“With that secondary education, it’s an interesting age, around 12 to 15 years old, that you are able to influence,” Fox said. “That age is a really pivotal and changing point in adolescence. I’m hoping I can be a positive impact and role model for those kids.”
Sanaa Jackson
Sanaa Jackson, junior elementary education major, said she feels lucky, grateful and blessed to be nominated for a Homecoming Majesty.
Jackson wants to be on the Homecoming Court to promote diversity on campus.
“To show there are other African Americans on campus,” Jackson said. “I feel like the court this year has a lot of diversity. I’m very excited that everybody’s showcasing a little bit of diversity and their own talents. I love this court.”
On campus, Jackson is the president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated Tau Rho chapter, a senior resident assistant in the McDonald West and East Apartments, a student ambassador, part of the Black Student Union, part of Chi Alpha Worship Ministry and is in College Mentors for Kids.
Of her commitments, Jackson is the most passionate about Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated Tau Rho Chapter.
“It is a lifetime of being a service to all mankind,” Jackson said. “I want to make sure I’m helping out everybody I can. That way, I’m devoting my time to the betterment of others and myself. I want to make sure that we’re all succeeding together for life.”
Jackson has several favorite memories from her time at USI.
“The first time I joined Chi Alpha Worship Ministry, I feel I made a lot of friends,” Jackson said. “My first year here was just an experience in itself. Being a freshman on campus not knowing time management, not knowing how to live with people. But I did it, and I’m still here.”
For the rest of her time on campus, Jackson plans to get on track to graduate with her elementary education degree and possibly join another organization.
“I might be a part of a new organization after you read this. Who knows? I love being involved. It makes me happy and keeps me productive. I like having a little bit of structure and a lot of fun.”
Jackson’s hopes for the future involve staying true to herself.
“I feel like I’m going to keep being authentic, being real, being straightforward, being kind and helping people when I can,” Jackson said. “I want to hold on to the morals I have now and maybe expand them to do stuff greater in life.”
Sammie Kihega
Sammie Kihega, senior elementary education major, said she is grateful to be nominated for Homecoming Majesty.
“It’s awesome to have the opportunity to do all the events, to be a part of something that’s super special to USI and super special to my senior year,” Kihega said. “It’s also awesome to put myself out there more and to get to meet and know the great people that are on court. It’s a really huge honor, and it’s super fun.”
Kihega said she wants to be on the Homecoming Court to put herself out there.
On campus, Kihega is on the softball team and works for intramurals through the Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center.
For the rest of her time on campus, Kihega said she plans to make every memory count through softball and finishing strong in school.
“Everywhere needs teachers,” Kihega said. “I want to make a big impact on education because children deserve the best education ever because they’re what’s going to be in society.”
Kihega’s dream is to open her own faith-based homeschool.
“I want to give those kids that need more of a faith-based, small school environment for them to succeed in life and release that anxiety they may have at a bigger school,” Kihega said.
In the future, Kihega sees herself as somebody who’s going to make an impact. Kihega’s goal is to “focus on kids’ education and to release the anxiety that we have on kids to succeed all the time in school.” Kihega also wants to get women’s sports the recognition it deserves.
Uday Lomada
Uday Lomada, senior biochemistry major, said he is excited to be nominated for a Homecoming Majesty.
“It’s really exciting to be on a court full of all these other wonderful people,” Lomada said. “I look up to a lot of them in many different ways. I feel very blessed just to be able to be on court with them.”
On campus, Lomada is involved in SGA, South Asian Student Association, American Chemical Society student group, Asian Student Union, Student Advisory Board for Pott College of Science, Engineering and Education and the Honors Program.
Of his activities, Lomada is the most passionate about the South Asian Student Association.
“It’s very important to me that South Asians have a spot to express their culture on campus, especially now that the South Asian population is starting to grow on campus, especially this year. It’s also very important to me that I get to share my culture with the greater Evansville community and hopefully inspire more people to understand more about it, rather than it just being something they never get to experience.”
Lomada’s favorite memories from his time on campus involve attending APB events and hosting Holi on campus.
“Being able to see so many people gathered in a unified culture here at USI is really fun and memorable, especially because it’s very rare. You see that outside of a campus, and seeing it here really brings a sense of unity and belonging that is rare.”
Lomada’s plans and hopes for the rest of his time at USI are to relax, to have a good time and to set up the people in any of the clubs he’s a part of to succeed at USI.
In the future, Lomada sees himself as vibrant and fun as he is now. “I hope to be a doctor, I hope to go into surgery, and I hope to continue leading and mentoring, even in the medical field in a way that I’ve tried to here.”
Gracie Madison
Gracie Madison, junior marketing, public relations and advertising major, said she is surprised, honored and grateful to be nominated for a Homecoming Majesty.
Madison wants to be on the Homecoming Court to represent her love for USI.
“I kind of came to USI not really sure about it, and I’ve ended up loving it here,” Madison said. “Being able to advocate for that is the reason I wanted to be on court.”
On campus, Madison is the vice president of social media for the American Marketing Association, the Director of Finance for the Southern Indiana Dance Marathon, an orientation leader and a Welcome Week leader and she works at Red Mango.
Madison’s favorite memories from her time at USI involve attending sporting events like the basketball games.
“I love dressing up in the themes and cheering, standing up and yelling during the games.”
Another one of Madison’s favorite memories is when she studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, for four months, where she was able to travel to Italy, France, Portugal, Germany, Greece, Scotland and England.
Madison plans to enjoy the rest of her time at USI and take advantage of being in college still.
“I only have two semesters left before I’m an adult and so it won’t be as easy to make plans, there’s not going to be a bunch of free stuff to do. I want to make the best of my time and take all the opportunities that I can.”
Madison sees herself in several different places in the future.
“I’ve considered pursuing my Masters in Business Administration. Eventually, I think it would be cool to be a professor teaching marketing or business classes or to be the facilitator for the CEO program I was in because of all it did for me. I’d love to work in digital marketing or social media. I think it would also be cool to work at a PR firm. It would also be really neat to work for a company that is international and be able to travel.”
Treasure Nickelson
Treasure Nickelson, junior nursing major, said it’s fun being nominated for a Homecoming Majesty, and it makes her feel accomplished.
Nickelson has been a part of SGA, tutoring, is currently an orientation leader and participates in intramurals of basketball, volleyball, euchre and sand volleyball.
Nickelson is the most passionate about being an orientation leader.
“Whenever I was first coming to USI, I was super scared,” Nickelson said. “I was moving far away from home and had two people from my hometown that were also going to be here so it was going to be completely new ground. I felt like I could really lean on the orientation leaders and ask them for help. I want to be that person for incoming freshmen.”
For the rest of her time at USI, Nickelson plans to get her BSN in nursing, with an honors diploma and a good GPA. Nickelson also hopes to keep the friends she has.
“I have some really good people around me, and I want to keep those relationships because I know once you graduate, it’s kind of hard to be an adult and hang out all the time.”
In the future, Nickelson sees herself as happy and laughing a lot.
“I think I’m going to really enjoy my job as a nurse and fingers crossed, I keep my friends and am living my best life in the future,” Nickelson said.
Riley Oakes
Riley Oakes, senior psychology and Spanish major, said she feels like being nominated for a Homecoming Majesty is a good experience.
Oakes wants to be on the Homecoming Court to represent herself and how USI has supported her.
“I don’t think of myself as someone who would be in this light on Homecoming, but I look at those around me, and it makes me excited to represent myself and what USI has done for me,” Oakes said.
On campus, Oakes is a resident assistant, has been involved with the Diversity and Equity Committee, student ambassadors, an emerging leader, graduate and mentor, has been a teaching assistant for Intro to Psychology and is currently a peer mentor for Research Methods and Statistics.
“I’m from Evansville,” Oakes said. “So everything about outside campus has shaped me, and everything inside of campus has shaped me. That’s why I’m so grateful for everyone, specifically my family, that’s in this university and in this town because they’ve made me who I am today.”
Oakes’ favorite memories from her time at USI involve the programs she’s hosted with other resident assistant friends. The weekend before the start of her sophomore year, her RA staff spent an entire Saturday with all the other RA staff playing a kickball tournament on The Quad.
“The best part about it was the bonding,” Oakes said.
For the rest of her time at USI, Oakes plans to enjoy it.
“I don’t have a lot of time left at USI, which is weird to think about because it’s crazy just how fast it’s gone. This is my last semester here, but then in the fall, I’ll actually be going abroad to study in Spain to finish my Spanish degree. I plan to take all opportunities I can to spend time with the people I won’t be around anymore.”
In the future, Oakes sees herself as staying involved.
“Taking all the skills I learned here and all of my opportunities and then applying it to my future service. Staying active, staying involved and helping the community through camp, therapy and coaching.”
Tamia Smith
Tamia Smith, junior psychology major, said she is excited to be nominated for a Homecoming Majesty because she’s friends with the majority of those on the Homecoming Court and has gotten to know everyone on the court better.
“I love everybody on the court, so it’s very exciting,” Smith said.
On campus, Smith has been a Welcome Week leader, is now the Welcoming Student Assistant, an orientation leader, student ambassador, involved in Black Student Union, in College Mentors for Kids and is the administrative vice president of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for SGA.
Of her involvements, Smith is the most passionate about being an orientation leader and College Mentors for Kids.
“I’m a people person. Being an orientation leader, you work directly with high school students,” Smith said. “I get to help them with that transition from high school to college by giving them somebody they know on campus, a nice friendly face they feel like they can come to.”
One of Smith’s favorite memories is traveling abroad to Ghana with other students, Jada Hogg, President Rochon and his wife.
“It was an amazing opportunity that I’m not sure I would have ever had without coming to USI. I’ve always wanted to study abroad, so being able to do that as a sophomore in college was pretty amazing.”
For the rest of her time at USI, Smith hopes to make an impact for now and the years coming.
“I’m hoping that USI will continue on making sure we include all groups. I really want to push to try to make my groups as diverse as possible. Hopefully, after I leave that tradition will continue on and make USI a safe space for everyone to love even more than they already do.”
In the future, Smith sees herself as happy and giving back to her community.
“There are a ton of people who really put a lot into my life when I was younger, and I want to somehow be able to give back to them and also give back to the USI community. My parents always taught me to give as much to other people as they have given to you, so I want to make sure I can spread my love for everyone and make sure they’re taken care of just like they took care of me.”
Joshua Talley
Joshua Talley, junior political science major, said being nominated for a Homecoming Majesty is a big achievement for him.
“I felt appreciated around campus. It was something that I never thought I could achieve here. Actually being on the court means a whole lot more than being nominated.”
Talley wants to be on the Homecoming Court because he loves USI and all of the people on campus.
“I haven’t met one person I don’t like, and I feel like I display what USI is and what it can potentially be and improve,” Talley said.
On campus, Talley is the President of Kappa Alpha Order and has been on the Interfraternity Council as the vice president of Public Relations.
Talley is the most passionate about his involvement in Greek Life.
“When I came to USI, I came here without knowing anybody other than one person. I found these guys, and they helped me fit in. They showed me around and made me appreciate USI so much more.”
Talley’s favorite memories from his time at USI are Bid Day when he joined Kappa Alpha Order, when he received the email that he was nominated for Homecoming, going to basketball games and Greek Week.
For the rest of his time at USI, Talley wants to get more involved and join another organization.
“I want to go to law school, so I’m thinking about joining the pre-law club, getting more involved and meeting new people. I’m excited for this new freshman class to come in and to see some new faces and hopefully some familiar faces from my hometown.”
Talley sees himself as being involved with USI in the future.
“I can be an advisor for fraternity and Greek Life here by keeping in touch with USI and by doing the career fairs after I’m gone while also having my own family.”
