By Abigail Cloutier
Youngstown State University’s one and only spring homecoming crowned a king and queen on the field of Stambaugh Stadium last Saturday. Homecoming king Avery Howard is a senior biology major and the vice president of the Student Government Association. He was nominated for homecoming court by SGA. Homecoming queen went to Brooke Schaefers, a senior biology major, who was nominated by the Dana Tube Euphonium Society.
“I think it was a little surreal for me. Everyone on homecoming court deserved it, they worked very hard for it. It was very validating for me that I was able to touch so many people that felt like I deserved it,” Howard said.
Howard and Schaefers have known each other since freshman year.
“Having all my friends in the stands, and my mom and my brother — it was so surreal. In that moment, I just got that feeling that through my entire four years here at YSU [that] we’ve made an impact in people’s lives. Now that I’m going to be graduating, it means a lot to me that I was able to touch so many people because they’ve [all] touched my life in so many ways,” Schaefers said.
As out-of-state students, both want to be remembered for their leadership and involvement on campus.
“You don’t need to generate your college experience on your entire major. Holding leadership roles helped me know who I was and find my own voice. No matter where you go in college, you’re there to gain new experiences and follow different paths. Doing that, I became the person I am now, which I think is slightly different from the person who I was when I started this whole experience,” Howard said.
They encouraged other students to put effort into creating their desired college experiences.
“You can open so many doors and so many opportunities that are outside your major, that are even outside of like the university [and] in the community. It’s just really how you take those opportunities and how you put 100% effort into everything you do,” Schaefers said.
After graduation, Howard plans to attend graduate school and become a genetic counselor, while Schaefers is attending graduate school for marine mammal science.
