Sarah Vincent of Bardstown, Kentucky, a senior public health and healthcare administration major, was crowned WKU’s 2024 homecoming queen on Saturday, Nov. 16. She was sponsored by her sorority Kappa Delta and Pi Kappa Alpha.
Vincent was one of 42 homecoming queen candidates recognized at halftime during WKU’s football game against New Mexico State, according to WKU News. She was presented her award by 2023 Homecoming Queen Millie LeJeune and WKU President Timothy Caboni.
Vincent said being crowned homecoming queen was a very surreal moment. She said she was glad she was escorted by Kappa Delta’s daggerman, Nate Partin, who she escorted earlier in the year when he was a candidate for the 2024 coming home king.
“It was a crazy moment,” Vincent said. “It was so exciting, though, and when I walked out of the gate, all of my friends had come down from the stands and they were there to say hi to me, so that was really awesome too.”
Vincent’s motivation for running for homecoming queen was to represent her sorority rather than to seek popularity.
“I didn’t want to run so that people would know who I am, or care about me or whatever,” Vincent said. “I just wanted to run because I just wanted to represent my sorority because I feel like it was just such an honor to represent them.”
Vincent said she celebrated for the rest of the evening with her friends. She said she would never forget the moments she shared with them that day.
“That afternoon, I went to El Maz on campus with my friends, and another group of my friends were already there when I walked into El Maz,” Vincent said. “The one group that was there, they stood up and started clapping for me, and then the entire restaurant started clapping for me, and it was really embarrassing, but it was really funny. It was embarrassing, but I’ll never forget that.”
Vincent has been a spirit master, SGA speaker of the senate, a WKU Office of Admissions student worker and a sorority member during her time at WKU. She said was thankful that being involved on campus helped her gain a deeper understanding of the university, its traditions and what happens behind the scenes on the Hill.
“I’ve learned something different from every organization I’ve been a part of, ” Vincent said. “From Kappa Delta, I really gained support. I have a really great support system there, and just being able to walk into a room of 150 women and feel like I can be myself, that’s something that I really don’t take for granted and that I’m really thankful for.”
Vincent’s advice to future homecoming queen candidates is to represent an organization they’re passionate about. She said “anybody is worthy to be a homecoming queen candidate” because the school is just looking for someone who is a representative of the student life on campus, has a clear love for the university and is dedicated to the university’s mission.
“I would just encourage people not to sell themselves short,” Vincent said. “I didn’t think I had a shot. I didn’t think I was going to place, or even think I was going to get the nomination for my chapter. So, I would just encourage people to believe in themselves and if you want to run for homecoming queen, do it. There’s nothing stopping you and it’s a great opportunity.”
News Reporter Abigail Vickers can be reached at [email protected].
