Meet Homecoming Queen Leslie Saloom
Ten Questions with Homecoming Queen Leslie Saloom
1. What are your hobbies/interests?
With school and so many extra curricular activities, I think most college students would agree that it is kind of hard to have many hobbies. I enjoy hanging out with my friends and of course doing my sorority and university activities. I love attending sporting events especially UL games. I also love to run! I run about 3 or 4 times a week and I really enjoy running in 5Ks. My friends call me crazy but running gives me the opportunity to clear my head. I love to just put in my ipod and run a couple miles to get my day started!
2. What organizations do you belong to?
I am in several student organizations such as Sigma Gamma Mu Communications Honor Society, Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), Kappa Delta Sorority, Honors Program, Ragin’ Peppers, Rho Lambda Greek Honor Society, Order of Omega Greek Honor Society, Association of Future Alumni (AFA), and Phi Kappa Phi Business Honor Society. I hold many leadership positions within these organizations as well. I have served as the Vice President – Membership and am currently serving as the Vice President-Public Relations in Kappa Delta Sorority. I am the President of Order of Omega Greek Honor Society and an Athletic Department Staff Liaison for the Ragin’ Peppers.
3. Where do you work and what does it entail?
For the past year and half, I have been interning in the Office of Compliance in the UL Athletic Department. My work consists of making usually two newsletters a month, one for Rules Education meetings and one for SAAC meetings, assisting with the player pass process which includes working home and away games for football and home games for basketball and baseball, and of course helping with any NCAA rules compliance. This year, I have had the opportunity to give athletics presentations to freshman orientation classes, help out with the 2008 Sun Belt Conference Baseball Championship, and even been able to write a feature story for the new GEAUX gameday programs. This internship has opened so many doors for me and made my love for this university grow even more!
4. When will you graduate?
I am graduating in May 2009.
5. What do you plan on doing after?
After graduation, I am hoping to take a post-graduate internship in Charlotte, NC working for the Carolina Panthers in the community relations department. I have been in contact with the director and hopefully everything will work out! After that, I would love to come back and eventually work for the university in the athletic department. Lafayette is home to me so I don’t want to stay away for too long!
6. What was your reaction to know that you were being considered for the homecoming court?
I hadn’t really thought about the possibility of being on homecoming court before this year. I was always involved on campus but the idea just never crossed my mind. Sigma Gamma Mu Communication Honor Society nominated me for homecoming court. Sigma Gamma Mu is a great organization for communication majors to join and the organization really contributes a lot to the university. It was definitely an honor to be considered for homecoming court because it is such a great opportunity to represent your university during such a special time.
7. And when you were chosen, what was your reaction then?
They announce the queen last so after the four maids were announced I thought well this process has been a great experience and I was really excited for the girls that were chosen. I did not think at all that I would be selected as queen. It came as a great surprise! I thought my interview went well but there were so many wonderful girls that were going through the process as well that I knew it was going to be a tough decision. When I was announced as queen, I don’t think I even heard my name! I just heard the first part of my organization’s name and immediately went into shock! Even now, I don’t think it has sunk in yet!
8. Being an active with athletics, how does it feel being the homecoming queen?
It definitely makes being Homecoming Queen even more of an honor. The day after I found out, we were traveling to North Texas for the football game. I came to work that day and I had a sign on my door and everyone was just so excited. The players were congratulating me and officially calling me “queen” for the weekend! The coaches and players’ determination and true Ragin’ Cajun spirit are evident in everything the program does. Homecoming is such a huge game and I really see how much it means to the players, coaches, and this whole athletic department. With such an great season so far, I couldn’t have asked for a better year to be Homecoming Queen!
9. What are your duties as homecoming queen?
My main duty would be to represent the university this week and especially on Saturday as UL’s Homecoming Queen. The Homecoming Queen represents the traditions and excellence that this university is known for. I have several events that I attend. Sunday, the Homecoming Court attended the Homecoming mass at Our Lady of Wisdom and attended a reception at the Alumni House. The Homecoming Court takes part in the cake give away and spirit banner signing on Monday along with being presented at the Kick Off party that night. We will be making TV appearances on Wednesday morning and will also be presented that night at Yell Like Hell. On Thursday, we will be in attendance for Dr. Savoie’s inauguration celebration. Then, Saturday, we will be in the Homecoming Parade and of course presented at halftime of the game.
10. What makes being this years homecoming queen special to you?
First all, being associated with athletics, I feel like I have this special connection with Homecoming. I really enjoy my job and I would not trade that for anything! My boss, Jessica Clarke, was Homecoming Queen in 2002 and it has been great sharing this experience with her! The University of Louisiana has always held a special place in my heart. My grandparents passed on the traditions and excellence UL has to offer to my father and he passed it on to me. Even today, my grandparents wouldn’t miss a UL event for anything! When my cousin, Brad, played baseball for UL, they were always in attendance and now you can see them each week at the football games. Coincidentally, my grandfather was the Alumni Association President 50 years ago and he actually crowned the Homecoming Queen that year. Growing up as a Lafayette native, attending UL events and supporting the university was always and continues to be an important aspect of my life. My father always says the first appearance I made as a baby was when I was two weeks old at the then USL men’s basketball game. My parent’s still have the same basketball season tickets and the same people that sit around us and have watched my brothers and I grow up over the last 21 years. Some of my favorite memories come from tailgating with my whole family before the football games, attending those famous Tulane games in the Superdome, and of course sitting on the hill for the Texas A&M game. My family pretty much had our own cheering section at Cajun Field to watch my cousin Jake [Delhomme] play. After each game, he would come to see us and always give his little cousins his wristband from the game. My family’s history with the university and knowing how much this means to them makes me appreciate this experience even more. What can I say, I guess I was born a Ragin’ Cajun!
