On the surface, Gisela Saldaña, Amanda Aguilar and Jose Quintanilla seem to be regular students. However, they play a special role in UTRGV’s student population. These three individuals have been elected as the university’s first Homecoming Royals.
A UTRGV Homecoming Royal’s main task is to exemplify what an involved student is and to spread school spirit. The current Royals are highly involved in student organizations.
Janet Peña, spirit adviser for Student Involvement at UTRGV, said a Royal is important because that person should embody what it truly means to be a Vaquero.
“They’re supposed to embody someone with a great GPA, be enrolled at least 12 hours or above,” Peña said. “They have to be in good standing with the university, they have to show [school] spirit, so attend events, be a volunteer on campus and be involved. So, it’s trying to build that pride; they already have some type of pride and they’re just trying to spread it throughout the university.”
Saldaña, a management senior, is from Mexico. She has learned to balance a busy schedule comprised of work, school and being involved in UTRGV events. Saldaña said she has learned much during her time at the university.
“Since I’ve been part of UTRGV, I’ve been told that there’s nothing that I can’t accomplish,” she said. “I learned that education is the key to a better world. As a Homecoming Royal, I know that I have an opportunity to impact many lives.”
Aguilar is a rehabilitation services junior. The Weslaco native is heavily involved with the Kappa Delta Chi sorority and the Campus Programming Board. Aguilar said she feels privileged to have been named a Royal.
“I love spreading pride and creating these traditions for the university to carry on and, hopefully, leaving a part of me in that way when I go off,” she said. “I’m really humbled; it’s not so much that I care for the title, it’s more that I want to be the example that other students aspire to be.”
Quintanilla is an accounting senior at UTRGV. As of press time Friday, he was unavailable for comment.
Saldaña, Aguilar and Quintanilla will attend UTRGV Madness, which is scheduled from 7:30 to 11 p.m. Friday in the Health & Physical Education II Building on the Edinburg campus. The event aims to give students the opportunity to experience Vaquero pride and spirit.
A Glow Party will kick off the event. Peña said she anticipates about 800 students will attend UTRGV Madness.
Cindy Mata-Vasquez, director of Student Activities, said the event has evolved over the last few years and attendees should expect lots of school spirit and fun activities.
“Students should expect a lot of glow items because we are hosting our Glow Party for the second year,” Mata-Vasquez said. “We’re going to be giving out food and a number of shirts. So, if you want to get a free shirt for UTRGV Madness, definitely come out to the Glow Party.”
UTRGV Madness will provide games, prizes, free food and music throughout the night. Transportation will be available for Brownsville students interested in attending the event.
The UTRGV Midnight Madness Shuttle sign-up form is available via V Link.
Check-in will be from 5:30 to 5:50 p.m. in the Main Building on the Brownsville campus. The shuttle will leave at 6 p.m. and arrive at 7:30 p.m. at the Edinburg Fieldhouse.
The shuttle will leave at 11:30 p.m. from the Fieldhouse and arrive at the Brownsville campus at 1 a.m. The sign-up form will be open until the capacity is reached, which is about 50 seats.
Mata-Vasquez told The Rider students are recommended to sign up by Thursday.
For more information, call 665-7151 in Edinburg or 882-5111 in Brownsville.
