Adam Delgado, a junior liberal studies major, and Marissa Steimel, a senior communication major, were named UMSL’s Homecoming king and queen. (Photo by Danny Reise)
Along with the dazzle of Homecoming came a new royal court for the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Adam Delgado, a junior liberal studies major, and Marissa Steimel, a senior communication major, were crowned king and queen at the Homecoming Dinner and Dance Feb. 8 at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel downtown. After the glitz and glam settled, we caught up with the pair for a glimpse into their time in the spotlight and their lives at UMSL.
What were you thinking the moment before your name was announced?
Adam: Right before they announced my name, I was pretty nervous. I was nervous that I had to stand in front of a room of so many, people, and I was nervous about finding out if I would become the Homecoming king. There was a slight bit of excitement mixed with nervousness, but it was pretty cool at the same time.
Marissa: I was thinking about how happy I was for Adam, who had just been named king. I was actually so concentrated on Adam winning that I didn’t even hear my name announced, but then I realized everyone was looking at me, and it clicked.
How would you sum up your UMSL experience?
A: My UMSL experience has definitely had its ups and its downs. I’ve bounced around majors a couple times (mechanical engineering to physical education to liberal studies). I’ve lost and gained scholarships, and I’ve even seriously considered dropping out. But overall, UMSL has been very good to me. It helped me grow as a person and taught me how to be on my own and do the things I am supposed to do.
M: My UMSL experience has been nearly four years of hectic schedules, forming new friendships, receiving an education, finding my passions and learning about myself. It was wonderful!
Adam, how has baseball shaped your time at UMSL?
Baseball has been the one thing that has really kept me going both athletically and academically. Without the desire to continue being a part of the team, there is no way I would have made it this far. The people I have met through baseball are some of my closest friends and the team is like one big family. I couldn’t imagine going through college without playing baseball.
Marissa, you participate in campus life and are a leader in many student organizations. Why is being so involved important to you?
Mark Twain states, “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” This quote describes how I feel about any education opportunity. Although we are at a university to attend classes, there are also hundreds of opportunities outside of the classroom to develop and gain an education. I have learned so much through my academic courses here at UMSL, but I also realize how much I have learned through my experiences being involved on campus. I have developed my leadership style, learned how to work with small and large organizations, been forced into effective time management and improved my public speaking skills. I have made countless friends and met many administrators and faculty through my involvement. These are just a few of the many reasons taking part in campus life is so important to me.
Which song best represents your Triton spirit and why?
A: This is a tough one. The first song that comes to mind is “Make Me Proud” by Drake. This is because in the chorus it sounds like he says UMSL a whole bunch of times. Plus, I’m a fan of Drake.
M: I’m going to have to go with “Y-M-C-A.” As an orientation leader this past summer, we had to switch the lyrics and write our own version, which was obviously titled “U-M-S-L.” I’m never going to live that one down, especially since all of the new students remind me about it whenever possible. But I don’t think a song can get any more spirited than that!
