Andrew Winter and Cecilia Jansen after being crowned Saturday.
Emma Kate Mellors | Student Activities Board
Seniors Cecilia Jansen and Andrew Winter won Homecoming Queen and King on Saturday.
Q: What was your experience with the nomination? How did it happen?
Jansen: My sister and my housemates tossed my name in for a nomination and spread the word around for their friends to get me in the running for court — people continued to reach out to their respective friend groups and residences from there, and I guess that got me enough to make it!
Winter: I got my campaign going very early, designing posters and spreading them across campus. By the time the nominations actually started, it was an easy push to get on the court.
Q: What does this mean to you as you begin your senior year?
Jansen: I’ve been blessed to be good friends with some of the past women on court, and it meant so much to stand in their shoes this year. As a lowerclassman, I remember taking note of the many different virtues I admired in the women on court, and I’m very humbled to be in their place as a senior. I’m excited to continue their legacy by trying my best to put those virtues into practice during my last year on campus!
Winter: It is of course very fun being king. It is also a little tiresome, what with everyone coming up to me and kissing my hand and kneeling down in homage. But it is a huge blessing to see so clearly that the student body loves and appreciates me greatly, and honors me even as I prepare to leave Hillsdale. May God help me to use the gift of this publicity this year!
Q: How has this impacted your Hillsdale experience?
Jansen: My family has always encouraged us to practice an apostolate of service wherever we find ourselves, and it’s beautiful to see that work bear fruit in the many friendships I’ve cultivated through a “yes” to that service. I’ve been blessed to serve as a resident assistant and hold an outreach position for Catholic Society during my time here, and it meant so much to see so many people I’ve encountered through those opportunities support me on court.
Winter: Since freshman year, I have spent countless hours trying to get to know every name on campus, and every year I have made a special effort to get to know the freshman class. Winning Homecoming King is the great triumph of my sociability.
Q: What was your reaction when your name was called?
Jansen: I was genuinely very surprised when they announced my name on Saturday! I was on court with some really incredible women, and I honestly had no idea whose name they would announce. I just remember thinking “praise the Lord” when I heard my name — it was such a gift to me after a couple of very busy weeks leading up to homecoming, and he always reminds me that he sees that hard work and it is all well worth it.
Winter: Andrew Agbay was also on the court, so when the announcer called “Andrew…” I had a small seizure moment wondering if it was actually him. After I heard my name, I had no time to think or process as the swarm of friends rushed out at me. But I have to say it’s pretty great getting picked up and carried on the shoulders of all your buddies and getting a hug from every dang student at the school.
Q: What is your favorite Hillsdale memory?
Jansen: I really have so many good memories from Hillsdale, but I have to say that some of the best and most formative ones came from being an Olds resident assistant my sophomore year. The Lord taught me so much about how to work on a team, how to be present to the person in front of me despite taking on too many commitments, and how to trust Him in the heights and the depths. I deepened past friendships while forming many new ones with my residents and team members, and we spent hours and hours sharing inside jokes, laughs, tears, very late nights, and not enough study time that year.
Winter: Over Christmas break of 2023-2024 I was extremely sick; I had to stay home after Thanksgiving, and could not even come back for the first day of classes because of last-minute complications. The night I finally got back to campus, I went to a friend’s birthday party. As I walked in the door dozens of people who had been praying for me all summer burst into cheers and applause. They forced me to give a speech and then I sang my favorite Taylor Swift song for them with my best friend Leo Bykerk.
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
Jansen: I hope to teach elementary education or go into campus missionary work after college.
Winter: My ultimate dream is to be a full-time fantasy and sci-fi author. Immediately post-grad I’ll probably be teaching Latin, literature, or history.
