By Anthony Medeiros, Contributing Writer
On Wednesday, Jan. 25, students and staff kicked off the President’s Cup with a game of Family Feud.
The President’s Cup is an event started with the intention and goal of supplying more involvement for the seniors. A new event will occur each month, meaning repeated fun and competition for students and staff. The President’s Cup will run until May 2023, when the final game for Saint Leo University seniors will take place.
The first event of the President’s Cup commenced with promising squads battling for one trophy – but only one team would claim the President’s Cup and conquer the first event.
The lineups consisted of six seniors – Noah Henry, Khristian Parrish, Ashley Tucker, Sofia Cabrera, Ashley Griffith, and Stephanie Valles – competing against six staff members – Dr. Randall Woodard, Professor Frank Orlando, Dr. Ryan Murphy, Professor Peter Marian, Ashley Phelps, Assistant Director of Student Affairs, and Dawn McElveen, Director of Orientation and Parent/Family Programs.
The competitiveness between both teams was a sight as the players unleashed their competitive sides round after round with Saint Leo-based questions like, “What is your favorite spot on campus?”
In the end, the question that crumbled the staff was, “What assignments are most hated by students?” The Saint Leo seniors managed to defeat the staff in this epic opener to the President’s Cup series.
“The staff and faculty side showed up with a really outstanding team,” Woodard stated.
The seniors clinched the trophy for the Family Feud game with a score of 151-85. Despite the defeat he and his colleagues received that Wednesday night, Woodard had nothing but a positive reflection on the event.
“None of us were able to imagine not loving every single learning opportunity available so we were outgunned and lost the match,” said Woodard. “It was a lot of fun for our team and also the students. They were wonderful and deserved the win.”
Regardless of the final score, the positivity trickled throughout the team of faculty and staff. Phelps was cheerful with the event’s execution.
“We had a great turnout for our first event of staff and faculty v. seniors,” said Phelps.
Proud of how the event turned out, Phelps further explained the backstory to this wondrous series of games and how important it was.
“We wanted to do an event for faculty and students and expand the senior experience and school spirit by trying to do a variety of activities,” said Phelps.
From meeting with professors, planning the schedule of the events, and finally taking part in the President’s Cup first event, Saint Leo’s seniors and staff are exuberant, equipped, and extremely eager for the second edition of the President’s Cup series of games.
The next time Saint Leo University will see these two teams collide will be on Feb. 11. However, this time around, the activity won’t be as forgiving as the friendly Family Feud.
“Up next is dodgeball, so we will seek revenge at that point,” Woodard finished comically. “Or just in our grading.”
Check back around Feb. 11 on The Lions’ Pride Media Group website to hear about the upcoming dodgeball game. Who do you think will win?
