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Queens of Slippery Rock Interview

Anna - Interviewer
Jennifer - Interviewee

Anna: Alright, this is Anna Swartwout here with—
Jennifer: Jennifer Frick (SP Check)
A: For the queens of Slippery Rock Oral History project. So before we start, can we get a little biography
of what you did at school, what your majors/minors were, hometown.
J: Yeah, I’m from Johnstown, PA and during my time here, I was an English major and I had minors in
Writing and Business Administration. I was a member of the Delta Zeta sorority and that is actually who
nominated me to be on the Homecoming court.
A: Oh, that’s awesome. So what did homecoming queen mean to you then and what does it mean to
you now?
J: I would say then it was something that was a little bit of stretch for me and it pushed me out of my
comfort zone a little bit just to be in front of so many people and have the responsibility to represent
the school in a really positive way. I think looking back now some of my fondest memories are from
Slippery Rock, and it was really a place where I came into my own a little bit and I think it was just a
really nice experience that makes me just think about the school and just feel comfortable and I like
coming back to be able to be part of the experience again.
A: That’s awesome, yeah. Can you tell us a little bit about your campaign or did you not- was there much
campaigning?
J: I actually don’t remember campaigning. I remember getting nominated by my sorority and then I had
to interview. I remember I interviewed with some members of the university, faculty, staff, and
students. And then I remember maybe just doing a couple little things around campus, but I don’t
remember there being much of something that we had to do or push for.
A: What was the hardest part about running?
J: You know, honestly, it wasn’t really all that hard. Again, I think that it just pushed me out of my
comfort zone a little bit to be a representative of the school and to think about how all the things I was
doing would impact the university. Just those kinds of things.
A: Yeah. Before the election, what did you think your chances of winning were?
J: I didn’t think I was going to win at all. I was really surprised when they called my name. So, I don’t
know. I know that I had-because I was Greek that I knew a lot of people in the Greek system and I
thought “They’ll probably vote for me in some capacity if they know me,” because I knew a lot of people
through that, and I was also an Orientation group leader so that was something where I got to meet a

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lot of new students that were coming in. But I honestly didn’t think I was going to win, so I was really
really surprised when they called me name.
A: Did you encounter any stigma around the title of Homecoming Queen or any of the process?
J: I really didn’t. I was really, guess, lucky on that capacity, but it was all really positive for me.
A: Why do you think that you won?
J: I don’t know if I have an answer to that. I mean, part of me would say that maybe I just knew a lot of
people and I think that was helpful. I think that my sorority sisters lobbied a lot on my behalf. I think that
I had a lot good and supportive friends from some of the networks I had, but I’m not really sure.
A: What did you family about your victory?
J: I don’t know. I don’t honestly remember their reaction! Yeah, I don’t know if I could say much to that
one since it’s been twenty years!
A: What was your experience with college after you won? Had it changed at all?
J: I don’t know that it really did, honestly. I think that maybe I got to meet some more people because
more people knew who I was, but I don’t really remember having a different experience.
A: Have you come back for any later Homecomings until now? Do you come back often?
J: I try to come back every few years. I came back last year when the weather so terrible, but it was nice
to see some old friends. I think some of it just depends on a lot of the people that I graduated with and
what they’ve been up to and if we’re able to get a good group of people put together. I think that makes
a difference, just having people that you’re a bit more comfortable with but also are people that you
want to have those shared experiences with again.
A: Would it be an incentive for you to come back more if there was a ceremony or if there was just
something honoring the homecoming queens?
J: I think so. I think it’s always nice to just come back and enjoy the experience again.
A: Alright. Thank you so much.