WILL SEBERGER/Arizona Daily Wildcat UA Mortarboard member David Werho, left, talks with Homecoming queen candidates Melanie Rainer and Melinda Peterson at Belushe's on East Sixth Street last night. Members from the Homecoming court got together with Mortarboard to spend some time together in a social environment.

A look at the road to becoming the 2003 Homecoming king and queen

They get to run around in inflatable obstacle courses, knock each other over in jousting tournaments, and play on the Mall during lunchtime all week.

But life is not all fun and games for this year's 10 Homecoming king and queen finalists.

Collectively, the group has done things such as working in student government, giving public art performances and teaching fitness lessons to other students.

It was for their hard work and dedication to the university community that the senior candidates were nominated by a sponsor club or organization.

For a $25 fee, a club could sponsor a nominee, who was then notified and asked to fill out an application.

"I was just really flattered," said Sarah Calvert, who was nominated by the Chain Gang junior honorary, of which she was a member last year.

"I was really excited when I found out," said Melinda Peterson about her nomination by Delta Sigma Pi, a professional business fraternity.

"I didn't expect to be nominated," said David Baker, who found out he had been nominated by Delta Sigma Pi at one of the fraternity's meetings.

For the women, the application consisted of basic questions about where they're from, what they are majoring in, how they've been involved on campus and what their GPAs are. The application also asked for answers to essay questions such as where they would take Wilbur Wildcat on a date.

Finalist Melanie Rainer, executive vice president of the Associated Student of the University of Arizona, said she knew Wilbur was married to Wilma Wildcat and she didn't want to stir up any trouble.

"I don't want to break up the UA's most famous couple," she said, explaining why she wrote she would go on a double date with Wilma, Wilbur and Jimmy Falon as her own date, and they would go back in time to when the football team played in the fiesta bowl against Miami and won.

The essay questions were asked to provide insight into the candidate's characters, said Bobcats Senior Honorary President Peter Wand.

The Bobcats handled all of the queen applications, while Mortar Board senior honorary took care of the ones for king.

After the applications were received, the candidates attended a mixer sponsored by their respective judging honoraries, and then met in personal interviews with members of the honoraries.

In the king's selection process, the men had to answer questions such as what they think the purpose of the homecoming court is and what their favorite UA traditions are.

Basically, we're looking for a girl who is an all around representation of what it means to be a Wildcat. - Peter Wand Bobcats president

Semifinalists were chosen after the interviews, and then the finalists were selected at another mixer.

The honoraries were both looking for similar characteristics in the finalists.

"We try to look for the overall, all-around candidate," said Mortar Board President Greg Billings, adding that the club also places an emphasis on scholarship and leadership - Mortar Board's principal ideas.

"We're looking for a woman who is very dedicated to the University of Arizona," Wand said, adding that they also look for someone who has demonstrated her dedication through participation both on and off campus.

"We're looking for a woman who will be an excellent representative of our student body and our senior class," he said. "Basically, we're looking for a girl who is an all-around representation of what it means to be a Wildcat."

The honoraries think they've found them, and until the final decision is announced Friday at the Homecoming bonfire in front of Old Main, the finalists get to spend their time enjoying themselves.

"I think it's a good experience. It's fun," Rainer said, adding that it's not like any thing she's tried before.

Students who are interested in joining the celebration can partake in the Mall events throughout the rest of the week.

Baker said he is looking forward to getting "down and dirty on the Mall" today in the "mud tug-of-war" game.

"I'm really excited about the upcoming events this week," Sarah Calvert said.

The events will culminate Friday night when the Homecoming king and queen are announced at the bonfire and pep rally in front of Old Main.

Until then, all that stands between the finalists and the crown is the student body, who can vote online at asua.arizona.edu for the ones they think are truly fit to be royalty.