Each fall, 10 men and 10 women are handpicked to represent the University in the homecoming court. It takes a rigorous interview process to whittle down the large pool of nominees and applicants, leaving the final 20 with a lot resting on their shoulders. After being accepted, what exactly are the roles and perks of serving on the court? The Daily Illini spoke to Esteban Gast, graduate student in LAS, about being on the homecoming court in 2012, his senior year.

Daily Illini: Why did you want to be on homecoming court?

Esteban Gast: Well, I was nominated, and I thought it was really cool, and it was a good opportunity. I loved Illinois, and I was really proud and happy to get a chance to represent the University. … It means a lot that someone has recognized all the hard work you’ve put in the last four years and things like that, so it’s kind of nice to have recognition, especially your senior year.”

DI: What was the application process like?

EG: I got an email that said, “You’re nominated, and you have to go into an interview.” And the interview is pretty intense. They ask you things like, “How are you a leader on campus?” and “What does the University of Illinois mean to you?” — these really big, general, kind of tough questions. … So you stop and go, “Man, it’s such a big campus, and it feels small, and I love that I know my professors by name, and I love that I have this opportunity.” You kind of start realizing, “Man, this is this great place.”

DI: What did you do as a member of the homecoming court?

EG: The duties were quite fun and quite fancy. We were in the parade, we got to ride on the back of Corvettes, I got to wave and throw candy at children — which is just a lifelong dream. … The University calls back these incredible alumni that have done the coolest things ever. So here I am, shaking hands with this guy who started a nonprofit and this woman who ran a marathon in every continent, all these ridiculous people, and here I am shaking hands with them. … It was just kind of this surreal thing; we got to go on the field at halftime at the homecoming football game. I got tickets for my family and things like that, so really, it’s just a really exciting, surreal thing.

DI: What was the most memorable part of being on court?

EG: I think going on the field at halftime was pretty cool. (The dinners) were really fun because the food was delicious. After four years of ramen noodles in my dorms, (it was) kind of nice to have luxurious and delicious food.

DI: What did you get out of the experience overall?

EG: It was kind of cool to meet really inspiring, incredible individuals that accomplished so much. I really felt out of place; everyone there was talking about all their cool accomplishments, you know. So everyone was just very accomplished, and then I’m sitting there shaking their hands saying, “Oh my goodness, you guys do so much, and you did so much and you’re so smart.” 

And so I think just the people that you meet through the other homecoming court members, as well as the alumni, were just so inspiring and so incredible. And it’s such a cool feeling talking to, you know, the CEO of this huge multimillion-dollar company, and talking about how he was in Forbes. There’s something crazy about that and saying, “Oh my gosh, that past is so tangible,” so that it’s something that — not easily — but something that can get accomplished.

Reema can be reached at [email protected].