You could almost feel the ocean breeze as you stepped into Centennial Hall this past Saturday, Nov. 16, as Augustana welcomed back the highly anticipated Mr. Augustana event. The auditorium was decked out in balloons and streamers with pop music playing as the crowd waited in the beach-themed venue for the show to begin.
Returning to campus for its 22nd year, Mr. Augustana is a mock beauty pageant for the men of Augustana to show off. The categories for the contest include formal wear, talent, swimwear and a Q&A session.
Although the event was featured this past weekend, preparations for Mr. Augustana started back in October with gathering the contestants, who are unanimously nominated by the sorority members hosting Mr. Augustana, Chi Alpha Pi.
Sophomore Luke Exner, contestant and a member of Delta Omega Nu fraternity, said that he was initially unsure if he would participate in the event this year after receiving an email saying he’d been nominated.
“It was kind of a last-minute decision for me,” Exner said. “But I filled the application out because I was like, ‘why not?’ It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I’m really happy I did because it’s all going to an amazing cause.”
The proceeds from Mr. Augustana are donated to the American Cancer Society. This year, the Augustana community raised over $3,000.
Junior Olive Woodsmall, co-chair of Mr. Augustana and member of the Chi Alpha Pi sorority, said she believes the fundraising is a large part of what makes Mr. Augustana one of the college’s most anticipated events.
“I think people love it because it’s such a fun and upbeat show,” Woodsmall said. “Plus, it’s for a really good charity, and I feel like that motivates people to donate money and get tickets. It really just brings out everyone on campus together.”
However, one of the biggest factors that made this event happen was the competitors, and this year, it wasn’t just about the thrill of being on stage or the chance to win the title.
Senior Emilio Rodriguez, one of two runners-up in Mr. Augustana, danced his heart out to “Formation” by Beyoncé. Rodriguez said that one of the reasons he wanted to compete this year was to make a mark in his final year at Augie.
“I faced a lot of discrimination and homophobia on this campus,” Rodrigeuz said. “So a theme that I have going into this year is reclamation. Being able to reclaim spaces that I might have had harmful experiences in, and reclaiming them for myself to create it as a place where I can be comfortable to express myself.”
Emilio’s rendition of Beyonce’s iconic number was among several impressive showcases of the competitor’s talents. Other performances included singing, poetry reading and a lip-sync act to Michael Jackson.
Despite all the talent, only one man can win the title of Mr. Augustana. This year, that title went to senior Santiago Miranda, who said his victory shocked him.
“I honestly didn’t think I was going to win,” Miranda said. “And this isn’t me just trying to be humble or anything. There were so many people who put in so much work for this competition. When they called up the two people I was gunning for to win, I was like, ‘Wait, who’s left?’ And they called my name, and all I could think was, ‘What?’ It was so surreal.”
While Miranda may have won the title, all competitors agreed that it was a team effort that included the members of Chi Alpha Pi, the competitors and the Augustana community.
“I was never alone up on stage,” Miranda said. “I was first with my friend, then my fraternity and finally my culture group. But it was so nice to be surrounded by them because I really felt supported. I would have never been there if it wasn’t for these people who supported me and cheered me on.”
