Instead of the traditional Homecoming royalty, Wichita State turned the run-of-the-mill popularity contest into an award to honor WSU’s best and brightest, the Shocktoberfest Man and Woman of Year.

The young men and women who have gone on to win this award are driven to excel. Their resumes read like future CEOs of Fortune 500 companies or NASA engineers. They are involved in athletics, sororities and fraternities, student government, and the list goes on and on.

In order to be eligible for the Man or Woman of the Year award, students must be a junior or a senior and have at least a 3.5 GPA.

Applicants will be interviewed by a panel of faculty, staff, and alumni after submitting the Student Activities Council application packet. The packet requires an essay, resume, and recommendation letters. Interested students must have everything submitted to the Student Involvement Office by 5 p.m. on Sept. 21.

The Shocktoberfest Man & Woman of the Year award isn’t just another notch on an aspiring student’s resume; it also features a small scholarship for winners and finalists. Last year, the Man and Woman of the year took home $650 each while the six other finalists received $300.