Lucky Kean student receives free tuition at Homecoming giveaway

By Dasia Brown

As halftime came in Kean University’s Homecoming football game on Oct. 6, students waited anxiously throughout the audience as a name was drawn in Kean Xpedition’s Fall 2012 Homecoming Prize Package Giveaway.

Tina Van Voorhies, a junior majoring in Biology, was filled with disbelief when she heard her name.

“It didn’t register in my head that it was my face on the screen, so at first I was sad because I thought I didn’t win,” said Van Voorhies. “Then when I heard my name called, I was so excited that I was speechless.”

The prize package was filled with perks that included a $400 Barnes & Noble gift card, a reserved parking spot, a MacBook Pro and a check covering one semester’s tuition and fees.

“My mother was so excited that she was silent on the phone,” said VanVoorhies. “I told her to sit down, then when I told her she said that she had to stand up.”

An active member of the Kean community, Van Voorhies is involved in the Human Rights Club, the American Chemistry Society Club, Operation Smile and is assistant secretary of Student Organization.

“I think that every Kean University Student deserved to win the KeanXpedition Grand Prize, I was just lucky to win.”

During the pre-game tailgate, Kean Xpedition set up tables to get students registered for their chance to be selected as the lucky winner of the homecoming prize package.

Kean Xpedition, which is a part of the Kean Xchange program, was put together to get students more involved with the university’s opportunities and to offer students a social and cultural experience during their studies at the school.

The program has been getting more students involved through online games and challenges where students have the chance to win prizes such as new computers, iPads, Kindles and free books.

Free tuition, however, takes the cake.

“It’s strange, people whom I do not know have been saying congratulations all the time,” said Van Voorhies on life after the big win. “A girl even asked to take a photo with me.”

“During the photo all I could think was, ‘I am not a celebrity, I am just like every other student at Kean.’”

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