The finalists for Mr. and Ms. TCU have been narrowed to five men and five women.

Candidates shared what being crowned would mean to them.

Sarah DeHondt is a music education major from Allen, Texas. She said her experience at TCU has been life changing.

“This is an amazing school that has an amazing student body,” DeHondt said. “I would love to be crowned Ms. TCU to not only represent this outstanding community of students, faculty and alumni, but to make my family proud.”

Jordan Hamilton, from Pittsburg, Texas, is a marketing major. He said Lady Antebellum’s song “I Was Here” best describes why he wants to be Mr. TCU.

“I want to do something that matters, say something different, something that sets the whole world on its ear,” Hamilton said. “I want to do something better with the time I have been given. I want to try to touch a few hearts in this life, leave nothing less than something that says I was here.”

Rachel Land, from Savannah, Georgia, is a sports broadcasting major. She said she didn’t know anyone when she came to TCU, but once she arrived she felt like she had been here her whole life.

“Being Ms. TCU would mean everything to me,” Land said. “To be able to represent a student body and be able to say, ‘Maybe I have this title, but everyone holds a part of it,’ would mean a lot.”

Music education major Phil Antinone, from Bedford, Texas, said his friends have jokingly been calling him Mr. TCU every time he joins a new organization.

“Getting Mr. TCU would be a validation of the three years that I have been here and of all the things I’ve gotten the opportunity to do,” Antinone said. “Title or no title, I feel like my time here has been phenomenal and blessed.”

Parker Levy is a marketing major from St. Louis, Missouri. He said the nomination is an honor, and anything extra would be icing on the cake.

“I would like to be Mr. TCU because I feel that I’m a great representation of what TCU stands for, in being a friendly, genuine person that truly cares about all of those around me,” Levy said.

Fort Worth native Meredith Kirk, an accounting major, said this university and the people here have changed her life.

“TCU has given me the most incredible college experience I could ever imagine and lasting friendships I will always be grateful for,” Kirk said.

Chemistry major Caleb Ashbrook, from San Diego, California, said when he first arrived on campus as a first-year, his life began to change.

“I have grown immensely,” Ashbrook said. “This nomination is my way of giving back to TCU. To represent this school and to reflect all that it has taught me would be an incredible culmination of my horned frog experience.”

Abbie Maynard, from Scottsdale, Arizona, is a journalism and Spanish double major. She said she is humbled to get to represent TCU as a nominee, but the nomination is not about her.

“This nomination is about the people on this campus that have believed in me and motivated me to be a leader that serves well,” Maynard said. “TCU has given me more than I could ever express and I am thankful for every opportunity I have been blessed with to be able to learn more about the leader I want to be.”

Economics major Daniel Naumann, from San Antonio, Texas, said winning Mr. TCU would be nothing more than a reflection of his peers and how they enabled him to succeed over the past four years.

“My biggest accomplishment at TCU has been establishing relationships with some of the greatest people in the world,” Naumann said. “That was made possible through active participation in my fraternity, my two years spent in Sherley Hall, and saying yes to all kinds of crazy opportunities.”

Kendal Spooner, from St. Louis, Missouri, is an economics major. She said she is thankful for her experience at TCU and for the community that has become her extended family.

“I want to represent the spectrum of students on this campus whose various gifts and talents have collectively contributed to the spirit of this university and made TCU a place we can all call home,” Spooner said.

Mr. and Ms. TCU will be announced during halftime at the TCU vs. Texas homecoming game on Oct. 3.