A small but enthusiastic crowd of students gathered on the K at Risman Plaza to show off their costumes during a Todd Diacon look-alike contest hosted by Her Campus Kent State.
While some students didn’t make it out due to the weather, that didn’t stop members of the organization from recruiting the perfect look-alike to President Diacon in hopes of giving the winner a $50 prize.
Joy Haugland, a senior health education major and marketing director of Her Campus, said she got the idea from social media and a Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest that was held in New York.
“I thought it was a really good way to connect people on campus,” Haugland said.
Students dressed in bald caps, suits and even put photos of Diacon over their faces. The crowd then voted on which outfit was the best out of five nominees.
The winner of this event was Luca Nelson, a senior who called herself “Business Casual Todd.” She said she heard about the event through social media and flyers around campus and couldn’t pass up the chance to enter in the contest.
“I’m a cosplayer, so I just thought it would be funny to dress up as my school’s president,” Nelson said.
For her impersonation, which the judges thought was spot on, Nelson walked away with the grand prize, and she said she already had plans for what to do with it.
“I think I’m gonna spend it on Pokémon cards, I won’t lie,” Nelson said.
Beyond the chance to impersonate Diacon, the contest served as a promotional event for Her Week, which will take place April 7-11.
The five-day celebration will feature a camera giveaway, industry panelists in journalism and social media marketing, a discussion with the director of the May 4th Center, among other activities. Attendees will also have the chance to win prizes like Owala water bottles.
Her Campus members said they hope the excitement from the contest carries over into Her Week, bringing more students together for events centered around community and campus culture.
Sydney Craig is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].