After excelling in several competitions against pairs from other Boston University schools, College of Fine Arts seniors Robert Lucchesi and Lea Madda were crowned Mister and Miss BU on Saturday.
“I am just so happy that our art is appreciated,” Lucchresi said.
The duo won the contest, which was held at the School of Law auditorium, after competing in a newlywed game, taking a social media quiz and performing the “Annie Get Your Gun” musical number “Anything You Can Do.” Mister and Miss Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences came in second place and the School of Hospitality Administration team took third, respectively.
The pageant, in which a male and female student representing each undergraduate school competed for the crown, garnered a crowd of more than 180 students, staff and parents.
Hosted by BU comedy troupe Liquid Fun, the competition included a choreographed dance to LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It” by the competitors and Rhett, as well as other games and activities. Contestants had to answer questions about their partner, provide clever “hash tag” responses to a number of pictures and statements and exhibit a talent.
“Things really picked up toward the end with the talent portion. While some couples flopped, a few were very impressive, especially Mister and Miss CFA and SAR,” said Nicole Losada, a sophomore in the College of Communication.
For the talent portion, contestants did everything from slam poetry to acrobatic dancing to a leg-waxing, Rubix cube solving routine.
“It was a fun, nostalgic, campy vibe. It was a good time,” said Ian Blau, a COM freshman. “I’d say the best part about the event was the participation among the different colleges in creating an event that represented the whole university and its student body.”
Losada said that while the pageant started off a little disorganized, Liquid Fun did a good job of keeping the audience entertained. “I think the judges got it perfect by choosing CFA for first place and SAR for second.”
The judges consisted of the reigning Mr. BU Jordan Rossman, computer science associate professor Wayne Snyder, Miss Rhode Island Olivia Culpo and Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore.
“My favorite part was the talent portion because people really gave it their best effort,” Culpo, a College of General Sciences sophomore, said. “I also enjoyed going up on stage with the improv guys. They were hilarious.”
Snyder said his favorite part was the talent he saw in each student.
“I’m just constantly amazed at how bright and funny and with it the students are,” Snyder said.
Elmore said he judged students on their ability to tweet in two seconds or less and their knowledge of John Coltrane’s music.
“You learn so much about the school and you see some incredible talent,” Elmore said. “This is a wonderful night.”
An experienced pageant contestant, Culpo said she would not consider Mister and Miss BU a standard pageant, but that it served its purpose.
“It wasn’t similar to a real pageant, but for all the right reasons,” she said.
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