Jackie Ward ’23 was nervous for the entire week, singing “Alma Mater” in her head during class. She was worried that she would forget the words of the song, created by the university in the 1940s, and currently performed at orientation for first year students and all graduation ceremonies.
Ward’s hard work paid off. She won first place and $800 in the Mission Week “Alma Mater” singing competition that took place Feb. 21 during halftime at the St. Joe’s men’s basketball game against the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams in Hagan Arena.
“It was a little overwhelming, but I was definitely really excited,” Ward said. “And the money was a nice reward for it.”
Singing has been a part of Ward’s life for as long as she can remember. She is currently in Hawkapella, a gender inclusive acapella group on campus.
“I really love [Hawkapella],” said Ward. “That’s basically where I have my singing outlet.”
The Office of Mission Programs invited students to audition for the halftime show, offering $800 for the first-place winner and $500 for a runner-up. On Feb. 17, students auditioned and three judges selected two finalists.
Runner-up, Thomas Betterly ’24, said he enjoyed hearing everybody’s different takes on the classic song, which has been a part of St. Joe’s traditions since the 1940s.
“I sung it in the more traditional way, the way that it was written on the paper, and the way that I was taught it,” Betterly said.
“Jackie [Ward] definitely made it her own, and she really, really did an amazing job personalizing and stylizing it.”
Prior to the covid-19 pandemic, the halftime singing competition was an annual competition during the university’s Mission Week. But the song is usually only heard at orientations and commencement ceremonies, said Eric Thompson, program manager at the Office of Mission Programs. Thompson said his office wants to rebrand the song as “St. Joe’s Alma Mater” and do more to promote it.
“I think most students only know of it when you graduate,” Thompson said. “Other than that, most have not heard of it before.”
Ward said she has not decided what to do with her prize money.
“I’m traveling for Spring Break, so [I might] save it until then or wait until after college,” Ward said.
