Sarah Mele ’27 and Jacob Phelps ’28 were joint winners of the annual alma mater singing competition held during halftime at the men’s basketball game in Hagan Arena Feb. 22.
The singing competition, hosted by the Office of Vice President for Mission, is part of the celebration of Mission Week, a weeklong series of events celebrating the university’s commitment to Jesuit values.
After making it through the first round of the competition a few days earlier, Mele and Phelps said they found ways to stay relaxed in the days, hours and minutes leading up to the final performance at the basketball game.
On the day of the competition, Mele said she kept herself occupied by working an early shift at her job at a donut shop and then spent time with friends before doing final preparations for the competition.
“I rehearsed the song a little bit and figured out what note I was gonna start on,” Mele said. “Other than that, I didn’t really do much, just staying calm, talking with my friends.”
Phelps said his preparation before the competition consisted of singing and voice practices, and on the day of the competition, he stuck to basics.
“[I did] nothing too special and just practiced this [song sheet],” Phelps said. “I sang some scales, did some lip trills also. That really helps with breath. Breath is really important.”
Eric Thompson, program manager in the Office of Vice President for Mission, organized the event and served as a judge for the first part of the competition, along with the Rev. Dan Joyce ’88, S.J. Thompson said the initial six singers were graded based on technique, musical accuracy and personal expression.
“There’s usually about three or four judges who are various staff members, and they’ll go through that rubric, and, in the end, we tally the scores, and the final two are invited to sing the alma mater,” Thompson said.
Mele said she first competed in the competition in 2024, but didn’t make it to the final round.
“I knew it was a thing, but I didn’t know the words or any of the origin behind it, so last year is when I learned about it, and then I took that in with me this year, because now I knew the song and the words,” Mele said.
Mele said she has been singing for most of her life, as she participated in musical theater and was part of a choir during middle school.
“The first time I got into singing in front of crowds was in elementary school. I was in my drama play, and it was more like musical theater type stuff. And then in middle school, I was in a select travel choir,” said Mele. “It’s always just been a part of my life.”
Phelps said his rendition of the alma mater has a sound stemming from his singing experience and his classical singing training.
“I felt very, very, very confident going in,” Phelps said. “I did a lot of practice. I’ve done some [singing] things in the past. I’ve performed at Carnegie Hall three times, actually.”
Joyce said the alma mater, which was written in the 1950s by a faculty member and a student, gives students the opportunity to add their own personal expression to a timeless piece.
“It’s just a solid song that just talks about being a community and moving forward as St. Joe’s,” said Joyce. “I love when students make it their own and unique for them.”
