The voting for the 2014 Homecoming court will begin 12:01 a.m. Monday and end at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.

Each year, Homecoming Week begins when Eastern chooses a king and ueen at coronation to represent the school throughout the year.

Lori Knoechel, the University Board’s homecoming coordinator, said candidates are chosen by their organizations, including registered student organizations, fraternity and sorority programs, and residence halls. The candidates must go through interviews and an additional voting from the student body done to officially be in the running for king or queen and prince or princess.

“These students are the representatives of Eastern Illinois University, and show our school in the brightest light,” Knoechel said.

All students, elected their organizations, must meet a 2.5 GPA requirement, be truthful on their applications and complete an interview with a staff member on campus.

The interviews will take place Saturday and Sunday.

“These interviews are worth 30 percent of their overall judging,” Knoechel said.  “The rest of the candidates percentages are provided by the student voting.”

Knoechel also said she encourages every student to vote for who should win the crowns of king, queen, prince and princess.

“You should vote because you attend this amazing school, and you want to see it best represented,” she said.  “Mostly, you should vote because you are an EIU Panther, and no matter what, Panthers stick together.”

Candidates from fraternity programs include Eric Hearling, a Sigma Nu member, Nathan Gayheart, a Phi Kappa Theta member, Mark Galvan, a Sigma Nu member, Mitch Gurick, a Sigma Alpha Epsilon member, Kyle Samas, a Delta Tau Delta member, Alejandro Flores, a Delta Tau Delta member, and Mackenzie Miller, a Sigma Alpha Epsilon member.

Some candidates from sorority programs include Erin Kahr, an Alpha Sigma Alpha member, Katie Murphy, a Kappa Delta member, and Abby Howard, an Alpha Sigma Alpha member.

Candidates from other RSOs include Stephen Simpson, a student government member, Jacy Samet, an Epsilon Sigma Alpha member, Sarah Gibbens, an Epsilon Sigma Alpha member, Alexis Lambert, a Black Student Union member, Tyler Elliott, a communication studies major, Phil Krueger, a biology major, Bridget Lee Pazely, a marketing major, Farrah Dean, a BSU member, Brandal Miles, a BSU member, and Brittany Fischer, a Delta Sigma Theta member.

These do not include all of the candidates. The full list can be viewed online on the voting website.

The Coronation will take place at 7 p.m. Oct. 20, at McAfee Gym.

Samantha Middendorf can be reached at 581-2812 or semiddendorf@eiu.edu.