And the Crown goes to…
The homecoming court poses with the crowned Islander. Photo by Kellie Heron
March 14, 2023
Under the American Bank Center’s bright lights, ten Islanders from various organizations held hands as they eagerly waited for the 2023 Homecoming Islander to be announced. After a few moments of silence, the crown was ultimately bestowed upon Isaiah Landa, a Senior majoring in Marine Biology.
“It’s probably one of the best achievements that I have ever gotten. I am always in the back. I never win anything,” Landa said. “This is better than even graduating from high school.”
Landa followed up his excitement by describing what he liked about TAMU-CC, and the friendships he has been able to form on the Island.
“What I like about this school is that all of us are friends. We are all just one,” Landa said. “I never really had friends ’till I came here to TAMU-CC.”
Originally from Gorman, Texas, a town with a population of just 976 residents, Landa expressed how shocked he was to win the homecoming crown.
“Just going from a small town with a graduation class of 21 and going to a D1 school, and winning homecoming,” Landa said. “I’m speechless.”
Landa was representing the National Society of Leadership and Success, which has 1,665 members at TAMU-CC and focuses on helping people become better leaders. They also coordinate campus events like the Speaker Broadcast Series and help collect items for Toys for Tots.
“The organization tries to help you out [and] achieve your goals,” Landa said.
After winning, Landa also expressed his desire to thank everyone who had helped him win the crown and become the 2023 Homecoming Islander.
“I just want to say thank you so much for everybody out there. I wouldn’t have done it without all the organizations out there rooting for me,” Landa said. “I can’t take this crown myself, because if it wasn’t for all those people out there helping me out, I wouldn’t have been able to go out there and win it.”
Landa originally attended Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas before transferring to Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
The nominees for Homecoming Islander 2023 were Dawn Jeong (Queen Beauty Club), Chase Hilderbrand (Student Volunteer Connection), Emanie Jolly (Island Ambassadors), Matt Wagoner (Sigma Phi Epsilon), Emma Yost (Zeta Tau Alpha), Dawna Gerst (Campus Activities Board), Lindsey Startz (Alpha Gamma Delta), Isaiah Landa (National Society of Leadership and Success), Vylaina Carabajal (Student Government Association), and Isabelle Vargas (Gamma Phi Beta).
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