By Christina Sanchez
Campus Life Editor

Jenny Bruns didn’t hesitate to show what she was made of at the 2004 Geography Bowl at UNC Greensboro on Oct. 1 when she brought home the Most Valuable Player Undergraduate award.

Placing third out of all participants, Bruns is also invited to attend the Southeastern Regional Competition in Biloxi, Miss.

“I was the last person to believe that I would win anything,” said Bruns, “I am still in shock, I can’t believe it.”

UNC Greensboro, UNC Charlotte, East Carolina, North Carolina Central, Appalachian and UNC Pembroke competed in the 2004 State Geography Bowl. Out of these universities there were about forty students total in the competition ranging from five to ten from each school.

UNCP ranked third out of the six universities, encompassing two of the eight students who are allowed to move on to the regional competition. Along with Bruns, Eric Williamson is one of the lucky eight competing in the southeastern competition.

Bruns is majoring in Mass Communication and decided to join the Geography Bowl after Assistant Geography Professor Dr. Ross asked her to.

“I just had this gut feeling that she was sharp, and I was correct,” Ross said “She knows her stuff.”

Stopping the competition midstream a professor from UNCG offered Bruns a scholarship to come to UNCG for the masters program and left Bruns speechless.

“It was surreal. I didn’t comprehend what was going on. I didn’t realize I was doing that well,” Bruns said.

Bruns was chosen right off by her fellow teammates to be the captain of their team. Competing along side of her were Rocky Bilotta, Leslie Lisczc, David Parks, and Eric Williamson.

Majoring from religion to chemistry not one of the students were geography majors.

Since UNCP does not have a geography major, the Geography Bowl is not restricted. The Geography Bowl was enjoyable for everybody. It was a social event as well as a competition.

Not only taking home with her a momentous award, Bruns also brought back with her cherished memories and a sense of feeling that is hard to find.