And the winner is…

The 2011 Mr. Concordia was crowned at the ceremony which also served as a show in the Centrum on Jan. 22.

Contestants in this pageant were judged by answers to two interview questions, their performance of a unique talent and their exhibition of Cobber spirit.

Sophomores Aubrey Stromberg and Ashley Leone were this year’s emcees of the event. Both women are members of Lambda Delta Sigma, Concordia’s sorority.

LDS is required to put on a philanthropy event once a year to raise money for the Young Women’s Christian Association.

“This is the one program we know will bring in the money for donation,” Stromberg said.
By the end of the night, LDS announced they earned $993.

Mr. Concordia contestants gain points in the competition by earning the audience’s and the judges’ support. They also carry around buckets in the week leading up to the competition to collect donations. Buying a ticket to the competition from a contestant equals a vote for that contestant. The amount of money collected goes toward a contestant’s score.

If you want your contestant to win, give him money,” Stromberg said. “But it isn’t even for them, it is for the YWCA, and we love donating to them.”

Mr. Concordia has been the most beneficial way for the members of LDS to meet their membership requirements, Stromberg said.

Eleven Cobber men were each assigned a student coach from LDS who trained them to perform well for the competition.

The men competing this year were freshmen Eli Allgood and Yaw Bodom; sophomores Bjorn Solberg, Paul Flessland, Nick Wiens, Loren Johnson and Chris Lundquist; juniors Ed Olson, Bruno Surdo and Lee Shults; and senior Sudhir Selvaraj.

Lundquist said in a pre-event e-mail interview he had not attended the event last year, so he had no idea what Mr. Concordia was about until after he heard he was nominated.

“But people kept asking if I was going to do it,” Lundquist said. “For me, honestly I don’t care if I win, but I do love being on stage and I’m not very shy, so it should be a good time.”

When it was time for Mr. Concordia to be announced, there was a ramble of voices in the crowd. The Centrum grew quiet as the emcees opened the envelope containing the name of the new Mr. Concordia.

“Mr. Concordia of 2011 is…drum roll please…Bruno!” Stromberg announced.

After the show, Surdo was surrounded by fans wanting pictures with him.

Mr. Concordia is a way for Concordia students to donate to a good cause and see some entertainment, Surdo said. When it is entertainment put on by peers, he said, it makes the performance and the atmosphere much greater.

“It’s awesome,” Surdo said. “It’s great; it really is. It was a great night. I love being involved on campus and giving back to the community and what better way to do that then by running for Mr. Concordia and raising money for the women’s shelter.”