For Homecoming Queen Vanessa Bonner, the University of Mississippi and its people are “her sunshine.”
“My campaign slogan was you are my sunshine, as in, you are my sunshine, Ole Miss,” Bonner said. “I really wanted to use my campaign platform to highlight and reflect on all the wonderful people that have made my time here so meaningful.”
When she is not at the university, the senior forensic chemistry major from Houma, La., lives with her mom, stepdad, younger brother and two older sisters, and although the university is her “sunshine,” she owes much of her victory to her family.
“Immediately after I got the crown, the first thing I did was FaceTime my mom,” Bonner said. “Me and my mom are best friends, but my family, we’re very close, and I just would not be here without my parents. I really owe a lot of this to them.”
Coming from a family of Louisiana State University alumni and fans that “bleed purple and gold,” Bonner is the first person in her family to come to UM.
Despite being an out-of-state student, Bonner has always felt that the university was her home.
“I always knew I wanted to come to Ole Miss. So, Ole Miss was my number one. I did not apply to any other school — I just knew that this was my dream school,” Bonner said
As the involvement and leadership chair of Kappa Delta sorority, Bonner stays busy on campus. She also serves the university community as a College Panhellenic recruitment counselor, RebelTHON director of morale, an orientation leader and coordinator, a student ambassador for the university and co-coordinator of new member training for the student ambassadors.
“I would have to say my favorite part about Ole Miss has been being involved on campus,” Bonner said. “I just love how we’re from all over yet we all come together for the love of this university.”
Her level of involvement on campus is what led Bonner’s friends to encourage her to run for Homecoming Queen.
“My friends really motivated me and encouraged me to run, and also, members of my sorority encouraged me as well because they knew how involved I was on campus.”
Bonner acknowledged the campaign process was stressful at times, but the support of her friends from her involvement on campus and the opportunity to meet new people made it enjoyable.
“Any sort of campuswide election can be stressful at times, but I really did have an amazing support system with me, and they reminded me of why I wanted to run, ” Bonner said. “So I did have a lot of fun, and meeting new faces at the table did make the experience a lot of fun.”
Bonner said that she is incredibly appreciative of the opportunity to be Homecoming Queen, and she is excited to have some of her closest friends in the court alongside her.
“I am so honored to participate in homecoming traditions with the King, Mr. Ole Miss and Miss Ole Miss,” Bonner said. “I have been friends with each of them since we were underclassmen, and they have all worked so hard to make this university a better place. I am so grateful to stand next to such deserving people.
