Linnea Noeldner-

On Thurs., Feb. 20th, 2025, Gusties will crowd into the cafeteria in front of the center stage for the Mr. Gustavus event, hands full of popcorn bags and raffle tickets as well as the anticipation to see who will be crowned this year’s Mr. Gustavus.  The selected group of five of Gustavus’ own Senior men will get a chance to come forward and showcase their talents and characters to their peers.

Organized by the Theta Xi Gamma Sorority, the annual Mr. Gustavus event puts the “fun in fundraiser”, as nominee Robert Swenson said. The event is a pageant-style gathering where the nominees answer various questions and perform for a board of non-Theta sorority representatives as well as the cafeteria of fellow Gusties.

To kick off the event, the men will do a choreographed dance to get everybody pumped up. The five will have extensively practiced said dance before the event. Then, coming out in formal attire with a Theta escort on their arm, the nominees will be introduced to the public. This will be followed by a Q&A interview portion and then finish with the talent portion, which always tends to showcase the funny side of our contestants.  

While it is a pageant to show the spirit of Gustavus, the five participating Gusties tend to show their humor and passion during the interview and talent section as well. There is an ultimate Mr. Gustavus winner, but additionally a Judge’s Choice for the nominee who “slays the choreography” and presents their talent best, as mentioned by Swenson.

The contestants were selected by the student body via a Google form where scholars could send in the male-identifying Seniors they believed represent the core values of Gustavus Adolphus.  The five seniors who were nominated for this year are, Nathan Le, Tanner Hopkins, Michael Broad, Victor Solano, and the aforementioned Robert Swenson.

One may wonder what makes a “Mr. Gustavus” in the eyes of the Gusties, and it comes down to the values and character that these Seniors hold within their community.  Le is involved with the Asian Student Union as the co-president as well as the football and track team and gave some insight on the ideal Mr. Gustavus.

“It really depends because all five of the nominees are all so unique and different in our own ways,” Le said, “But a good nominee is someone who is kind, passionate about whatever they do, and spreads more love than hate and is known for that.”

“There is no such thing as the ideal Mr. Gustavus,” Solano added, “People all have unique ideas, identities, personalities, and passions. What matters is how you use these aspects for good in the community, not how you use them to be funny or gain popularity.”

Being involved in your community and putting your best foot forward as not only a Gustie, but also as a person, seems to be a common theme in the Mr. Gustavus nominees.  The event is not only an enjoyable way to interact with your peers, but it’s also a fundraiser as well.  

“We aim to unite the student body for a good cause as well as a good time,” Theta’s Public Relation & Visibility Co-Chair and Junior, Annika Larson said. 

And while the nominees and Gusties are ensured to have a blast, the voting is another portion of the event. Everyone likes to win, but winning isn’t the true intention of Mr. Gustavus. Voting for a nominee costs two dollars per vote and the money goes directly towards the Pinky Swear foundation. This organization helps financially support families with children battling cancer, following their mission of the pinky swear first made by 9 year-old cancer patient Mitch back in 2003.

Larson, Breeley Ruble, and Ellie Gunderson are heading the organization as the Public Relations and Visibility chairs of the Thetas and encourage Gusties to donate, now and during the event – voting will be live during Mr. Gustavus! Donations are not limited to two dollars; after all, it is not just an event, it’s giving back to the community.

“I think all of the nominees are united under the idea that we want nothing more than to provide as much support to his foundation as we can!” Solano said. 

Gustavus Adolphus is a multifaceted college and Mr. Gustavus, while a fun and playful event for all those involved, is an opportunity to unite all sides of the campus. 

“Mr. Gustavus has brought faculty, staff and, most importantly, students, together as a community to support five candidates who represent a realm of on- and off-campus organizations and the values that the surrounding community has,” Larson said.