Oluwatomisin “Tomison” Alausa has left her footprint on Texas Tech in more ways than one. When she was crowned Homecoming Queen this semester, it was yet another testament to those who value her leadership on campus.
Tomison has dipped her toes into multiple areas on Tech's campus, starting with the College of Media & Communication once she knew she wanted to get her degree in journalism. In her freshman year, she joined the Association for Women in Communications, as well as Masked Bakers (an organization where students bake food for lower income people and serve it to them). She then went through Greek life recruitment and joined her sorority, Chi Omega, which she represented for the royalty court. Tomison served as a Dean's Student Ambassador for CoMC and is currently part of the Student Government Association.
Within Chi Omega, Tomison was named the model initiate her first year, and she went on to lead the organization by sitting on the executive board.
The fourth-year student at Texas Tech has made her appearance known wearing the scarlet and black, but many may not know that Tomison was planning to wear purple. Her senior year of high school, Tomison knew in her heart she wanted to be a Horned Frog at Texas Christian University.
“I had a whole TCU sign in my room and swore I was going to go there,” said Tomison.
“I was actually at work when I got the letter of rejection, and I remember bawling
in the bathroom.”
After the heartbreak of rejection, Tomison received support and coaching from her
mother, which set her on a new trajectory for a career in journalism.
“I knew the journalism program at Texas Tech was really good, but it was also really far away from home,” said Tomison “So I was like, ‘Let's do it.' New slate, completely starting over.”
On Tomison's tour and visit around Tech's campus, she knew she made the right choice. Everything felt right to her, and she fell in love instantly once she gave being a Red Raider a chance. Tomison will graduate in May 2024 with two degrees, one in journalism where she knew she'd thrive as a social person, and one in public relations and strategic communications.
Tomison said the reason she stayed at Texas Tech even through COVID-19 was because of the people she met here and the relationships she formed. She said her teachers were so intentional and the connections she had formed with her friends were still there.
“After coming here, I never really considered other schools,” said Tomison. “I got used to Texas Tech, and this is my home. I call Lubbock my home. After COVID-19 really settled down, I was like, ‘Yeah, this is my place, this is my home.'”
Although Tomison has been involved in many different areas on campus, her sorority
holds a special place in her heart. When Chi Omega's campus involvement chair contacted
Tomison and asked if she'd be interested in running for their homecoming representative,
Tomison accepted. The chapter voted on the matter and confirmed her placement.
Students vote for the final homecoming queen, but they may not recognize there are multiple rounds in the selection process for all nominations.
For the first round—the resume round—Tomison said she was concerned about her GPA and how the panel may judge her based on that number. She said she had heard the panel was looking more at her GPA and that she would be judged based on that number alone.
“I was nervous because I didn't know if they were going to see me for this number, or if they were going to see me for who I am,” said Tomison. “Like how are they supposed to know who I am? I didn't want people to look at this number and think I didn't try, because this number is a result of me trying.”
Amidst the selection process, all organizations participating in Homecoming Spirit Week put together performances to showcase at SO-Sing, where all the homecoming court nominees also participate. That meant once Tomison found out she was one of the top 10 candidates, she had one evening to prepare for the second round of qualifications—the interview.
“Everyone's looking up Texas Tech facts and studying TTU questions,” said Tomison. “We all heard they grill you on TTU questions and TTU trivia.”
Throughout the interview, Tomison said they never really asked her trivia questions like she thought they would, instead she got to talk about one of her favorite organizations - Student Government Association.
“Any great thing that's happened on this campus is a result of the student body,” Tomison said. “Even walking through Memorial Circle, that was started because of students. SGA was also started by students, and so was my favorite tradition, so I had to work that into the conversation.”
Following the day of the interview, the Homecoming court nominees hosted a memorial where they honored faculty and students that have passed. Tomison said this experience was especially memorable because a brother of her sorority sister passed away last year.
With her emotions already running high, Tomison knew the next day she would find out the top five. Once she was informed that she was on the final court, she had 12 hours to get her name out there and finally allow the student body to, hopefully, cast their votes for her.
Following her crowning as Texas Tech University's 2022 Homecoming Queen, Tomison's role is just getting started as a representative for the next year. As queen, she will participate in helping with Arbor Day, as well as going to schools and talking with younger students in the Lubbock community.
“I'm literally just wearing a sash and crown and going about my life, but [the children] all think I'm an actual princess,” said Tomison. “I'm really excited to meet those kids and be a part of Arbor Day.”
Tomison said when she was first elected by her sorority to be their representative for Homecoming, she got curious and went to look at the old yearbooks to see past queens. She noticed it was 30 years ago was the last time a Black woman has won the homecoming queen nominations.
“5.7% of the population here at Texas Tech is Black, and knowing that I get to not only represent that 5.7%, but also I get to represent women, communications, my sorority, and a school that I love so much is just insane to me,” said Tomison. “If I could go back and tell that girl that was crying when she didn't get into TCU that thought her life was over that her life is just starting, I would.”
Tomison said that Tech gave her the opportunity to stand out and get involved in things, rather than simply part of the crowd. She said she's excited to be in the College of Media & Communication for her “victory lap” year.
“It's times when we are in the football stadium cheering where we are all united front,” said Tomison. “For once, though, I got to be one person and it's so crazy.”
Although Tomison will graduate with two degrees and a lot of experience under her belt, she said she doesn't want to plan too heavily what she'll do with her future because it doesn't always work out the way she plans—after all she never intended to end up at Texas Tech to begin with.
“I'm just along for the ride,” said Tomison. “I would go back and tell myself it's
not over, it's just starting.”