“Pure silliness and joy”: Mr. Georgetown candidates prepare to take center stage

A fan favorite among Georgetown students, Mr. Georgetown is back for another year of Gaston Hall shenanigans with 17 exceptional candidates.

The yearly pageant, organized by the Georgetown Program Board, features group dances, a question and answer section, individual talent performances, and a showcase of spirit wear. The group of male-identifying seniors represent their own student organizations, but they unite the whole audience in a night of mischief.

In the midst of an intense practice schedule, the Voice sat down to meet this year’s candidates and hear more about their organizations and special talents.

Aidan Ng – Mr. AASA

Photo courtesy of Koby Twist

Known for playwriting in the Asian American Student Association (AASA), Aidan Ng (SFS ’25) is no stranger to Gaston Hall. Building on his years of songwriting experience, Ng was the executive producer of (no) pressure, a musical centering Asian American student experiences. Ng is proud to have supported AASA in creating “more and more ambitious programming.”

Ng prioritizes “making an impact on campus creatively” and is happy that this has helped to “pull a lot of people together from AASA.” His talent for the competition is an impromptu songwriting act.

Max Russo – Mr. GUGS

If there’s a proverbial underdog competing in Mr. Georgetown, it’s Max Russo (SFS ’25). A member of the Georgetown University Grilling Society (GUGS), he joined the competition during the second practice to fill an empty spot. 

Coming from a family of Chicago deli owners, Russo’s appreciation for hospitality has manifested in his involvement in GUGS and Mr. Georgetown. GUGS aims to unite students around having a good time, a reminder that not every experience is meant to “tack something on to get an internship at Deloitte,” Russo said. 

Cole Kindiger – Mr. The Voice

Cole Kindiger (CAS ’25) is willing to do whatever it takes to become Mr. Georgetown. Kindiger joked that he plans to push “misinformation in the magazines”—hopefully not in the Voice—and to “cheat, lie, and steal” in order to win this title. For him, the ends justify the means, because ”this is the most important event of the year.” His tongue-in-cheek approach to the competition shows that Kindiger definitely sees humor as a pathway to victory. 

Kindiger said he has “the disco in his soul” that is needed to take home the crown. For his talent, Kindiger shared that he will be giving the audience a “darn tootin’ time,” a call back to his hometown of Prosper, Texas.

Elliot Landolt – Mr. Hoya Blue

Channeling the spirit of Georgetown is absolutely a priority for Elliot Landolt (MSB ’25), who is representing Hoya Blue, Georgetown’s official student section. Landolt plans to bring a similar “energy and noise” to the audience of Mr. Georgetown as he does in the bleachers.

Landolt’s special talent will “bleed into the entire academic year” and include props, a notable public figure, and an incredible feat of athletic prowess, he promised.

Koby Twist  – Mr. ESCAPE

Koby Twist (CAS ’25) helps students find time for reflection as the student coordinator for ESCAPE, Georgetown’s first-year retreat program. 

ESCAPE is a retreat program run by Campus Ministry and open to all first-year and transfer students. According to Twist, the program not only offers new students a retreat from the hustle and bustle of daily campus life, but a blueprint for how to be a Georgetown student once they return.

His full talent will remain a secret, but it pays simultaneous homage to the Calcagnini Contemplative Center and to Minecraft that certainly will bring out the inner child in all of us.

Josh Ford – Mr. Blue & Gray

Through the Blue & Gray Tour Guide Association, Josh Ford (SFS ’25), a student from London, seeks to be a friendly and reassuring presence for international students and parents who visit Georgetown. His perspective as an international student “brings something new to the table,” Ford said.

Blue & Gray is one of Georgetown’s most front-facing student organizations, so Ford is confident that he can manage the expectations of an excited crowd. His talent is a performance that mimics Old Hollywood glamor—word has it that a top hat and a cane will be featured. 

Andreas Moeller – Mr. Ultimate Frisbee

Coming to Georgetown, Andreas Moeller (MSB ’25) missed the competitive outlet that athletics provided him in high school. So, he decided to join the Club Ultimate Frisbee team, embracing “that feeling of going back to being bad at a sport.” 

This spirit of exploration pushed Moeller to take the Mr. Georgetown stage, something he hasn’t done since playing standup bass in orchestra in middle school.

Moeller will be weaponizing his curly hair to perform a rendition of the famous dance scene from Napoleon Dynamite (2004).  

Joe Vitali – Mr. D.C. Reads

Joe Vitali (CAS ’25) has popped the infamous Georgetown bubble wide open through his community service with D.C. Reads. 

As Mr. D.C. Reads, Vitali has spent hours “using campus resources to help underserved elementary schools in the District.” Vitali says special bonds form not only between tutor and tutee, but also amongst the tutors who spend long bus rides together during their commutes.

Vitali said he plans to steal the show by pulling from his extensive knowledge of one singer’s catalog.

John DiPierri – Mr. Philonomosian Society

John DiPierri (SFS ’25) believes that the ideal Mr. Georgetown should uplift all voices. As a former president of the Philonomosian Society, he encouraged his peers to learn to “speak on their feet” by engaging in a multiparty debate society. While these discussions are sometimes difficult to have, DiPierri insists that plenty of “good-natured fun” comes from debating with peers. 

At the time of our interview, DiPierri didn’t yet know what his special talent will be, so looks like it’ll be a surprise to all of us. 

Noah Vinogradov – Mr. Mask and Bauble

A talented pianist, vocalist, and comedian, Noah Vinogradov (SFS ’25) has brought all three of these skills to Mask and Bauble—and now plans to showcase them in Gaston Hall. 

After transferring to Georgetown his sophomore year, the musical theater group quickly recruited Vinogradov to play piano. Since then, Mask and Bauble has become a place where Vinogradov can explore his love of theater while finding community.

“Georgetown students take their clubs very seriously,” Vinogradov said. “Mr. Georgetown is this great chance to remind ourselves that we take our clubs seriously because we love them, because we are passionate, and to let go of that seriousness for a moment.”

Ajani Jones – Mr. Caribbean Culture Circle

For Ajani Jones (CAS ’25), Mr. Georgetown is more than just something to watch before Homecoming. It is a way to show the community what “not only the club, but also the culture I’m representing, has to offer on a much more visible scale,” Jones said. 

Moving from Jamaica directly to Georgetown for their freshman year, Jones shared that Caribbean Culture Circle quickly became a “little pocket of home” in D.C.

To showcase the different facets of Caribbean dance and music, Jones will perform a dance for their talent.

Jordan Schuman – Mr. Rock Climbing

Trading the climbing gym for Gaston Hall, Jordan Schuman (CAS ’25) is excited to share what Club Rock Climbing means to him. In his freshman year, Schuman bought a pair of climbing shoes without ever having climbed before. Three years later, rock climbing “has been like my thing at Georgetown,” Schuman said.

Schuman shared that the preparations have been intense, but he is excited to perform in the pageant. “If you’ve ever been to a circus, you’ve probably seen what I’m going to do,” Schuman said regarding his talent. “I hope that how the club has made me feel makes the audience feel something too.”

Ulises Olea Tapia – Mr. Innovo Consulting

When Ulises Olea Tapia (SFS ’25) first applied to Innovo Consulting his freshman year, he did not know what consulting was. Now, Olea Tapia says that Innovo Consulting has become “a  home far away from home.”

“Finding a place where I felt like I was being embraced was something that was really important to me,” Olea Tapia said. “I feel humbled that I have been able to meet such incredible people along the way that are going to be cheering for me here at Mr. Georgetown.” 

For his talent, Olea Tapia plans to capture a classic consulting moment, but “spice it up” with Lady Gaga and “a little bit of drag.”

Clayton Kincade – Mr. The Hoya

When Clayton Kincade (SFS ’25) first arrived on campus, he did not know what he wanted to do. Ultimately, his love of movies and knack for writing movie reviews blossomed into a love of journalism, “and now it’s a whole thing,” he said. “I’ve really learned to love the journalistic practice and the art of telling stories.”

For his talent, Kincade plans to perform an original poem titled “Appleseeds.” 

“[The poem] is about letting go of precious periods of time in your life and learning to water the garden in the mind with what you have around you,” Kincade said. “Mr. Georgetown at the end of the day is being your most authentic self.”

At this year’s pageant, Kincade is excited to represent The Hoya, get outside of his comfort zone, and be authentic—and incredibly silly—on stage. 

Liam McGraw – Mr. Lecture Fund

Liam McGraw (CAS ’25) is hopeful that his performance will garner interest for the Lecture Fund, whether that be applying for the board or attending a lecture. 

For his performance, McGraw plans to represent the essence of the Lecture Fund. Donning his best pair of slacks and his favorite button-down, he hopes to entertain with an impromptu lecture, weaving audience suggestions into his performance.

Facing graduation in a matter of months, McGraw reflects that “as that reality is slowly crushing down, it is really exciting to be in a place where pure silliness and joy are showcased.” McGraw has loved celebrating college through this pageant, joking that “Mr. Georgetown is the friends we made along the way.”

Thomas Fogarty – Mr. Hilltop Consultants

Hilltop Consultants has been an integral component of Thomas Fogarty’s (SFS ’25) college experience, providing him incredible opportunities for growth. 

For Fogarty, Mr. Georgetown is a chance to celebrate the uniqueness of Georgetown’s club culture. Fogarty said he is excited to represent Hilltop Consultants “in events beyond networking or professional development.”

For his talent, Fogarty plans to perform a standup comedy routine, supported by ideas from fellow Hilltop board members. He plans to “bring something unpredictable to this year’s competition,” encouraging students to get excited, buy tickets, and show up.

Nicholas Vianna – Mr. Pep Band

For Nicholas Vianna (CAS ’25), Mr. Georgetown is about representing Pep Band, his “first found family on campus.” Through Pep Band, Vianna rekindled his love for music and performing with other people, he said. 

Vianna plans to bring in “familiar faces” from Pep Band for his talent, showcasing the musical skills he has picked up over the years.

To Vianna, Mr. Georgetown is a tradition that represents the passion that can be found on the Hilltop: “It’s a celebration of campus and the communities that we as students built.” 

Mr. Georgetown 2024 will be on Friday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. in Gaston Hall. Tickets go on sale on CampusGroups on Thursday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m.

Editor’s Note: Ajani Jones is the editor-in-chief and Cole Kindiger is the copy chief of the Voice. Nicholas Vianna has contributed to the Voice.

This article was updated to strike a quote.