published: Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Avon Park student to represent university on 'Jeopardy!'

Special to the News-Sun

CULVER CITY, Calif. - Hans von Walter, a native of Avon Park and a junior at Southern Adventist University, is one of 15 students selected to compete in this year's "Jeopardy!" College Championship. The two-week tournament will broadcast nationally beginning Monday, Nov. 8, through Friday, Nov. 19. This is the first time a student from Southern Adventist University has been represented in the College Championship.

Von Walter, who has tried one other time for the College Championship, found out he was selected after receiving a phone call during a classroom lab. "I was completely speechless and lost for the rest of lab - not that I cared," he said.

Von Walter will be playing for the grand prize of $100,000. Second place in this year's College Championship will receive a minimum of $50,000 and third place a minimum of $25,000. Semifinalists receive $10,000, and players eliminated in the first week receive $5,000. Since 1989, more than 150 colleges and universities have been represented in the tournament, with nearly $3 million in cash prizes awarded to the students.

Von Walter is majoring in biochemistry and would like to attend medical school. He also hopes to have an opportunity to work as a doctor in a developing country.

On being the first student from his university to compete in the College Championship, he said, "It feels great. Southern Adventist University is a relatively small school in Tennessee. To have the opportunity to put my college in the national spotlight is truly an honor."

"Jeopardy!," the winner of 28 Emmy awards since its debut in 1984, was inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most awards won by a TV Game Show. The series is the No. 1-rated quiz show in syndication with nearly 9 million daily viewers.