Local Catholic woman named Fiesta Bowl Queen

By Gina Keating | Oct. 24, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

Former Bourgade and St. Jerome Catholic School alumni Mercedes Hendrix was crowned the 39th Annual Fiesta Bowl Queen Oct. 7.

Hendrix, 20, is a senior majoring in biochemistry at Arizona State University, and is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

“Just to be named in the top four is such an amazing honor,” Hendrix said. “I’m looking forward to being an ambassador and promoting education, as well as a sense of pride for the Arizona community.”

The Phoenix native embodies all the qualities you’d expect from a spokeswoman and ambassador for The Fiesta Bowl organization: personality, poise and intelligence.

Hendrix is also selfless, a virtue formed and nurtured during 13 years of Catholic education.

“As a student I was taught to be a leader and commit myself to my community,” she said. “I learned that at an early age.”

Hendrix serves as a volunteer with John C. Lincoln North Mountain, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Central Arizona and mentors with the President Barack Obama Scholars Program at ASU.

As the first member of her family to graduate from a four-year university, Hendrix credits her mother, who raised two children as a single parent.

“My mother pushed me to excel and achieve my goals,” Hendrix said.

At Bourgade, she strived to be a well-rounded student by participating in sports and academia.

Hendrix played volleyball, track, tennis and she was a cheerleader. She was also student body president her senior year, and a member of the National Honor Society, and National Honor Societies for math and Spanish.

Following graduation, Hendrix hopes to attend pharmacy school, a career that has interested her since high school when she attended a math/science honors program at ASU for two summers.

Hendrix racked up 13 credits before beginning her freshman year, allowing her to graduate in three years.

She has gained valuable knowledge and experience in the field of medicine the past three years as a certified pharmacy technician with a national chain.

“I enjoy working with patients, and knowing how the medications affect the body on a biochemical level,” Hendrix said. “I’m helping them to control pain, or in some cases, to keep them alive.”

During her reign as queen, Hendrix will represent The Fiesta Bowl organization during its annual Festival of College Bowl, which encompasses more than 40 events surrounding the game and 21st Annual Insight Bowl.

Of the four finalists, Hendrix was selected based on several judging qualifications and criteria, including community service, scholastic achievement, personality and an essay.

The selection process also involved several panel interviews, television interviews on ABC15’s “Sonoran Living,” and public online voting.

Although her work and class schedule of 18 credits keeps Hendrix on the move, she makes every effort to get back to her Catholic roots.

“You can never lose faith,” she said. “Even though life can get busy, you need time to maintain that relationship with God.”