Jerrica Stovall dreamed of appearing on Wheel of Fortune since she was a child and would watch the iconic game show each night with her mother and sister.
Now that dream has become a reality. Stovall, the Associate Director of Student Involvement at USF St. Petersburg, was a contestant on the May 21 episode of Wheel of Fortune. She took full advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, winning a car, a cruise trip to France and cash totaling $42,035 in winnings.
“It was unreal and completely nerve-racking,” said Stovall. “I was star struck being next to Pat Sajak and Vanna White while also trying to stay focused on solving the puzzles.”
Stovall has been honing her puzzle-solving skills for years. Her father was in the Navy, and it became a tradition each evening for her, her mother and her sister to play along with the contestants on Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.
“It is something I continue to do today with my husband and daughter,” added Stovall.
About eight months ago, Stovall submitted an audition video to the game show but heard nothing. Several months after, she drove to Cape Coral, Florida, where a Wheelmobile event was taking place, featuring a 36-foot Winnebago that tours the nation interviewing candidates and offering them the opportunity to play a version of the game show.
Stovall received an email to come back for a second round of auditions, where she played additional simulations, was tested on her game knowledge and interviewed with producers who evaluated her personality and on-camera performance. Finally, she received the call she was waiting for: she was selected as a contestant and invited to fly to Los Angeles to be on the show.
After the initial shock wore off, Stovall started cramming and devising her own strategies for game-show success. She felt prepared when she arrived in LA, but was dazed by all that went into making the show.
“They toured us through the studio, we went through makeup, we met Vanna backstage and sat in the audience watching other shows, since they tape multiple at once” said Stovall. “What was really surprising was the wheel itself is like 2,400 pounds, so you need time to practice spinning it so you don’t mess up on live TV or it looks completely unnatural.”
Stovall is still glowing from the overall experience and from seeing herself on national TV, which she watched with friends and family. She’s also excited for the prizes to come.
“Me and my husband never got a chance to go on a honeymoon when we got married,” Stovall said, “so now this French Cruise will make up for that.”