Cal State East Bay Student Competes on Wheel of Fortune

On the Nov. 28 episode of Wheel of Fortune, Pat Sajak and Vanna White hosted the annual College Week, where students from across the country represent their respective schools and compete for a cash prize. Geronimo Parra was the first student to represent Cal State East Bay on Wheel of Fortune. Geronimo is a senior majoring in biology with minors in chemistry and Spanish. He also serves as an Orientation Team Leader. 

Geronimo wanted to appear on live television since he was a child, but when the opportunity came to be part of an episode of Wheel of Fortune, he was hesitant to apply as he was not sure if he would receive a call back. His sister pushed him to submit an application and hope for the best. It would be a while before Geronimo received a response from Wheel of Fortune. When he got an email asking for a Zoom audition, it seemed as though his dream to show off his skill on national television was finally coming true. After the audition, he was offered a spot for College Week. 

Geronimo got the full Hollywood treatment at the studio: He filmed promotional content, got his makeup done,  and, most importantly, taped his episode. Geronimo described his experience as “surreal” and “amazing,” but at the same time, it was nerve-racking. Having a camera pointed at you and knowing that four million people will be watching is a lot to handle for a college student, but Geronimo took it like a champ. “Just breathe and try your best to keep smiling and try to relax,” was the advice Geronimo said to calm himself down. The pressure on him was no big deal; instead, a weight was lifted off his shoulders now that he had finally made it on TV. 

Spoiler alert for the ending of Geronimo’s episode: he came in second place after being beaten by Georgia Tech’s representative. However, the fact that he got the privilege to be on such an iconic show as Wheel of Fortune was enough for Geronimo. He proudly represented Cal State East Bay, the Latinx community and himself. 

Geronimo plans to finish school while striving to be on live TV once more and pursue his dreams of becoming a reality TV star, whether it's reappearing on Wheel of Fortune or Survivor (his favorite TV show).“It was really cool, you know, just getting the Hollywood experience. That was my second time ever in Los Angeles, so might as well get the best out of it,” Geronimo said.