Hirko wins $15,000 with ‘pterodactyl’ dance on ‘Regis and Kelly’

Armed only with a “pterodactyl” dance and a stuffed dinosaur strapped to his head, alumnus Andy Hirko, ’02, competed on national television for $50,000.

“My wife (Kristy, ’02) and I were praying for creative ways to pay off debt,” said Hirko, who was one of five finalists in a dance contest on “Live with Regis and Kelly.”

Video: Andy Hirko on ‘Regis and Kelly’

Alumnus Brian Killingsworth helps launch a major league brand

Not many people would call up Kevin Costner and ask him to help kick off a major rebranding effort. But as alumnus Brian Killingsworth, ‘00, saw it, the star of epic films like “Field of Dreams” and “Bull Durham” was a perfect fit for a major league baseball team looking to reinvent itself.

Student Jessica Griner travels to China, fulfills a lifelong dream

Most college students would scoff at the idea of spending their summer vacation sleeping on plywood and concrete beds or using a community shower and toilet. But for senior Jessica Griner, achieving a lifelong goal was worth a little discomfort.

The English major spent years dreaming about traveling to China after seeing a television special on Chinese adoptions when she was in elementary school. By middle school, she was telling anyone who would listen that she hoped to live in China one day.

Alumnus Tim Krajewski wins $180,000 on one of America’s most popular game shows It’s one of the top-rated game shows [...]

Alumnus Brad Hooker takes on Mount McKinley and many of the world’s tallest mountains

It took two weeks of frostbite, whiteouts and near-death experiences, but Brad Hooker made it to the top of Mount McKinley on one of the most dangerous days of the year.

Hooker, a 2002 Flagler graduate living in Seoul, South Korea, only began rock climbing a little more than a year ago. But he quickly found a passion for nature and exploration that’s taken him to the top of some of the world’s tallest peaks, including Alaska’s Mount McKinley, 14,400-foot Mount Rainier in Washington, 19,300-foot Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and a 13,000-foot volcano in Indonesia.

“It’s definitely been a big uphill climb the whole way,” Hooker said, pun intended.

Everyone has a story. Mike Fretto’s story begins with a trip to New Orleans in 2005. He went to tour [...]