ntfall2017

NORTHERN TODAY 16 FALL 2017 ALUMNI NEWS Brelu-Brelu is first international student to be named Gypsy Day royalty ANDY BRELU-BRELU is a senior biology major from Mauritius. He was named marshal and Taylor Ellingson, a senior from Stratford, was selected as queen in the Thursday night coronation ceremony in the Johnson Fine Arts Center. NSU International Student Services Assistant Director Stacey Schmidt said there have only been three international candidates nominated for the royalty court in the past. Brelu-Brelu is the first to win, and he said it is quite the honor. “I feel very humbled to be given such an honor to represent my school and my country, Mauritius,” he said. “I’m really excited to be the first international student, and I hope there are more to come in the future. I’m grateful that I was sponsored by the Office of Residence Life and had great support from International Programs.” He received a good luck charm shortly before coronation from the mother of his girlfriend, Mikki Braun. A few hours before coronation, Braun’s mom, Naomi Johnson Braun, handed him a plastic bag filled with dried flowers. Johnson Braun was the Gypsy Days Queen in 1980 and had kept her coronation flowers. “She told me that these flowers, from 37 years ago, will give me luck for my coronation ceremony,” Brelu-Brelu said. “I kept the flowers with me during the whole ceremony, and they turned out to be pretty lucky! I am grateful to have a family who cares about me in America, especially when my family is so far in Mauritius.” Brelu-Brelu always wanted to attend a university in the United States. He said he chose NSU after Googling affordable schools in the U.S. and finding Northern in a top 5 list. NSU also had his desired major of biology. He’s been happy with his choice. After graduation, Brelu-Brelu plans to attend medical school to become a reconstructive surgeon. “I would like to help burn victims, people with birth defects, or those suffering from other physical deformities,” he said. When Northern State University revealed the 2017 Gypsy Days royalty last week, the university crowned its first international student as marshal.