NYU alumna wins 'Jeopardy'

Ever since NYU alumna Jennifer McFann began watching "Jeopardy" at the age of 12, she thought to herself, "I could do that. I could win it."

On an episode of "Jeopardy" that aired last Wednesday, she did just that. McFann, 25, won first place in the Final Jeopardy Round with a $19,410 prize.

"I was nervous out of my mind, but I kept telling myself to play it like I normally did at home," McFann said.

Not only has she religiously watched "Jeopardy" for years, but the self-proclaimed "giant trivia nerd" purchased her television set for the sole purpose of watching the show every night. While at NYU, she was able to hone her speech and debate skills as a member of the College Bowl team.

But McFann said all her experience seemed irrelevant when the last question came up and her mind drew a blank.

It was a quote said to George Washington about hope for the universal rights of man.

"I thought, 'This is the end of me.' I had no idea who said the quote. So just from a dumb guess, I chose Thomas Paine," McFann said. "There was one chance that I was going to get it, and that was it."

As she was announced the winner, cheers erupted from the McFann family in Maryland during their "Jeopardy" viewing party, complete with a tiki theme and boiled oysters.

McFann also considered her opponents her temporary family, as they all stayed in the same hotel and bonded during the short period of time.

"Everyone was brought together by nervousness, especially about being on TV and maybe looking like idiots. It was fun though, and they inspired me," she said.

She plans to use her prize money to pay off student loans and possibly for a trip to Madrid or Russia.

Although McFann is a little apprehensive about her ability to converse in Russian, she welcomes the challenge. She likes to be outside of her comfort zone, she said.

"If there is something I really want and I know it will make me a better person, I'll do it anyway," McFann said.

She paused, then smiled and added: "That's what brought me to NYU."

One of her favorite NYU memories was being on the university's tae kwon do team, of which she was named Best Freshman in 2003.

"I'm still on the listserv, actually. For some reason, I just don't want to take myself off," she said.

Having graduated in 2006 with a degree in international relations from CAS, McFann is now a regional recruiter for the Peace Corps. She said winning "Jeopardy" has not changed her plans to continue working in international relations.

She suggested that more students should join NYU's College Bowl team, saying how it really can be an invigorating experience. She also advised everyone who is already on the College Bowl to audition for "Jeopardy."

She warned that the buzzers on "Jeopardy" are buttons rather than the slap buzzers used in College Bowl competitions. According to McFadden, the hardest part of "Jeopardy" was not having enough practice with their buzzers.

But something like tricky timing can be worked at, she said.

"Everybody has potential," she said. "Though it helps to watch a lot of 'Jeopardy.' "