Stephanie Pierson, Carolina senior and History major, won her first game in the quarterfinals of the popular show “Jeopardy!” in February 2023. Already four years earlier, Pierson advanced to the quarterfinals of the teen tournament in California. The 2023 high school reunion tournament brought back twenty-seven former teenage competitors for a chance to win a $100,000 prize and a spot in the Tournament of Champions. Pierson’s phenomenal success in “Jeopardy!” ended in the second semifinalist game, but the moments of joy will always stay with her: “When I heard I won, I was just in shock of what just happened.”
Growing up in Macon, Georgia, several people had a special role in Pierson’s never-ending pursuit for knowledge and understanding the world. In elementary school, she joined the school’s Quiz Bowl team. Under the guidance of her coach and with her friends, she met weekly at a coffee shop to practice. Pierson’s mother, a schoolteacher herself, made sure that her daughter’s interests were always supported. In addition, every evening “Jeopardy!” filled the TV screen at Pierson’s home.
“I always loved to read, write, and learn about new cultures and people from different parts of the world. I knew I wanted to be a history major.” One person, in particular, contributed to Pierson’s interest in history: her high school teacher in world history. He opened her the eyes to the cultures of countries like China and other parts of the world. “It is the passion that he brought with him every day to school that made me want to study history,” as Pierson emphasizes.
“Carolina was the place where I knew I could make the college experience the way I wanted.” In Chapel Hill, Pierson joined various campus groups, and, as an enthusiastic student of Spanish language and literature, was able to take part in a travel abroad program in Granada. At the History Department, she remembers one class in particular: “The Olympic Games – A Global History” with Prof. Matthew Andrews. “I’m not a big sports person, but his class was great. I kept asking myself: why am I so excited about sports and going to this class?” With Hooper Schultz, a Ph.D Candidate in the History Department, she worked as an intern at the Southern Oral History Program. A project on LGBTQ communities in the South allowed Pierson to learn how to conduct fieldwork in oral history. Her interviews are part of SOHP’s database, making an important and long-lasting contribution to the LGBTQ community in North Carolina and beyond.
Her family, her partner, and friends at Carolina are the most important support for her. After Pierson won the quarterfinals, she did not tell anyone about it. Instead, she organized a watch party at home for all her loved ones to be a part of her joyful experience. “It was such a lovely moment.” In her entire experience with “Jeopardy!,” she remained very modest. “I am not a competitive person. I just thought I will try to use the knowledge I have and go for the game.”
Stephanie Pierson plans to continue her passion for knowledge after graduating from UNC in 2024. Currently, she is dreaming of a job in the National Park Service. Teaching about the histories of, among others, Native American and Black communities, she would combine her love for history with a public mission, while being active in nature. One thing is for sure, no matter the road Pierson will take, she will continue to make an import impact on the diverse communities in the United States, beyond the TV screen.
-Oskar Czendze