University of West Florida student Maggie Brown will reappear on “Jeopardy!” for the public to view starting Feb. 20 and ending March 9.

Former teen tournament contestants will compete for a $100,000 grand prize on the Alex Trebek Stage in Los Angeles, California.

When asked about the feeling of being accepted on the show for the first time in 2019, Brown describes it as unreal.

“I immediately started to cry because I couldn’t believe it,” Brown said. “Out of thousands of teens who had tried out, then the select few that did the interview, I was lucky enough to be chosen.”

After nearly four years since her first appearance, Brown is prepared to take the stage again as a college student who takes pride in her participation in university activities and outside work.

Brown is the Service Chair in the Honors Council and the Secretary of the Senate in the Student Government Association, on top of her work as the Assistant Academic Team Coach at Ransom Middle School, an employee at the University of West Florida library and an intern at the Gulf Coast Diplomacy Council.

These multiple responsibilities demonstrate Brown’s maturity and growth in her preparation for her second Jeopardy! appearance.

When asked if the excited feeling of acceptance in the first show had changed for the second time, Brown explains that this feeling has not changed in the slightest.

“For someone who loves anything trivia,” Brown said. “Being invited to participate in Jeopardy! for a second time is beyond my wildest imagination.”

Not only is Brown excited about the new round of trivia and the chance to win a cash prize, but she also looks forward to seeing her friends and other contestants from the 2019 tournament.

The contestants will be reunited as part of the Jeopardy! community once more. However, due to the recent passing of former host Alex Trebek, the competition will not be quite the same.

Brown described her first conversation with Trebek in 2019 to be unexpectedly natural and comfortable for herself and the other contestants. Trebek dressed casually and greeted the contestants with a welcoming warmth.

“You could really tell he loved the tournament,” Brown said. “He would make all kinds of jokes and his laughs made all of us less nervous because you know we were talking to a celebrity!”

The new hosts for Jeopardy! 2023 were announced to be Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik. This reveal thrills Brown at the chance to meet one or possibly both fantastic hosts.

Jeopardy! is a successful test of knowledge on a broad range of subjects which leads one to question how to prepare for these high stakes.

It is beneficial to study top subjects and watch the show to obtain the right resources.

When asked if she studies for the show, Brown stated that she does not. Instead, she focuses on her interests and allows them to guide her toward new knowledge.

Now that the former teen contestants furthered their education by pursuing higher education, they can use the obtained knowledge on the show.

Brown gives thanks to the University of West Florida for creating a beneficial learning environment to help her in Jeopardy! and future pursuits.

“At UWF, I’ve been able to interact with professors who are experts in nearly every field which has opened my eyes to new experiences and my mind for more information,” Brown said. “I’ve also learned so much from fellow classmates and students from other universities
that I have met through research.”

It is an honor for one of the University of West Florida’s best and brightest to use learned insight for such a well-known national competition.