Shawn Ham will represent UNC Pembroke on the popular game show “Wheel of Fortune,” airing Thursday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. on ABC11 WTVD.
Ham, a graduate student in the Master of Social Work program, was home last year visiting his mother when he decided, on a whim, to apply to be a contestant, never dreaming he would be selected.
“My mom watches the show every night,” said Ham, an Army veteran and active reservist from Goldsboro, N.C. “Once the show went off, I sent in a video, completed the application online and didn’t think anything of it.”
In December, Ham was notified by the casting department, aced two auditions, then, one month later was on a flight bound for Los Angeles to record the show at the infamous Sony Pictures Studio.
“It was the greatest experience of my life,” Ham said. “Competing on the show was a very small part of the overall experience. It was amazing getting to see the whole process. We got to tour the Jeopardy set and meet Vanna White backstage. The competition itself was a lot of pressure. It’s not like watching it on TV.”
Confidentiality rules prohibit Ham from discussing the outcome, but he says his time in Hollywood was life changing. He was incredibly proud to shine a national spotlight on UNCP — where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 2021 and was a member of the football team.
“I am grateful to be a part of this university,” he said. “It’s truly a blessing — all the relationship I’ve developed with people here. So having the opportunity to give a shout out to UNCP on a national stage to cement my time here means the most out of the entire experience.”
Ham plans to pursue a career as a clinical addiction specialist assisting veterans and adolescents struggling with opioid addiction, substance misuse and depression.
