A longtime fan of Jeopardy!, Carol Hedspeth-Lowe, ’78, realized a dream of competing on the popular game show.

“My husband and I watch Jeopardy! every night. I’ve always considered myself a pretty good “armchair” competitor, so I decided to try the online test,” said Hedspeth-Lowe. “It’s a short test, and you don’t receive your results so I took it and forgot about it.”

A few weeks later, Hedspeth-Lowe received an email asking her to take a second test. Like with the first test, she didn’t receive her results or know what to expect. To her surprise, she received an invitation to a Zoom audition soon after.

“Several people were competing in a practice match with questions, wagering, and scoring,” said Hedspeth-Lowe. “I knew I had several correct answers, but we were told we’d hear back from a producer within 18 months if we had been selected to be on the show.”

A producer called Hedspeth-Lowe a few months later and invited her to be a contestant in March 2024. “I had to decline at that point because both my husband and I had surgeries scheduled, and I wouldn’t be able to make the trip,” said Hedspeth-Lowe. “The producer was extremely nice and asked me to reach out to them when I felt up to it.” 

That summer, Hedspeth-Lowe followed up with the producer and was scheduled for taping on September 17-18. Hedspeth-Lowe invited Jonellen Thompson, whom she met at Meredith, to join her on the adventure for moral support. The experience did not disappoint the dedicated Jeopardy! fan. Hedspeth-Lowe said the crew and host, Ken Jennings, were all friendly and supportive. Thompson added that Jennings even chatted with the audience in between matches. 

Hedspeth-Lowe also took the opportunity to show her pride as a Meredith alumna.

“Before taping, contestants fill out a survey about their lives and experiences which the producers use to come up with the questions for Ken to ask during the interview section,” she said. “When I arrived at the studio, I was given a note card with five topics that Ken could ask me about, one of which was that I had identified my Meredith Onyx as one of my most treasured possessions. I was really hoping Ken would ask me about it so I could shout out Meredith but it will have to suffice to know that I was wearing my ring and trying my best to represent Meredith well.”

To end the experience on another high point, Hedspeth-Lowe met another alumna on her way home. The flight attendant, Anna Clark, ’85, spotted Hedspeth-Lowe’s Onyx. “We had only a few minutes to share greetings so when I got home, I went on the Facebook alumnae page and described her. Fellow Angels recognized the description and connected us,” said Hedspeth-Lowe.

Hedspeth-Lowe’s episode aired on October 25. She earned a final score of $1,600.