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UW-Madison senior to compete on ‘Jeopardy!’

April 7, 2008

“Jeopardy!” producers announced April 4 that Suchita Shah, a 20-year-old senior majoring in neurobiology, will represent UW–Madison in the “Jeopardy!” 2008 College Championship.

Photo of Jeopardy ambush.

UW-Madison student Suchita Shah is presented with balloons on April 4 from Jeopardy! Clue Crew host Kelly Miyahara as she learns that she has been chosen as a contestant for the Jeopardy! 2008 College Championship game show.

Photo: Bryce Richter

She will join 14 other students from around the country taping the tournament at the Kohl Center on Friday and Saturday, April 11 and 12. The winner will take home a grand prize of $100,000. The two-week competition will broadcast nationally Monday, May 5-Friday, May 16.

The “Jeopardy!” contestant coordinators auditioned thousands of prospective student candidates across the country for the championship. The Midwest and the Big Ten are well represented in the tournament. Waukesha, Wis., native Danielle Zsenak from Marquette also will compete, and three students from Big Ten schools will appear in the tournament.

In the first week of the competition, each player will appear in one of the five episodes. The winners of each of these shows, along with the next four highest money earners, will go on to the semi-finals. In the second week, the nine semi-finalists will compete in three episodes for a place in the two-game final match. The second place contestant is guaranteed a minimum of $50,000, and third place pockets a minimum of $25,000. Semi-finalists receive $10,000, and players eliminated in the first week receive $5,000.