University of San Francisco sophomore spins big on 'Wheel of Fortune'

Published: 2004-06-18

SAN FRANCISCO (CNS) -- Jennifer Alexander has been a fan of the television game show "Wheel of Fortune" since she was 4 years old. Today, Alexander is a sophomore at the Jesuit-run University of San Francisco, and this spring the ROTC scholar and future nurse got to be on the show. She was all but puzzle-perfect during her "College Week" appearance, winning a total of $19,000. The highs and lows of the No. 1 syndicated program were all hers with a win in the final round. That's when letters were worth $6,000 each -- the richest prize of the game. She netted $18,000 in the round. But she also had two "bankrupts," the bane of all contestants on the show. The premise of the game is guessing the correct spelling of song titles, quotes and everyday items one letter at a time. Spins of a giant wheel set their value; unlucky spins land on "bankrupt." Alexander won the big money with the answer "Famous last words" in a category called "Phrases."

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