Featured Falcons: 2026 College Night Leaders

February 11, 2026

Purple Side: Audrey Paige Robinson and D’Mar Tarront-Milton

Fun is the name of the game for this year’s Purple Side leaders, Audrey Paige Robinson and D’Mar Tarront-Milton. While the two seniors are looking to secure another win after last year’s Purple Victory, they put just as much emphasis on enjoying every moment, keeping spirits high and making sure everyone is having a good time.

“Purple Side is so festive,” said Tarront-Milton. “It’s so hype, so loving and so supportive. And we’re all dressed up in cow print and purple — who wouldn’t want that?”

College Night was a huge reason that Tarront-Milton chose the University of Montevallo, as the Tuscaloosa native says he was already predestined to be Purple. But it was cemented as the right choice for him once he experienced the side up close at the fall College Night mixer and was adopted into a large Purple family.

“I don’t think I would’ve made so many friends and connections had I not been adopted my freshman year,” the theatre major said. “We developed a true sense of family and community, and it was so much easier to get involved.”

A longtime lover of theatre and performing, Tarront-Milton has been in the Purple Side cast each year, as well as serving on cabinet as assistant Purple Pepster, assistant choreographer and head choreographer. After breaking further out of his shell during the 2025 College Night season, he felt that the knowledge he gained in a head cabinet position and the way he learned to perform under pressure had prepared him to confidently take on the role of leader.

“I truly thank Purple Side for how far I have come and who I am today,” he said. “Ultimately, it’s my way to say thank you and give back to what has evolved me as a person.”

Hailing from Cleveland, Mississippi, Robinson also felt pulled toward Purple before becoming a Montevallo student. Attending College Night as a prospective student with her parents, who are both alumni, she could feel the Purple spirit all the way from the other side of Palmer Auditorium.

“I would sit with my parents in the Gold alumni section, and I’d be like, ‘That looks way more fun over there. That seems more my vibe,’” she said.

Robinson also grew up doing theatre with her sister — a Montevallo and Purple Side alum — but was anxious about performing. She found her perfect middle ground in the behind-the scenes side, working on the technical aspects like sound and lighting.

“It was both creative and artistic, but it was also the math and science that I really loved, because I was definitely a STEM kid,” she said.

The lighting design and technology major was adopted into a Purple family at her Orientation and was immediately shown lots of love and support. She didn’t plan to play College Night her freshman year as she was still figuring out her place at UM, but was recruited by that year’s leaders to do lighting design for the production.

“The fact that someone older than me who I barely knew wanted me to be a part of something like that really meant a lot to me at that age,” Robinson said. “I came in two weeks before the show, learned the whole thing and did the lighting design kind of out of nowhere. And it was a whole lot of fun!”

After two years as lighting designer, Robinson served as the Purple production’s director in 2025. As a fan of long-form games like Dungeons and Dragons, she wanted to not only understand her one role, but the intricacies of how College Night worked as a whole. Once she knew she would be one of the nominees for leader, she sharpened her focus and embraced the incoming responsibility.

“It was the thing that I could do this final year to give my everything to Purple Side the way that it has given so much to me,” she said. “I want to pay it forward and do right by the side that has always done right by me.”

Leading up to College Night this Saturday, the leader experience has been like a dream for the Purple duo. With the trust they have in their cabinet and the rare opportunity to experience every aspect of the competition, they are especially grateful for the chance to lead Purple Side to victory.

“We really appreciate Purple Side trusting us to be leaders,” Tarront-Milton said. “It reassures you that people are watching and noticing your growth, your generosity and your love, and it’s good to know that they’re reciprocating.”

As for which event they look forward to the most, Robinson favors the tradition of the Friday production run, saying, “For me it’s like Christmas Eve versus Saturday being Christmas Day. I love the beauty of Friday night with everyone just being together, knowing there’s nothing more we can do. There are no more practices to be held — it’s just us for the next 24 hours. I can just be present with my people.”

Tarront-Milton prefers the chaos and jitters of the entire Saturday Homecoming lineup but specifically notes the time in between the end of the final shows and the winner announcement.

“That is the most surreal moment you will ever experience, whether you win or lose,” he said. “At that moment you reflect and the leaders call your name up. It’s one thing to see the names in the program before the shows, but after everything to see that this person did this for the season and this person did this. You’re seeing it takes a village to win the game.”

Outside of College Night, Tarront-Milton is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. After graduation in May, he plans to hit the ground running chasing his dream of becoming a recording artist and sharing his music with the world. Robinson, a member of Alpha Gamma Delta, aims to move to New York City with her fiancé and pursue her goal of becoming an assistant lighting designer. For now, though, their focus remains the same: hearing their catchphrase read on Palmer Stage this Saturday.

“Our biggest philosophy this year is that we’re just here to help,” Tarront-Milton said. “We love Purple Side from the bottom of our hearts, and we’ll do anything for this side.”

•••••

Gold Side: Julianna Holmes and Madison Smith

Heading up Gold Side’s symphony this year is Julianna Holmes and Madison Smith, two friends who share a passion for storytelling. Amid the challenges and triumphs that come with being a leader, the duo is eager for Gold Side’s story this year to end in a GV.

Holmes, an English major from Hueytown, felt she missed out not playing College Night as a freshman and vowed to join in the festivities her sophomore year. After attending that year’s fall College Night mixer and speaking to people on both sides, she felt the most welcoming spirit from the Golds.

“I left feeling like I hadn’t met strangers on Gold Side — I met people that were instantly friends that I’d never met before,” Holmes said. “Also, Gold Side’s philanthropy supports Smile-A-Mile, an organization that helps children with cancer. I had pediatric cancer when I was younger, so that cause was really close to my heart.”

Holmes’ Gold Side journey has taken her from feature and ensemble roles on stage to the writers’ table and the director’s chair. Running for leader felt like the natural next step for her, and she was excited to experience Gold Side beyond the productions.

“I think it’s one of those things that changes every year, and you don’t really know what you’re getting into until it’s over,” Holmes said. “Every day is a new challenge, but it’s something that asks me to be my best self for my whole side, which is a really cool experience.”

Smith, a Cullman native, practically grew up on campus as her father is an alum who would bring her to various events. Double majoring in mass communication and music, Montevallo and College Night offered her a place to blend her creative interests.

“I enjoy being artistic in writing and music and being able to share stories, whether that be through different composers or doing interviews and telling stories about different aspects of campus life,” Smith said. “I really like to be in arts and culture and just share that with people.”

With her father being an Old Gold, Smith was already leaning toward the lions’ pride. What really solidified her decision was seeing Gold Side’s winning production, “Ballad of the Mississippi River,” as a prospective student.

“It was such a beautiful story put together by students,” she said. “That same week, I went on a campus tour and got to meet one of the leaders that year, Joy Hill. She was working in the bookstore and talked to me for an hour about how much Gold Side meant to her. And I was like, ‘You’re taking this much time to tell me about this, I’m sold!’”

In her time as a loyal Gold, Smith has played prominent roles in the cast each year and served the past two years as head costumes. Having been afforded so many opportunities by Gold Side to showcase her talents, connect with people and create lasting friendships, she ran for leader for a chance to give back all that Gold Side had given her.

“I want to give everything that I can to make sure that everybody involved feels that same connection that I felt when I spoke to Joy for the first time,” Smith said. “Gold Side had given me so many opportunities to perform and be loved by the people on the side and I wanted to share that.”

With the big day on the horizon, Holmes and Smith are locked in on leading their side to a Golden Victory. Having really connected while performing together in the cast of “To Live and Die” in 2024, their friendship keeps communication easy and teamwork strong.

“We just have this mutual understanding of each other,” Smith said. “We know what each other’s strengths are and we communicate well, but we don’t have to talk everything out. We can give each other a look, and we know what’s going on.”

As for what they most look forward to during College Night, Holmes goes for the anticipation and camaraderie of opening night, the first time that the sides get to see each other’s shows.

“I really enjoy Wednesday night because that’s the night that both sides will cheer for each other because it doesn’t count for points yet,” Holmes said. “You can tell a lot about each other and what we’ve worked on for the past couple of months. It’s one of the more positive nights of the season.”

Smith favors the excitement and energy of Sweet Saturday, saying “It’s so stressful, but so fun at the same time. I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for the results, but at that moment, after you’re done performing, it’s a nice release. For a brief second, it doesn’t matter if you won or lost. Everything is just culminating in this beautiful thing that we’ve all done.”

Outside of leader duties, Holmes is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta and vice president of the Theatre Student Organization. With minors in creative writing and theatre, her long-term goals include becoming a published author and playwright, while short-term she is interested in working with local nonprofits. As she prepares to graduate in May, she says her time at Montevallo and on Gold Side helped her break out of her shell, leaving her with relationships she’ll carry with her long after she leaves the bricks.

“I impulsively auditioned my sophomore year, and I think that night has butterfly effected into being one of the most important decisions I’ve ever made because I met two of my best friends and the person that would become my boyfriend,” Holmes said. “College Night ultimately shaped my college experience.”

Smith serves as managing editor of “The Alabamian,” a member of the UM Concert Choir and a vocalist in the Jazz Ensemble. She hopes to use her dual degree to pursue a hybrid career as a writer for an arts and culture publication while continuing to perform when she can. Looking back on her time at Montevallo, her first concert with the Jazz Ensemble is a standout moment.

“It was the first time I’d never felt stressed being in front of people — not necessarily because I’d prepared that well, but because I knew that everybody in the audience, everyone behind me on stage and my director and my professors were all rooting for me. From that moment forward it was just continuous, and I always feel that support. I’ve never felt more at home.”