David Nikithser

David Nikithser, a computer information systems major in Rider University’s College of Continuing Studies, won a grand total of $46,799 on “Jeopardy,” which aired July 12.

He experienced a dream come true on one of his favorite shows. Since age 10 in 1984, Nikithser has been hooked on “Jeopardy.” To tackle a bout of insomnia that year, he watched television during the wee hours of the morning. “Trivia has always been a hobby of mine, for reasons I can’t really explain,” said Nikithser. “I’ve got a pretty decent memory for things like dates and historical facts, and I have an almost insatiable curiosity about everything. I think those two qualities together are what creates the average ‘trivia buff.’”

Hearing about a local call for contestants last year, Nikithser auditioned at a contestant search in Philadelphia in June of 2005. During the first round, he had to answer a 50-question test to determine if he could play the “mock game.”

Nikithser was thrilled to receive news that he made the cut. He recently flew out to Culver City, CA, to tape the show at Sony Pictures Studios. “Right after I got the invitation, I felt this immediate nervous excitement. When I got to the airport, it turned into terror. I was petrified that I might freeze up or pass out or something. When I got to the studio, it became panic. But oddly, when they picked my name and I stepped onto the stage, I began to feel really calm. This was the moment I had waited about 20 years for and I decided to enjoy it. I just decided I was going to have fun.”

That, in fact, is the way Nikithser approaches life at Rider and work as a project manager at New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Group in West Trenton. He has excelled at Rider, making the dean’s list for the past two semesters. “Everyone I’ve had the pleasure of working with – professors, students, administrators – has been great,” he said.