Every year, American Idol gives a new season of contestants a shot at stardom, and this season, viewers have seen two ASU alumni on the show — and one of them is still in the running for the big prize.

Brianna Quijada, 23, who graduated in December, auditioned for the show during the summer, but was eliminated during Hollywood Week on Feb. 3.

Scott MacIntyre, 23, who attended ASU at the age of 14 and graduated in 2006, is still in the running to become the next American Idol.

Even though it is not yet determined when MacIntyre will sing next, he is expected to perform either on February 24 or March 3 to see if he’ll get enough votes to move on in the show.

MacIntyre was born almost completely blind, and can only see two degrees of tunnel vision. He auditioned for the show in Phoenix singing “And So It Goes” by Billy Joel.

Julia Strnad, MacIntyre’s cousin, is excited to watch him progress on the show.

“I believe that Scott should win [American Idol], because he would be a true idol that young and old could believe in — a true testament to the fact that with faith and perseverance you can do anything,” Strnad said.  

Friends and family said he has overcome many obstacles and deserves his spot on American Idol. These physical challenges include kidney failure in 2006.

According to Walter Cosand, MacIntyre’s music professor at ASU, MacIntyre had just graduated from ASU and was offered the prestigious Fulbright and Marshall scholarships to study in London when he found out his kidney was failing.  

Cosand said that when he and his family found out about MacIntyre’s health problems, his wife offered to donate a kidney to him.

“My wife Patricia is very generous and very healthy, and she was able to give Scott a kidney at Mayo [Clinic] Hospital in August 2007,” Cosand said. “She continues to be a fan of Scott.”

While MacIntyre was studying at ASU, Cosand said his main task was to coach him and expand his repertoire.

Cosand said he felt reluctant at first to hear MacIntyre play the piano.

“The moment Scott began to play the piano I realized that there was nothing normal about him,” Cosand said. “He had excellent piano training.”

Ashley Cox, 20, is MacIntyre’s neighbor and has heard MacIntyre sing on several occasions. She said MacIntyre’s unique voice is what will carry him far on the show.

“Whenever I heard him sing, there was an emotion that connected with me in his songs that I hadn’t ever felt from music before,” Cox said. “I was captured by the nuances of his voice and the lyrics that he wrote.”

Although Quijada did not run the same luck as MacIntyre, she said she will never forget her American Idol experience.

In her audition, Quijada sang “Let’s Hear it for the Boy” by Denise Williams and made it through to Hollywood, but was eliminated during Hollywood Week.

Simon Cowell told her that she did not have a great voice, but her good personality is what got her through the audition.

“I have never considered myself a great singer, so being in Hollywood, I was so proud of myself for making it that far,” Quijada said in an e-mail.

Quijada said she has been a fan of the show for many years, so auditioning was surreal and nerve-racking.

“I might have came off as a spaz, and the truth is I am just as dorky in real life too,” Quijada said. “It just usually takes people a little more time to realize it. The judges brought it out of me immediately.”

While at ASU, Quijada was part of Farce Side Comedy Hour, a student-run comedy group that performs weekly in the Memorial Union, and Pitchforks, and an a cappella singing group.

Alison Tafel, a theater senior who is also in Farce Side Comedy Hour, said Quijada has a fun personality that came through on the show.

“She is by far the funniest girl I have ever met,” Tafel said. “She was never scared to try anything and her delivery of humor was, for the most part, unmatchable.”

ASU theater professor Pamela Sterling had Quijada in her touring theater class. She said Quijada was always full of spirit, but also very serious about her acting.

Sterling said she sees a bright acting career for Quijada.

“She does have a great talent for acting, for comedy and for bringing out the best in other people,” Sterling said. “I think Brianna has a great future in entertainment, whether it is in theater, film, TV or stand-up comedy.”

Reach the reporter at griselda.nevarez@asu.edu.