July 17,2008
SAN DIEGO, Calif.
Sydney Bessler
Flannery O'Connor, 28-year-old UCSD graduate student, won $75 million in the California Super Lotto this week. She purchased the lucky ticket at the 7-11 store in Del Mar on July 7. O’Con[n]or discovered that she won when she was watching the news a few days later.
The $75 million was paid in full with only $50,000 taken out in taxes. What will she do with all that money? She plans to take her mom on a trip to Italy. Her long-term plans include starting a rock and roll camp for girls in Bloomington, Ind. “I am really excited about this. I see the change I want to make in the world. That’s the best way I can spend my fortune,” says O’Connor.
Instead of a quick pick, O' Connor personally chose the winning numbers. They had some significance to her: three and seven are her favorite numbers, 17 is her mom’s birthday, 25 is her dad’s birthday and 57 is her mom’s age. “I never play the lottery. It was a total fluke,” says the beaming winner.
O'Connor's interest in rock and roll started when she attended Indiana University in Bloomington. She sang and played keyboard for about five rock bands throughout college. She now studies musical subcultures at UCSD and plans to complete her Ph.D. O’Connor is also a teacher’s assistant in UCSD’s Communication department.
She would like to stay at UCSD for one more year and then move to Indiana to start the camp. In Indiana, she will buy two houses with big basements for rock concerts.
Within the first six days of her new found fortune, O'Connor has only spent $500. Her family and friends are excited for her and the rock camp plans.
