An Iowa State Cyclone will soon appear in a television commercial. And it’s not Troy Davis.

Zondra Hughes, a graduate student in journalism and mass communication, will soon appear in an Iowa Lottery commercial.

Hughes received a call on Wednesday from Avant Studios in Des Moines and was told she had been chosen to appear in the commercial, which was shot the same day.

The purpose of the commercial was to tout the Iowa Lottery’s newest scratch ticket, “Jacks or Better.”

Bev Opie, marketing director for the Iowa Lottery, said the commercial is being filmed over two days at several locations.

Opie said the theme of the new ticket is: “A new way to play poker.”

In the commercial, Hughes, with two other people, sat under hair dryers in a styling salon and scratched their lottery tickets. They all had to yell, “I won! I won!” over and over. Hughes said the commercial was trying to convey the fact that “you can win anywhere.”

Hughes was picked for the commercial because she is involved in the Avant Studios Today’s Woman modeling class.

Stephanie Christy, the agency director for Avant Studios, said the class is a self-improvement program that trains people who are interested in getting into the industry.

Christy said the 14-week class deals with updating hairstyles, applying make-up, acting for the camera and runway training, as well as recommending good toning exercises.

“I’m taking the class because I’m in journalism,” Hughes said. “It teaches you how to apply make-up, how to walk and how to portray a positive image.

“We’re just building a better image of ourselves and boosting our self esteem.”

Hughes is taking the class with 11 other women who range in age from 22 to 60. She said the women in the class are not expected to become models.

Christy said Hughes was picked for the commercial because she fit the criteria the Iowa Lottery was looking for in this particular spot.

As for the commercial, Hughes said, “It’s not glamourous at all. You have to wear twice the make-up you usually wear.” Hughes added she hated wearing make-up.

“It’s a learning experience, but it’s too superficial,” she said. “I couldn’t do it all the time.”

The television commercial will air on WOI and WHO as soon as possible, maybe as early as next week.

Hughes plans to graduate in December, and in January she will be doing an internship for the Jenny Jones show in Chicago.

“My dream job is to work for CNN Headline News,” Hughes said. She hopes to accomplish that goal in ten years.