NANCY A. REDD ’03 celebrated yesterday with friends in the Cabot House JCR after winning $250,000 on ABC’s ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire.’

Cabot House resident Nancy A. Redd ’03 watched herself earn $250,000 on national television last night on ABC’s “Who Wants to Be A Millionaire: College Edition.”

Although the show was originally taped in December of 2001, the win was kept a secret until the official air date last night.

Redd chose not to step down rather than answer the $500,000 question: “Who donated the money to build the United Nations building in New York City?”

She was allowed to walk away and keep the $250,000 she had accumulated from answering earlier questions correctly.

Redd hosted a shrimp cocktail study break for nearly 40 people in the House’s Junior Common Room to celebrate the win.

House members were active supporters of Redd’s performance. Shortly before she went to tape the show in New York, Redd e-mailed Cabot-Open, the house e-mail list, asking for volunteers to serve as her lifeline.

When a contestant on the show is stumped, the designated lifeline has 30 seconds to help answer the question.

Redd included her entire blocking group as her collective lifeline, which she called on to answer the question, “What body part is an octoscope used to examine?”

Blockmate Meaghan C. Casey ‘03 provided the answer, “Eardrums.”

Redd also had several other lifelines outside Cabot, including her brother and assorted trivia buffs.

Noting that “You can’t prepare for it overnight,” Redd said she prepared for her appearance on the gameshow by reading trivia books and practising her reflexes.

Redd said that she regrets being unable to continue her winning streak.

“It’s sad that I couldn’t answer the $500,000 question because my brother knew the answer.”

Incidentally, John D. Rockefeller donated the money in question.

—Staff writer Jing Lin can be reached at lin4@fas.harvard.edu.