Sacramento State senior Austin Phillips is a semi-finalist for the popular CBS reality show “Survivor,” making him Sac State’s very own prospective prime-time competitor.

The 22-year-old, who is a government and international relations major, resides on campus in Jenkins Hall. He applied to be a “Survivor” contestant in June 2003. Fellow Sac State student Shawn McCain helped Phillips make his application video.

Producers of the show contacted Phillips the following November, at which time season seven was airing, and asked him a series of bold questions.

“They asked me about my night life, whether or not I was a virgin, and if the opportunity arose, if I would have sex with another contestant on the show,” Phillips said.

Phillips was soon notified that he was a semi-finalist and flew to Los Angeles in March to meet with casting directors.

“I went through a very extensive background check,” Phillips said. “I also gave the producers the right to edit footage to depict me anyway they wanted to, whether that is cruel, manipulative, naive or innocent.”

Phillips was eventually invited to be a finalist for the show, but he did not attend for reasons he cannot disclose.

Since he became a semi-finalist for Survivor, Phillips has been invited to participate in other reality shows such as “Living in the City” and “Amazing Race.”

Despite his offers, Phillips is holding out for Survivor. As a semi-finalist, he reserves the right to reapply to be a finalist for a future show. He plans to reapply at the end of the school year for season 11.

“I feel that I’m in better shape and I feel that I would be a better competitor now,” Phillips said. “I think I would be good because I’m very people oriented, trust worthy, a hard worker and I have a strong sense of strategy and endurance.”

Phillips plans to establish himself as an indispensable team player and he has a specific strategy for how he plans to win the game.

“I plan to make alliances with the hot girl cause she always lasts, and the natural leader,” Phillips said. “I plan to stay true to those alliances and vice versa so we can promise each other a place in the final four.”

The hit show has been on air since May 2000, and starting Sept. 16 the show will begin its ninth season.