Thursday night eight women will be competing for the title of Miss MSU, the chance to represent the university in the Miss Mississippi Pageant in June and, ultimately, the chance to compete in the Miss America Pageant.
The Miss MSU pageant will be at 7 p.m. in The Colvard Union Ballroom.
Miss MSU holds her title for one year and represents the university in many areas.
“We are looking for someone who can meet with prospective students, be a hostess for events and represent our school in the Miss Mississippi pageant,” Roseanne Hilbun, pageant director, said.
Pageant judges will decide the winner based on evening wear, talent and a swimwear section.
The contestants will also participate in a personal interview segment before the pageant.
“In the past, the most important part was talent, but now the interview is worth the most,” Hilbun said. “The interview is the most important part because that is what Miss MSU will do throughout the year.”
In the interview, judges will talk with every contestant extensively. They mainly discuss a platform issue that contestants choose prior to the pageant.
“Each person has chosen a platform issue to promote that they feel strongly about,” Hilbun said.
Both the Miss MSU pageant and the Miss Mississippi pageants give contestants opportunities to win scholarships.
Miss MSU will receive a $1,000 scholarship sponsored by the Student Association, and the runners up will each receive a smaller amount.
The Miss Mississippi pageant offers the contestant selected Miss MSU a shot at receiving more scholarships.
“At the Miss Mississippi Pageant, more than one million dollars in scholarships are given every year,” Hilbun said.
Jessica Sparks, Miss MSU 2003, received $9,000 in scholarships last year at the Miss Mississippi pageant.
Sparks graduated from MSU in May and is now a first year medical student at Vanderbilt. Sparks will return this week to crown the new Miss MSU.
Sparks said that the title helped her to get into medical school.
“I would not have the confidence, but the pageant helped me to gain it,” Sparks said. “They really respected the title at Vanderbilt.”
Sparks said that the weight of the title is not the only benefit of participating in the pageant.
“It was a fun experience,” Sparks said. “We had so much fun together that the competition was secondary. Mississippi State girls are the best in the country, and I feel honored to represent the best university in the country.”