Eleven students will compete for the title of Miss MSU at 7 p.m. Friday in The Union Ballroom.
The Miss MSU 2005 Scholarship Pageant is a preliminary pageant for Miss Mississippi, part of the Miss America Pageant program, said Jennifer Glaze, director of Student Activities for the Student Association.
“The girls will participate in an interview before the pageant as well as on stage, and they participate in evening wear, talent and swimsuit,” Glaze said. “This year, we’ll have a casual wear segment, but it won’t be judged.”
The casual wear pageant is included in order to prepare contestants for the casual wear competition that will be judged at the Miss Mississippi pageant, she added.
“The winner of the pageant will represent MSU on a social level. They’ll participate in parades as well as groundbreaking events, so we really want her to be qualified and to be a leader,” Glaze said.
For the first time this year, Miss MSU will have a place on the Student Executive Council, the advisory council of student leaders on the MSU campus that meets with the SA president to discuss issues concerning MSU students.
“Hopefully that will inform her more about current events at the university,” Glaze said.
“We have women who are first semester freshmen and in their first semester of graduate school,” said Heidie Lindsey, assistant director of Student Life, who is directing the pageant. “We have a wide range of ages, a wide range of majors, and a wide range of talents,” she added.
“We want a well-rounded woman for this position. The interview is the most important part,” Glaze said. “We want the girls to be knowledgeable about current events and to have an opinion.”
This year’s pageant will have a Hollywood theme, Glaze said.
“We’ll be giving away popcorn and really try to incorporate the theme into the program,” she said.
The theme will be carried out through the music, the set and the production numbers, Lindsey said. “It’s going to be really fun. We’re even going to have a red carpet to roll out for the girls to walk on at one point.”
The Pom Squad will perform the opening number. Additionally, Bully and Belle, the MSU mascots, will perform a skit.
“Anybody can come to the pageant,” Glaze said. “Tickets are $5. You can buy them at the door.”
“We’re very excited about this,” she added. “We hope everyone will want to come.”
The current Miss MSU, Brittainy Childers, said holding the title is one of the biggest honors to have, especially going on to the Miss Mississippi pageant.
“It was a good opportunity to meet a lot of people on campus especially,” she said.
The Miss Mississippi pageant will be held in June 2005 in Vicksburg.