Sixty-five contestants competed for the title of 2006-2007 Miss Maroon and White Thursday.
Presented by the Campus Activities Board, the Miss Maroon and White Pageant was held at the Humphrey Coliseum at 7 p.m.
Hank Flick, communications professor and one of the pageant’s emcees, welcomed the friends and families who had come to support the contestants. He reminded the audience that each human life is something special and that this pageant helps acknowledge and celebrate life and the beautiful things about it.
The contestants, ranging from freshmen to seniors, paraded onto the stage in groups of 10. Each girl announced her name, major and hometown, then took a brief walk around the stage for the judges.
The five judges looked at the beauty and poise of all contestants. Earlier in the day, the panel interviewed each girl for a few minutes to see how each handled questions and to test their knowledge of her major.
After intermission, Flick and Miss Maroon and White 2005-2006 Delcenia Collins announced the contestants moving into the top 30.
Each of these girls walked around the stage again as her name, parents’ names, hometown, class and school activities were read.
While the judges deliberated over whom to advance to the top 15, the Rhythm Elite from Dancing Feet Academy and MSU Idol Melanie Pugh entertained the audience.
Flick and Collins revealed the top 15 after the entertainment. Miss Mississippi 2006 Taryn Foshee, a senior at Mississippi State, came on stage to direct the on stage question portion of the pageant.
Before the pageant, each girl submitted one question to go into the bank for this segment of the pageant. After being called up by Foshee, each girl drew a question from the bowl, and Foshee read it aloud. The questions ranged from “How did you choose your major?” to “Are you a good team player and what makes a good team player?”
While the judges decided on the four beauties, the next Miss Maroon and White and the winners of two other awards, Pugh and Rhythm Elite performed the song “Like We Never Loved At All” and the dance routine “Pulse,” respectively.
Junior Jennifer Greer was chosen as Miss Photogenic by the judges. Greer and the others had photos taken by the school’s photographer before the pageant.
These photos were displayed on the screen during portions of the pageant and were printed in the pageant booklets.
Senior Daphne Robertson won the Spirit of Miss Maroon and White for showing her enthusiasm for the program by obtaining the most sponsorships.
The judges selected freshman Natalie Bullard, freshman Danielle Smith, junior Sara Powers and sophomore Lindsey Russell as the four beauties. Sophomore Lauren Cobb was crowned Miss Maroon and White 2006-2007.
Cobb, a Starkville native, participated in the pageant “just for fun.” While she was a part of the Starkville Junior Miss Scholarship program, this was her first actual pageant. She had heard positive feedback about the Miss Maroon and White Pageant from past participants, so she thought it would be a good experience.
Cobb is majoring in international business with a Spanish focus. She is on the Pom Squad, is an MSU Diamond Girl and is active with the University Student Christian Center and her sorority, Phi Mu.
Fashion merchandising is Powers’ major. She is a Roadrunner and Phi Mu, and a member of the MSU Fashion Board, Campus Crusade for Christ and Fashion Focus. The most nerve-wracking part of the pageant for her was making the top 15 because of the on-stage question. She did pageants in high school and at a community college and was also a beauty in last year’s pageant.
Russell, majoring in political science, enjoys challenges and knew the pageant would be a good challenge for her to try. She enjoyed meeting others girls and getting dressed up for the pageant but noted that the hardest part was waiting backstage wondering if she would be called.
Cobb thought that the experience was very exciting and rewarding, and she appreciated the support from the crowd.
“I really was just very shocked, and I was very honored,” she said. “I’m looking forward to representing Mississippi State University, and I will do the best job that I can.”