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28 University ladies will compete for the "Miss UGA" title which serves as a preliminary for the Miss Georgia and Miss America pageants.

Univ. ladies compete for pageant crown

By: TAMARA BEST

Posted: 1/10/08

This Saturday, the University will be in the presence of royalty as 28 ladies grace a SGA-sponsored stage in hopes of becoming Miss University of Georgia 2008.

"Miss UGA is special because she is a well-spoken individual," said pageant coordinator Jerry Anthony. "It is not just a beauty pageant - talent is also important and a large part of the score."

In addition to $2,500 in scholarships and prizes, contestants are also competing for the opportunity to advance to higher levels of competition.

Many of this year's contestants have competed in other pageants prior to Miss UGA.

"My friends and I began competing together, and we are in the pageant together," said Kelli Adams, a sophomore and political science and journalism major from Cadwell.

Contestants take a range of different approaches when preparing for pageants.

"I just look forward to the things that I enjoy the most," said Katherine Durham, a sophomore from Glennville majoring in public relations.

MISS UGA PAGEANT

When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Fine Arts Auditorium
Cost: $8/students, $10/non-students
More Information:
www.uga.edu/campuslife

Latasha Johnson, a second year pre-pharmacy major from South Carolina, wastes no preparation time once enrolled in the pageant lineup.

"I start preparing myself the moment I decide to participate in a pageant," she said.

No stranger to the world of pageants, Johnson has participated in several past competitions, recently being crowned Miss Kappa Alpha Psi 2007 and Miss Junior South Carolina runner-up.

The Miss UGA pageant is much more than a campus wide contest. The competition is an official preliminary pageant for the Miss America organization. Miss UGA 2008 will advance to the Miss Georgia pageant to be held in June, and the winner of that pageant will then represent the state in the 2009 Miss America pageant.

Despite her experience with similar competitions, Johnson admits she still gets butterflies - especially with the high stakes of the Miss UGA competition.

"I think this is the most nervous I have ever been for a pageant, but it is a really good opportunity because I have never been in a Miss America preliminary," she said.

Established in 1921, the Miss America Organization is a civic nonprofit organization. Awarding over $40 million at all three levels of competition, it is the largest private scholarship for women in the country.

Past winners from the University and the state will also make special appearances in the program. Osjha Anderson, Miss Georgia 1999, will serve as the emcee, while Ashley Foster (Miss UGA 2007) and Leah Massee (Miss Georgia 2007) will also make special appearances.