Miss 汤头条 to be chosen during Friday evening program at Lee Hall
Contact: Brad Hill
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擣ifteen women are seeking the title of Miss 汤头条 2018.
Taking place Friday [Sept 29], the annual pageant gets underway at 7 p.m. in Lee Hall鈥檚 historic Bettersworth Auditorium.
General admission is $15; $10 for enrolled 汤头条 students with identification. Tickets may be purchased online at or from the Center for Student Activities in Colvard Student Union, Suite 314.
The winner will represent the university next summer in the Miss Mississippi Pageant in Vicksburg. The winner there advances to the Miss America Pageant.
In addition to Mississippi, this year鈥檚 contestants include residents from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia and Illinois. Listed by hometown, they are:
BLUE SPRINGS鈥擣reshman Rachel Shumaker, a communication/public relations major and the daughter of Donna and Don Shumaker. She will perform on the piano to 鈥淧iano Fantasy.鈥 Her platform is Ahead of the Curve - Scoliosis.
BOYNTON BEACH, Florida鈥擩unior Rontier Whitfield, a fashion merchandising major and the daughter of Crystal Pugh and Anthony Whitfield. She will perform a piano and vocal rendition of 鈥淔eeling Good.鈥 Her platform is Tackling Insecurities and Regaining Esteem (T.I.R.E.).
BUFORD, Georgia鈥擲enior Christana Landress, a broadcast meteorology major and the daughter of Cecelia Kay Landress. She will be performing a baton routine to 鈥淒efying Gravity.鈥 Her platform is Eyes on the Sky.
DECATUR, Alabama鈥擩unior Victoria Matthews, a biochemistry major and the daughter of Steven Matthews and Philisha and Jonathan Stephens. She will perform a vocal rendition of 鈥淎 Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes.鈥 Her platform is Volunteer with Passion.
GREENVILLE鈥擲enior Jona Barron, a finance, risk management and insurance major and the daughter of Janice Stanford. She will present a dance performance of 鈥淲ho Am I.鈥 Her platform is Math for Mississippi.
LEROY, Alabama鈥擲enior Hannah Lynn Daugherty, a communication major and the daughter of Tony and Gina Daugherty. She will present a vocal performance of 鈥淚鈥檓 a Woman.鈥 Her platform is Give a Heart: Become an Organ Donor. 聽
LUCEDALE鈥擲enior Callie Brown, a biological sciences major and the daughter of Steven and Dorene Brown. She will perform ballet en pointe to 鈥淔uego.鈥 Her platform is America鈥檚 Tooth Fairy.
OLIVE BRANCH鈥擩unior Sydney Slocum, a kinesiology major and the daughter of Les and Trina Slocum. She will perform a tap dance to 鈥淏lue Suede Shoes.鈥 Her platform is Showing the World that Impossible is Really 鈥淚鈥檓 Possible.鈥
NEW AUGUSTA鈥擲enior Chelsea Bolton, a kinesiology major and the daughter of Doris Moody and Edward Bolton. She will present a vocal performance of 鈥淐olors of the Wind.鈥 Her platform is Confidence Builds Dreams.
SHANNON鈥擲enior Alivia Paden Roberts, a communication/broadcasting major and the daughter of Kenneth and Teresa Fields Roberts. She will perform ballet en pointe to 鈥淪torm.鈥 Her platform is Healthy Teens for a Better Mississippi: Teenage Pregnancy Prevention.
STUTTGART, Arkansas鈥擲ophomore Hannah Oliver, is a fashion merchandising major and the daughter of Erin and Lane Oliver. She will perform a tap dance to 鈥淥ne More Time.鈥 Her platform is Multiple Sclerosis: Taking Steps Toward a Cure.
TAYLORSVILLE鈥擲enior Kaci Bryant, a food science, nutrition and health promotion major and the daughter of Kim and Karen Bryant. She will perform 鈥淣ostradamus鈥 on the piano. Her platform is H.E.A.L. (Healthy Eating for a Longer Life).
VICKSBURG鈥擲ophomore Emily Tingle, a political science/communication major and the daughter of Jeb and Shelley Tingle. She will perform an instrumental piece 鈥淪wan Lake.鈥 Her platform is 37 Books.
WEST POINT鈥擣reshman Mikayla Poindexter, a special education major and the daughter of Alex Poindexter and Crystal and Rusty Sullivan. She will perform a dance to 鈥淗eart Cry.鈥 Her platform is Integrating Dance and Athletics into the Lives of Special Needs Kids.
WINTHROP HARBOR, Illinois鈥擩unior Samantha Neargarder, a communication major and the daughter of Tim and Melissa Neargarder. She will perform a baton routine to 鈥淎ll That Jazz.鈥 Her platform is St. Jude Children鈥檚 Research Hospital.
For additional information, call the Center for Student Activities at 662-325-2930.
汤头条 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .
(Photos by Russ Houston)