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Seven Southern Miss Students Vie for Miss Mississippi Crown
Seven students from The University of Southern Mississippi are among the 44 contestants vying for the crown of Miss Mississippi, beginning Wednesday, June 22 at the Vicksburg Convention Center. Preliminary rounds for the 2016 Miss Mississippi Pageant will begin at 8 p.m. and continue through Friday, with each contestant group competing in talent, swimwear, eveningwear and an on-stage question.
The top 10 finalists will be announced Saturday, June 25 as they compete in all four categories for the title of Miss Mississippi 2016.
The reigning Miss Mississippi, Hannah Roberts, will crown the new Miss Mississippi in a televised program June 25. Roberts, one of only three students in the state to receive a Goldwater Scholarship in 2013, graduated summa cum laude from Southern Miss in 2015 with a degree in biochemistry and is headed to medical school at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in the fall of 2016.
Roberts is a member of the Southern Miss Student Hall of Fame and a two-time winner of the Miss University of Southern Mississippi Scholarship Pageant, before winning the Miss Mississippi title and Miss America runner-up in 2015.
Southern Miss students participating in the 2016 Miss Mississippi Pageant include:
*Brooke Bullock, Miss Pearl River Valley, a sophomore broadcast journalism major from Petal. She is a Luckyday Scholar serving on the Luckyday Leadership Team. Her activities include Dixie Darling, senator for the Student Government Association, member of Delta Gamma Fraternity, Eagle Connection, president of the Junior Panhellenic Council, and secretary for the College Republicans. Her platform, “#BandedInBlue,” seeks to educate people of all ages about the beneficial presence of law enforcement and their role in society.
*Charli Cubbage, Miss Hattiesburg, a sophomore communications studies major from Lucedale. She is a student in the Honors College where she serves as an ambassador. Her activities include Eagle Connection, Kappa Delta Sorority and Dixie Darling. Her platform is “inSecurely,” which focuses on three main points: “You are Loved,” “You are Valued” and “You are Beautiful.” This platform aims to demolish the insecurities women face every day.
*Bethany Cuevas, Miss Tri-County, a senior child and family studies major from Gulfport. She is a member of Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, the Student Government Association, Southern Connection Student Leadership Team, and representative of the College of Education and Psychology. She has also served on the Southern Miss Mardi Gras Court and the 2014 USM Homecoming Court. Her platform, “Volunteerism: Every Hour Counts,” reflects her passion for volunteerism and motivates others to take an active role in their community.
*Mia Hall, Miss Deep River, a sophomore vocal performance major from Meridian. She is a student in the Honors College and is a Luckyday Scholar. Her platform, Hidden Hunger, seeks to eradicate the number of children suffering from hunger and to raise awareness of childhood hunger within the local communities.
*Michaela Moore, Miss Riverland, a senior vocal performance and public relations major from Biloxi. She is a member of Delta Gamma Sorority, the Leaf Foundation, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Shatter the Silence. She also performs with the Southern Chorale and Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company. Her platform, “Shining a Light on Life: Suicide Prevention and Awareness” has two main purposes: to give help and hope to those in need and to bring awareness to student and community leaders to recognize loneliness and depression in others.
*Regan Ringler, Miss Heart of the South, a sophomore business administration and graphic design major from Clinton. She is a National Honor Society student, a member of Chi Omega Sorority, Volunteer USM and election commissioner for the Student Government Association. Her platform, “Water Safety and Drowning Prevention,” emerged when she witnessed a child almost drowning on her first day of work. The event opened her eyes to the realization that swimming skills are essential to saving someone’s life.
*Macy Mitchell, Miss University of Southern Mississippi, a sophomore communication studies major from Petal. She is a Luckyday Citizenship Scholar, a member of Kappa Delta Sorority, The Legacy, Junior Panhellenic Council, Eagle Connection and the Student Government Association. Her platform, “Crowns for a Cure,” is a pageant inspired by her involvement with Relay for Life and the loss of her grandfather to cancer. This event not only raises money for the American Cancer Society but also raises awareness and encourages youth to become involved in the fight against cancer.
The Saturday evening competition will be televised beginning at 8 p.m. on WDAM in the Pine Belt area and WLOX on the Gulf Coast. The pageant will be live streamed online at www.missmississippipageant.com.
CUTLINE: University of Southern Mississippi students (from left to right) Charli Cubbage, Bethany Cuevas, Michaela Moore, Mia Hall, Brooke Bullock, Regan Ringler and Macy Mitchell gather for the 2016 Miss Mississippi Pageant, which begins tonight, June 22 to 25.
