Miss Mississippi College 2015 Pageant Set for January 29

Miss Mississippi College 2015 contestants

Callie May coaches girls gymnastics in her hometown of Madison, aspires to a nursing career and hopes to wear the crown as the 2015 Miss Mississippi College pageant winner.

Pushing recycling on campus as her pageant platform, Callie is among a half-dozen contestants competing for the title at Swor Auditorium. The 7 p.m. event on the Clinton campus is set for the evening of Thursday January 29.

At stake: a $2,000 Mississippi College scholarship, a prize package from local businesses, and the chance to represent the university in several MC events such as the 2015 Homecoming Parade, Spring Scholarship dinner, Who’s Who banquet, Preview Days and next year’s pageant.

A Madison Central High graduate and preschool volunteer at First Baptist Church Jackson, Callie joins five other students showing off their talents, fielding questions during interviews, and trying to impress the judges.

The winner of the title will be a stellar student actively involved in campus life, have a deep love for the Baptist-affiliated university and be committed to the cause of Jesus Christ.

A native of India, Taran Kaur is trumpeting her platform to help MC’s 377 international students adjust to their new campus home in the USA and a different culture.

Her “Break the Border” platform would pair each international student with an American counterpart on the Clinton campus. All MC students, the nursing major says, will benefit by learning more about the globe’s cultures as they forge friendships.

“My message to MC students is that we do not have to spend a lot of money and travel the world to be a light onto others,” Taran says. “We can impact other’s lives by simply being a Godly example and focus on the huge mission fields in our lives such as the international students.”

Born in India, the Madison resident moved to the United States as a young girl. Taran is a Madison Central High graduate and sisterhood chair of the university’s Nenamoosha Social Tribe. Dancing is her talent.

Another Mississippian competing is Sarah Pope of Terry.

“My favorite part (of the pageant) so far has definitely been being able to spend time and bond with the five other contestants,” says Sarah, an elementary education major. “They are simply wonderful and I know our friendships will last past this great opportunity.”

The 20-year-old Hillcrest Christian School graduate sees herself teaching young children in the Clinton Public School District to launch her career.

Music theatre major Kendyll Covington of Pelham, Alabama will promote sexual assault awareness as her platform. It is “a prevalent occurrence among many colleges campuses,” she says.

The Mississippi College sophomore will showcase her singing talents on stage. It’s a good fit with the pageant theme – Rhythm & Blues.

Among the changes for this year’s MC pageant: it is no longer a preliminary to the Miss Mississippi pageant in Vicksburg this summer.

Others competing at the Mississippi College event include junior Ashley Watson of Byram. As her platform, the nursing major and Terry High graduate wants to enhance MC diversity. Her mother is an MC nursing graduate. “I plan to continue the legacy.”

Jessica Atchley, a nursing major from Wetumpka, Alabama, is working on a dramatic monologue as her pageant talent.

In addition to staying busy at endless rehearsals at Swor Auditorium, all six MC women will each raise $100 for the Make a Wish Foundation.

Miss MC Pageant tickets are on sale at $5 in advance and $7 at the door.

For more information, contact Dannie Woods, director of student engagement at 601-925-3830 or drwoods@mc.edu.