The 2013 Miss Ouachita Baptist University Pageant will be held on Saturday, March 2, at 7:30 p.m. in Jones Performing Arts Center on Ouachita’s campus. The 17 women competing for the crown will participate in categories including: talent, evening gown, onstage question, private interview and fitness.
The pageant is a collaborative effort of pageant directors and Ouachita alumni Justin Harper and Kirt Thomas, as well as Ouachita’s Student Senate and Office of Campus Activities.
Miss OBU is part of the Miss America organization and a longstanding tradition at Ouachita that provides scholarship to winning contestants. The Miss America organization “is the No. 1 scholarship provider for women in the United States,” Harper said. “We’re excited about the pageant this year. We’re really excited for the girls who are going to compete.
“The winner of Miss OBU is a representative for Ouachita at the Miss Arkansas Pageant,” Harper added. “Since 2008, Miss OBU has been in the top 15 every year,” including 2011 when Miss OBU Kristen Glover was crowned Miss Arkansas.
This year’s 17 pageant contestants are:
- Lauren Bundy, a junior biology major from Rogers, Ark., representing Dr. Wesley Kluck
- Rachel Chandler, a freshman biology major from Little Rock, Ark., representing EEE Women’s Social Club’s 2013 pledge class
- Sarah Gaskin, a freshman mass communications major from Lawrence, Kan., representing Frances Crawford Residence Hall
- Alison Johnson, a senior musical theatre major from Shreveport, La., representing the Rho Sigma Men’s Social Club
- Micale Kocke, a sophomore biology major from Cabot, Ark., representing EEE Women’s Social Club
- Elizabeth Lawson, a sophomore music education major from Texarkana, Texas, representing Kappa Kappa Psi
- Gracie Lundstrum, a sophomore mass communications and speech communication major from Springdale, Ark., representing Student Senate
- Anna Cathryn Massey, a sophomore biology major from McGehee, Ark., representing EEE Women’s Social Club’s 2012 pledge class
- Paige Onyuru, a sophomore biology and chemistry major from Hot Springs, Ark., representing Beta Beta Men’s Social Club
- Abby Rayfield, a senior communication sciences and disorders and history major from Ashdown, Ark., representing OBU’s chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association
- Caitlin Secrest, a junior vocal performance major from Arkadelphia, Ark., representing EEE Women’s Social Club’s 2011 pledge class
- Perri Snear, a freshman business administration major from Prosper, Texas, representing Tri Chi Women’s Social Club’s 2013 pledge class
- Shelby Sutton, a freshman worship arts major from Little Elm, Texas, representing Chi Delta Women’s Social Club
- Jillian Turner, a sophomore voice and piano major from Fort Worth, Texas, representing Tri Chi Women’s Social Club
- Natalie Whisenant, a senior biology major from Fort Worth, Texas, representing Rho Sigma Men’s Social Club
- Kiley Wright, a senior biology major from Glenwood, Ark., representing EEE Women’s Social Club’s 2010 pledge class
- Kris Wright, a junior pre-nursing major from Glenwood, Ark., representing the OBU Gridiron Girls
Tickets are $11 each for the general public and $6 each for current Ouachita students with a valid OBU ID. Tickets are available at the Jones Performing Arts Center Box Office from 1-5 p.m. weekdays or online at www.obu.edu/boxoffice. For more information, contact the box office during office hours at (870) 245-5563.
