USF Tampa has been hosting annual pageants since 2008, and now USF St. Petersburg will be hosting one of its own with the inaugural Mr. and Ms. USFSP competition.
Melanie Bullock, USFSP assistant director for activities and programs, is serving on this year’s pageant committee.
“Our students are able to participate in the USF pageant and become a title holder over there; however, we thought it would be a unique opportunity for us to have our own title here at USFSP as our university is growing and developing,” said Bullock.
She told The Crow’s Nest the pageant isn’t your typical beauty pageant, but it is done in pageant form.
The application process is now closed and in this year’s pageant there are four students running for Mr. and seven for Ms. The contestants have been practicing multiple times a week for the past two weeks.
Each of the competing students will have a private interview with the five judges, comprising faculty, staff and students. The panel of judges will ask contestants questions based off their resume and platform statement.
“A platform statement is essentially a committee service project or an initiative that they want to lead throughout the year,” said Bullock.
Pageant contestants will compete in various categories, including evening wear, talent, and lifestyle and fitness.
“The whole group is extremely talented,” Bullock said. “It really shows how much hidden talent there is within the USFSP community.”
At the end of the competition, the Mr. and Ms. USFSP will be crowned. The winners will be the ambassadors of their platform for the next school year. Their title will also allow them to implement new ideas on campus and host events.
The pageant will take place in the University Student Center’s ballroom on April 9 from 7-9 p.m. and is free for everyone.
The pageant committee is confident that at least 200 people will attend the event.
Mr. Contestants
- Jordan Palavra
- Alan Mansour
- Victor Sims
- Jonah King
Ms. Contestants
- Justice Thornton
- Ashlyn Bigley
- Catherine Kouretsos
- Arin Hurd
- Taylor Singleton
- Iannah Johnson
- Miriam Jeanlys
