Miss NGU 2018: Behind the Pageant
Whitley Bras, Staff Writer
Pictured above is the winner of The Miss NGU 2018 contest, Hannah Pearson. Photo Courtesy of Hannah Pearson
This year’s Miss NGU winner was Hannah Pearson, who is a freshman broadcast media major from Simpsonville, South Carolina. Pearson is part of the cheer team at North Greenville University and enjoys cheering for our sports teams.
Pearson expressed her love of the community at North Greenville which she explains is very special, “I love everyone around it [NGU] and how loving and caring everyone is.” Although the contestants participated in the pageant for different reasons they all wanted to showcase their talents to others around them. Hannah explained how her mother was able to give her the confidence to do Miss NGU which proved helpful.
Miss NGU 2018 was hosted in the Turner Chapel on Friday, January 12. There were 12 students who participated in the pageant including Hannah Pearson, Ashley Campbell, Paola Martz, Briana Mann, Faith Yeargin, Chaffee Thompson, Jana Sanders, Ciera Hedrick, Tysonna Hutchinson, Madison Morehead, Harleigh Morrissey, and Megan Patterson.
Each contestant had to complete a private interview, physical fitness test, and during the pageant, they had to perform a talent, evening gown, and on-stage questions. The Miss North Greenville University Pageant is also a local preliminary for the Miss South Carolina Pageant. The first runner-up was Ashley Campbell, a Junior early childhood education major from Moore, South Carolina. She described Miss NGU as “an amazing organization that encourages women to be confident in who they are and who God has made them to be.”
The most exciting aspect of the pageant for both the audience and the contestants was the talent section. Each participant was able to display their individual strengths.
Ashley Campbell the runner-up and winner of the talent section demonstrated her advanced musicianship by playing a solo on the flute.
The winner, Hannah Pearson performed a lyrical dance because she has been dancing since she was a young child. Pearson explained that talent was her most memorable experience during the pageant because she was able to “see everyone’s talent and see how throughout each talent each girl praised God.”
The Miss NGU pageant gives female students the ability to express themselves and share their capabilities with other students and adults that also have a passion for North Greenville University. Hannah’s advice is that “It’s something to get out of your comfort zone and it’s a great experience and a great way to develop self-confidence and honestly it’s a good way to build friendships.”
The interests of the contestants are also able to show through when they are able to share their platform and discuss organizations that they support.
Ashley Campbell explains her platform for Miss NGU is an organization known as Urban Hope which is located in downtown Spartanburg. This organization works with inner-city children and students. Campbell explains, “we are able to pour truth and life of Jesus into these students, and I’m so thankful I get to be a part of something so incredible.”
Hannah Pearson also has an organization that she is passionate about known as Backpack Blessings, which she got interested in because her mother is a teacher. Pearson explains how this organization helps give children backpacks to take home over the weekend that are filled with non-perishable food items. This allows the children to stay nourished over the weekend so that can come back energized and ready to learn the following week. As a Christian University support of these organizations is so vital when it comes to sharing the news of Christ with others and showing the world the love of Jesus.
Each of the twelve contestants were able to gain experience and friendships through participating in this process. Pearson is overjoyed at the friendships she has made and the ability to showcase her talents for the glory of God. She expresses that she is “happy to be Miss North Greenville and is ready to take it on and represent this school.”
