A lively audience was treated to the words, talents and leadership ideals of contestants Thursday night in the annual Mr. and Miss Black MSU Scholarship pageant.
The pageant, organized by the Black Student Alliance, featured six MSU students drawn from a pool of applicants to compete for a $500 scholarship in the form of book vouchers. It seeks a young man and woman who strive to uplift the community and who excel academically and socially.
“Because I have experience with this, I decided to take it on and lead it and be an advocate for future leaders to come,” previous Mr. Black MSU and journalism junior Rashad Timmons said.
Timmons became a part of Black Student Alliance after winning the pageant in 2012.
“It’s more about building leadership within our youth,” Timmons said. “Everybody that’s gonna be out there participating on that stage tonight was courageous and ambitious enough to step up as a leader.”
Contestants were dressed in their best clothes to deliver their individual stories of triumph, perseverance and success against odds that could have left them hampered.
The theme of this year’s pageant, entitled “If I Ruled the World,” encouraged contestants to share their highest reaching goals and how they got to be the person they are today. They were also asked to demonstrate their goals through their talents.
The pageant drew a large crowd of friends, family and supportive students of many races.
Supply chain management freshman Morgan Bates said she attended the event to support a friend who was competing, but she appreciated the multiple messages given by the contestants.
“They’re showing black people in a positive light,” Bates said.
Some students were surprised to hear the words the contestants presented. Advertising junior Rachel Love said she was brought along to the pageant by a friend and, without knowing what to expect, took away a positive and promising piece of advice given by one female contestant.
“Using your circumstances to better yourself and not making excuses,” Love said of contestant and political science and African studies junior Tamya McGee’s message.
Although they came to support the future leaders and faces of the black community at MSU, the audience can take home more than the moving performances.
“Many of the people in the audience are already leaders in their own right just by being at Michigan State University,” Timmons said.
