History
Miss WCU is a community service pageant in which contestants compete in evening wear, interview, talent, and casual wear. It originated in 1999 in the basement of Killinger Hall as a resident hall activity and today it has become a campus wide event with over 1000 people in attendance. The event focuses on service to our community and celebrating school spirit and pride.
To view the early stages of Miss WCU, as well as other information regarding its past, please click on the links below.
Miss Killinger Hall 2000 Miss WCU 2002 Pictures of Miss WCU 2003 Pictures of Miss WCU 2004 Pictures of Miss WCU 2005 Miss WCU 2006 Miss WCU 2007 Miss WCU 2008
Miss WCU – What is it?
The Miss WCU Program is a student-run pageant that is held yearly to recognize the women of WCU in the areas of academics, service, school spirit, talent, leadership, and interview. After an application process, contestants are chosen to compete in the pageant that is held in the Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall of Philips Memorial Building.
The contestants are brought together from all walks of life and form a bond that is unlike any other on our campus as they share their talents, passion for service, and personality. Not only do the contestants benefit, but the people in attendance have a blast as well. Audience members consist of student organizations, residence hall programs, families, WCU Alumni and community members all in attendance to show their support for their contestant. Each year the event grows in size with almost 400 people in attendance last year to see Miss WCU 2004 crowned. Miss WCU provides a positive program on campus that keeps students in a positive setting celebrating community service and WCU Pride.
A Beauty Pageant?
The Miss WCU pageant is not like any other pageant and only shares the common name of pageant with other stereotypical programs. Our program is very unique since the scoring is heavily weighed in the area of interview (40%), which is held much like a job interview for 10 minutes with the panel of judges. The remainder of the scoring consists of talent/free expression (25%), casual wear (15%), evening wear (15%) and on-stage question (5%). All of the on-stage competition is based on personality, confidence, sense of inner-beauty, pride and presentation.
Each contestant chooses a community service platform that they are dedicated to. They are provided opportunities to present their work, ideas and goals to the judges, fellow contestants and audience members thus spreading awareness on their topic. All ticket proceeds are used to advance the new Miss WCU’s platform during her year of service.
History of Miss WCU
The Miss WCU program started as the Miss Killinger Hall Pageant in K-Hall in the Spring of 1999 by Killinger Hall Resident Michael Hartman. The program was backed by the K-Hall RHA and quickly grew into a fun tradition. In 2001, with the support of Marion McKinney and the Residence Life and Housing Department, the program grew into a campus-wide event in Sykes Student Union. In 2002 we moved to our current home in the Asplundh Concert Hall and features over 20 contestants and almost 400 fans each year.
Since our first year of competition, the program has awarded over $15,000 in scholarships and prizes.
Farewell to Miss WCU 04
Although we are excited for Miss WCU 05, it is bittersweet as well to say farewell to Liz Seymour – Miss WCU 04. Liz made her mark on our campus and community with her dedication to the title and her platform of “Smoking Education”. Her year has been full of speaking engagements, parades, appearances on and off campus, and many more events. Here are just a few of the events Liz attended during her reign of service.
· Run For Brianne – A Fundraising Run for the Brianne Carter Scholarship Fund
· Kennett Square Mushroom Festival
· Miss PA Teen Pageant – Guest Performer
· WC Halloween Parade
· WC Area School District
· Girl Scouts of America – Guest Speaker and Role Model
· Philadelphia Saint Patrick’s Day Parade
· Performer of the National Anthem for WCU Home Games
· WCU Children’s Center
· WC Public Library
· WC Old Fashion Christmas
· SAC Karaoke Contest – Guest Judge
· Downingtown Holiday Parade
· Information helping students to quit smoking at Sykes Student Union
· Judge for Depher Dude
Announcing Our 2005 Contestants:
After our biggest application process to date, the contestants have been selected and have begun preparation for the 2005 competition. Here are our 2005 contestants. Each contestant was asked why they choose their platform. Their dedication and passion for their cause is fantastic and inspiring!
Contestant 1: Tiffany Boyle Platform: “Anorexia Nervosa”
“The percentage of college females with an eating disorder has increased. Physical appearance is a growing concern among female college students. Sex appeal in the media and pressure to look good, influence women to go through drastic and harmful changes in order to live up to the expectations. Anorexia Nervosa is a serious eating disorder that females need to know about and need to be able to have the resources to get help.”
Contestant 2: Emily MacInnes Platform: “Children’s Hospitals”
“I was struck by this charity event at a children’s hospital a couple of years ago. The children were so brave and they were going through such a traumatic experience that I’ve take an immense interest in the philanthropy.”
Contestant 3: Rose Malloy Platform: “Saving the Arts in Schools”
“Being a Music Educator Major, I am worried at the numerous schools that are cutting school arts’ programs. Maintaining solid arts’ programs is something I care deeply about.”
Contestant 4: Elizabeth Pacelli Platform: “Breast Cancer Awareness”
“I hope to continue the increasing interest of Breast Cancer Awareness so that detection of this disease can be found while in its early stages.”
Contestant 5: Sarah Connors Platform: “The Dangers of Driving Drunk”
“Driving drunk is a huge problem especially on college campuses and in college towns that get overlooked very easily. People need to realize how disastrous the results of driving drunk can be. It is so easy to correct this problem with simple responsibility”
Contestant 6: Adria Eichner Platform: “Mental Health Awareness”
“I believe many WCU Students suffer in silence from mental disorders from depression to eating problems. I have lived with OCD for many years, and I believe I have gotten stronger because of my experiences and can inspire other students to seek help and gain strength.”
Contestant 7: Tracie Hamill Platform: “The Committee to Benefit Children” (CBC)
“The CBC raises money and plans events throughout the year for children with severe blood diseases and/or cancer. They interact with the children which I feel is more important than just giving them money.”
Contestant 8: Christy Terefenko Platform: “Music Education In Schools”
“I’m surrounded by music all day and it makes me feel grateful for what I have. I want to bring music into children’s lives that are not as fortunate as I am. Everyone should be able to experience how music can change their lives.”
Contestant 9: April Halligan Platform: “Awareness of Multiple Sclerosis”
“My mother has been affected with this disease for the past 15 years. I have seen the daily struggle of her and many others who have this horrific disease. This has impacted my life a great deal and I want to make others aware of the effects it can have.”
Contestant 10: Marlaina Geffers Platform: “Inspiring Women Leaders of Tomorrow”
“This past summer I had the opportunity to attend the State System of Higher Education Women’s Leadership Institute. While there I met a diverse group of women from across the state. It was seeing them and what being a woman meant inspired me to share what it means for me to be a woman. I want other women to have the opportunity to come together and share their beliefs, ideas, and dreams in every aspect of life. Right now I am planning a women’s leadership conference to take place here at WCU. I want other women to have the opportunity to really figure out how they as individuals fit into the definition of being a woman and a feminist in both their own terms and life.”
Contestant 11: Jennifer Jacobs Platform: “Higher Education Assistance”
“College should be an option for everyone. I hope that I can help raise the number of students gaining the assistance they need to attend college and pursue their goals/dreams without the stress of financial issues.”
Contestant 12: Alison Balestra Platform: “Breast Cancer Foundation”
“After seeing my grandmother go through a mastectomy and deal with breast cancer I decided to fight this disease. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women and so I believe this foundation is extremely important”
Contestant 13: Sara Moran Platform: “Prevention and Awareness of Eating Disorders”
“I am a survivor and still recovering from anorexia. I have seen/still see the behind the scenes look of an eating disorder. I have a passion for helping others through my story, and I hope to expose the lies and misconceptions of this disorder.”
Contestant 14: Melody Pierce Platform: “VHI Save the Music Foundation”
“For me, true music involvement was founded in the education system. It has been such an important part of my life that to think there is a possibility some kids won’t have the same opportunity to experience in their education is a crime.”
Contestant 15: Monica Hackett Platform: “Diabetes Awareness”
“I chose this as my platform because my father suffers from diabetes and it is a disease growing in the African American communities. I hope to bring awareness and provide the necessary education about this disease to the WCU community.
Contestant 16: Natasha Suszko Platform: “Supporting Military Troops and their Family”
“I come from an Air Force family and know what it’s like to have a family member overseas. My mother was sent overseas and it was a really emotional time for my family and I. I want to be there for other military families dealing with loved ones at war and to get the community involved in supporting our troops.”
Contestant 17: Amy Jean Rae Platform: “Encouraging Involvement”
“I have personally enjoyed the learning experiences that on-campus involvement has brought to me and I feel other WCU students need to know what they’re missing! Organizations on campus are far from exclusive and really provide a well-rounded college education”
Contestant 18: Meredith Wittman Platform: “Healing the Children: Children Receiving
Medical Attention in 3rd World Countries”
“I got involved in ‘Healing the Children’ in my Junior year of high school. I single-handedly organized a drive of needed items for the trips abroad that provided medical attention. This past September, I was invited to travel to El Salvador with a team to assist on the mission. It was an amazing experience and I am now a member of the core team that will be traveling back.”
Contestant 19: Holly Russell Platform: “Drinking and Driving”
“Being responsible and not driving while under the influence is one of the easiest ways to prevent deaths in our country. College students, in particular, need to be aware of their actions while consuming alcohol and the choices they make”
Our 2005 Judges:
The 2005 judges are extremely accomplished and each brings their own expertise to the Miss WCU Judging Panel.
Community service is a passion that occupies much of her spare time; she is involved on the local, state and national level of many civic and charitable organizations. Most recently she was appointed to serve as an Advisory Board Member for the “President’s Student Service Award Campaign”, a national program designed by President Geo. W. Bush in 2001 to encourage millions of young Americans to participate in volunteer community service. The program is supported by the Points of Light Foundation and Youth Service America.
Candy resides in Galloway, NJ with her husband, Ben. They have four children and two beautiful grandchildren. Her hobbies include scrap-booking, enjoying the outdoors, spending time with her grandchildren and serving as a “rescue home” for feral cats.
Beth Leska - Mrs. New Jersey United States 2004, is a Vice President at Wachovia Wealth Management and is a 1985 graduate of West Chester University with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education. She also holds a Master’s degree in Psychiatric Rehabilitation from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. A multi-faceted woman, Beth has been a flutist, ballet dancer, and member of an award-winning Drum and Bugle Corps. She has also served both her community and her country as Chairperson of the West Chester University School of Music Advisory Board and a Military Police Officer in the United States Army.
Beth has recently taken on a new role as co-author of a bill sponsored by New Jersey State Senator Nicholas Asselta, to be voted on by the New Jersey State Legislature, which creates a Public Education Nutrition and Fitness Commission, whose goal is to ensure the ongoing health of our children.
In addition, Beth competed on August 5, 2004 in Las Vegas, for the National Crown of Mrs. United States 2004 and was awarded the Community Service Award in recognition of her platform, “Combating Childhood Obesity”.
Diera Shaw - of Philadelphia is a 23-year-old graduate student at La Salle University pursuing a Master’s degree in Professional Communication, and currently works as a graduate residence coordinator at Philadelphia University. She is a native of Jersey City, NJ, and in 2003 graduated cum laude from Seton Hall University with a B.A. in Communication and Political Science. In September 2005, she plans to enroll at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University to pursue a second graduate degree in Integrated Marketing Communication. Her aspiration is to own a public relations firm.
Diera is a trained workshop facilitator for the National Coalition Building Institute, an international non-profit leadership training organization that endeavors to help communities deal with issues of prejudice and intergroup conflict. She is dedicated to promoting NCBI through her platform, P.R.I.D.E.: Proactively Reducing Intolerance through Diversity Education, which promotes diversity education with the ultimate goal of ending discrimination.
Diera has a successful past in pageants and is currently Miss Susquehanna PA which enables her to compete for Miss PA this July. Diera is a former runner up, talent and swimsuit winner at Miss New Jersey, as well as the first runner up in the National Miss Sweetheart Pageant where she represented the State of NJ. Her loves in life are dancing, cooking, and collecting Winnie the Pooh paraphernalia.
Erin Williams' pageant career began at the age of 14 when she competed in the America Jr. National Teenager pageant in Nashville, TN where she placed in the Top Ten and won the National Talent Award. Five years later, in 2003, Erin found herself at the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City as Miss Delaware 2003. Having recently finished her year of service in June, Erin is readjusting to normal life at the University of Delaware where she is an English Education major with a minor in Applied Voice. Erin has studied both piano and voice for ten years and was recently named the "Official Recruiter" for the Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization. Erin is excited to be on tonight's judging panel.
Partnership with the Girl Scouts of America:
This year we are excited to team up with area Girl Scouts by offering them a special discounted rate so that their troops can attend the 2005 pageant and meet the contestants. We are excited and hope that the Girl Scouts leave inspired by our accomplished contestants and look to them as role models.
Full Scale Production and the Return of our Former Titleholders:
The Miss WCU pageant serves as a great form of entertainment as we put on a full scale production. This year we are going with a Broadway theme in honor of our current Miss WCU’s involvement in musical theatre. The show will consist of 2 major production numbers, and
we are excited to have the 6 former/current Miss WCU Titleholders return to the Asplundh Stage to perform “The Cell Block Tango” from Chicago together! We are excited to have Bridget Cook who graduated last year return as our Stage Manager.
Miss WCU Fan Club
The Miss WCU Scholarship Pageant is based on donations by WCU Organizations, Offices and outside “fans” of the pageant. The 2005 Fan Club Fundraiser has been successful and is ongoing. We are always looking for more “fans” to join our club by donating to the Miss WCU Pageant. “Fans” receive complimentary tickets to the pageant, and publicity in the program and on the website. Contact us if you would like join the fan club. Donations of any size are welcomed.
Miss WCU Fan Club Levels
Supporter - $10 - $20
Purple Sponsor - $50
Gold Sponsor - $75
Crown Sponsor - $100 or more
Contact us with questions and/or ticket reservations at misswestchesteruniv@yahoo.com