Shourd wins Miss OBU title, looks toward year of service

BY SYDNI WHITFIELD Staff Writer

There is so much more to the Miss Arkansas Organization than what initially meets the eye. It provides young women with more than just the opportunity to perform on stage, but also a chance to promote a social impact initiative, volunteer for a cause, earn scholarships and practice answering difficult questions with poise and grace. The highly anticipated annual Miss Ouachita Baptist University pageant competition was held on Saturday, Feb. 4. Four girls competed for the title: freshmen Cali Rose Mendonca, Abigail Grace Wood, Savannah Mae Carrigan and sophomore Haley Shourd. Each contestant competed in onstage interview and social impact statement, talent and evening wear. Miss Arkansas 1994 and previous Miss OBU titleholder, Dr. Beth Anne Rankin, emceed the event.

The entertainment was not limited to just the competitors. Current titleholders of other scholarship competitions who attend Ouachita also had the opportunity to shine and show their school pride. A variety of entertainment was performed by titleholders junior Bel Butler, freshman Katy Beth Dunn, sophomore Kensley Flynn and junior Bailey Gibson.

The judges had a hard decision to make based on not only the onstage performances seen by the audience, but also by a private interview witnessed only by the judges. Wood was named first runner-up with an $800 scholarship and Shourd was crowned the new Miss OBU, receiving a $1000 scholarship from Ouachita Baptist University and a $1250 scholarship from the Miss OBU board of directors.

Shourd was showered with love