“The Presidential Sweet,” the Miss Kappa Xi Scholarship pageant began around 7:11 p.m. in Witherspoon Cinema Wednesday, Jan. 28. Also known as the Miss Diamond Scholarship pageant, it is an opportunity for young women to introduce their talents to individuals in their own creative way. The five contestants were introduced to the audience with the song “Diva,” by Beyonce, playing loudly in the background. They all came strutting their stuff in stylish black dresses-exemplifying their diva demeanors. The combination of beauty, brains, and personality shined as brightly as a diamond for all of the N.C. State world to gaze and value.
The lovely and wonderful five contestants were as follows: Maritza T. Adonis, a political science major, Danielle Maness, who is a pre-med/psychology major, Ashley Mills and Nicole Murphy, who are both media communication majors, and Meishca Williams, who is an agricultural business management major. The ladies went on to compete in three critical events: swimsuit, business portfolio, and evening gown. The swimsuit portion displayed the physical and dynamic beauty that these, and all women, possess. The business portfolio showed the example of the woman as an independent, hard-working, and constant mover/shaker in the world. Finally, the evening gown portion displayed pure elegance, confidence, and a royal demeanor that is within the soul of a woman. Overall, the contestants did a wonderful job despite minor technical difficulties that went on throughout the night. They all brought something to the stage and displayed their talents and aspirations with a sense of poise, beauty, and grace. These girls have big dreams to be great people in the world- doctors, lawyers, dance choreographers, talk-show hosts, and reporters, and by what they showed, they will succeed in all that they put their minds to.
After a long evening of smiling in front of the judges, the contestants stood on stage awaiting the crowning of Miss Kappa Xi. The contestants, who are all winners, received a special title. Maritza Adonis won Miss Intellect, while Nicole Murphy won Miss Congeniality. Second runner up went to Meishca Williams; first runner up went to Danielle Maness, and Ashley Mills was crowned Miss Kappa Xi 2009.
The audience seemed to enjoy the pageant, despite its length. Shaniguel Williams, a freshman in biological sciences said, “I think the pageant was an overall success. It did a great job of showing the talents, interests, and career goals of some young women.”
Keyuntae Ward, a sophomore in communication media, said, “I thought the pageant was definitely a great event. The girls looked radiant, and the talents were phenomenal. Minus the technical difficulties, it was great!”
Second runner up, Meishca Williams, talked about her pageant experience after the awards ceremony. “It was a wonderful experience for me; I am glad I got the opportunity to participate and meet new people. The Kappas made the experience very family-oriented, and I made new friendships with people that I would not have met otherwise. They made the pageant an enjoyable experience on and off the stage.”
Jeremy Currence, a freshman in engineering, had something to say about all aspects of the pageant, including the complaints made about the technical difficulties, “I think the pageant was a good start for Kappa Alpha Psi. They probably learned more about having a formal show tonight than they ever could have if the show went perfectly. Rome wasn’t built in a day and it all takes time for things to improve and get better. You know you only get one chance to impress your peers- it is a selfless task because if it goes perfect nobody notices, and if it is a catastrophe, everyone is a critic. No one ever says, “Well at least the speakers were working or at least the air conditioning was on”-but as soon as it gets hot or the music stops, everybody wants their measly five dollars back.
All in all, the Miss Diamond Scholarship Pageant was a great event and display of dynamic young women with phenomenal talents and aspirations. It just comes to show that diamonds are not just a girl’s best friend, but a best friend to any who come in contact.
