The Patriot

Issue date: 4/14/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Special to The Patriot Miss FMU, Lauren Benton, center, stands with first runner-up Nikki Driggers, left, and Miss Congeniality Brandi Beckett, right.

Lauren Benton, junior, recently was named winner of the annual Miss FMU Pageant, which was themed "Simple Elegance."

"I had no idea who was going to place or win because everyone presented themselves so well and answered their onstage questions so wonderfully," Benton said. "I was so appreciative and honored that the judges thought I could represent FMU on a public level."

Cheri Richardson, assistant dean of students, said the theme was different this year.

"In years past, it was titled 'City Lights, Carolina Nights,' but (this year) we wanted to give the girls an opportunity to show their creativity and show a side that other people wouldn't normally see in class," Richardson said.

Nikki Driggers, junior, finished as first runner-up. Brandi Beckett, junior, was named second runner-up and also won the Miss Congeniality award.

"The purpose of the pageant is to give the opportunity to a female FMU student to step forward and be recognized for their academic as well as campus involvement," Richardson said.

Contestants were judged on their formalwear and casualwear as well as their ability to answer questions asked by judges, which focused on a variety of topics.

"(The girls) don't see the questions beforehand," Richardson said. "Judges come up with questions before the show, the contestant pulls a judges name and that judge will ask her question during the show."

Instead of the traditional swimsuit section, the contestants participated in a casualwear segment, which showcased each contestant in their "little black dresses."

Darryl Bridges, vice president of student affairs, said the pageant promoted class, intelligence and well-rounded young women.

"It's not a high-pressure competition - it's fun," Bridges said. "You get to see students who love being a Patriot and want to share that with other people. It's classy and shows that to be in a pageant you don't have to be a size zero beauty queen who has done pageants before."

Although the winner doesn't receive a scholarship or monetary prize, she is given the opportunity to help make a difference in the Florence community, Beckett said.

"One of my main goals as Miss FMU is to get more people involved in volunteering in the Florence area for organizations like Relay for Life, The Children's Miracle Network, Habitat For Humanity, the Humane Society and so many other organizations that could benefit from a few more helpers," Beckett said.

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