Released January 20, 2005

HATTIESBURG -- Nine students at The University of Southern Mississippi students will compete Saturday, Jan. 29, for the title of Miss University of Southern Mississippi, during the 2005 Miss University of Southern Mississippi Scholarship Pageant, formerly the Miss Southern Pageant, on the Hattiesburg campus.

The winner of the event, to be held at the Mannoni Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m., will earn a chance to compete in the Miss Mississippi Pageant in July. Tickets are $7 each and can be purchased by calling the Southern Miss Ticket Office at (601) 266-5418 or (800) 844-8425.

This is the 58th annual scholarship competition pageant hosted by the Student Government Association, but the first as Miss University of Southern Mississippi.

Natasha Casely-Hayford, the last reigning Miss Southern, will be on hand to crown the new Miss University of Southern Mississippi. WDAM-TV's Randy Swan and his wife, Millie, will serve as master and mistress of ceremonies for the pageant.

This year's contestants include:

* Amelia "Mikki" Arender of Bolton, a junior majoring in theatre;
* Lindsey Carol Blackwell of Hattiesburg, a senior majoring in community health with an emphasis in health promotion;
* Jennifer Elizabeth Chustz of Tylertown, a senior majoring in biology;
* Mary Katherine Ford of Newton, a junior majoring in English;
* Joanna Lee Gaston of Mendenhall, a junior majoring in public relations;
* Natalie Cherre Goldman of Meridian, a junior majoring in speech communication;
* Laura Catherine Guiles of Petal, a freshman majoring in speech pathology;
* Amy Marie Maddox of Magee, a junior majoring in elementary education; and
* Kristen Leann Mitchell of Hattiesburg, a junior majoring in speech pathology.

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