The Miss Southeastern Louisiana University 2020 Pageant will take place on Friday, Nov. 22 at the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts. This year, 15 contestants will compete for the spot to become the next Miss Southeastern. In preparation for the pageant, each contestant answered two questions to explain why they are a qualified candidate and what winning the crown would mean to them.

#1 – Paige Donaldson

Classification: Freshman        Major: Nursing        Platform: Positive Body Image        Talent: Gymnastics

TLR: What makes you a good candidate for the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title?

Donaldson: For the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title, it kind of gives you a voice, especially to raise awareness for what you want to raise awareness for, which mine is for changing negative societal views on body image. Especially with that, I get to showcase that, try to raise awareness for it and get people to really change their views on what they think a specific body type is. Along with that, you get to go to events and you have the title, so people look up to you, and you’re just like a good role model for people.

TLR: What would being crowned mean to you?

Donaldson: It would mean a lot, especially because my mom, she used to do pageants, and this is my first pageant. So, it would just be like living up to her.

#2 – Lily Gayle

Classification: Junior        Major: Communication        Platform: Depression and Body Image        Talent: Singing

TLR: What makes you a good candidate for the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title?

Gayle: I was an orientation leader back in 2018. I’ve been really invested in the university. I’m a reporter: sports and news reporter. As a student in high school, I was always homeschooled. So, I never had a school to have school pride for, in a way. So once I came here I was like, “Oh my gosh, finally school pride.” I’m able to invest in the freshmen, invest in the people around me — my coworkers, my professors even. I feel like the amount of school pride that I have, it would make me a good candidate.

TLR: What would being crowned mean to you?

Gayle: Being crowned as Miss Southeastern would be almost like proving to myself that no matter what I do, I can accomplish what I want — my goal. I’ve accomplished a lot, but just to show my platform that I’m very passionate about, people actually do care about it, and for me to raise awareness for it would mean the entire world to me.

#3 – Kimberly McClendon

Classification: Senior        Major: Business Administration        Platform: Taking the Stage        Talent: Instrumental Solo

TLR: What makes you a good candidate for the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title?

McClendon: Honestly, I want to use the title to promote arts in public schools because I know my school in particular didn’t have a lot of funding. So, I would like to bring light to that and help increase funding.

TLR: What would being crowned mean to you?

McClendon: Honestly, the world. This is something that I’ve wanted for a few years, and I’m finally getting the chance to actually do it. I’ve been preparing and researching for years, and I’m ready and I want it.

#4 – Leslie Jones

Classification: Junior        Major: English        Platform: Wildlife Conservation and Pollution Control        Talent: Color Guard

TLR: What makes you a good candidate for the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title?

Jones: I believe that I’m a good candidate for the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title because I’m very passionate about Louisiana as a whole, especially my campus and the students that are on campus and the teachers. I think that we can all make a difference together, and I want to be able to embody that belief and share it with people.

TLR: What would being crowned mean to you?

Jones: Being crowned would mean that I will be held accountable by my campus and that I would be able to fully participate and encourage people the way that I would want to be the same way.

#5 – Tayla Phillips

Classification: Senior        Major: Kinesiology        Platform: Tiny House Foundation        Talent: Dance

TLR: What makes you a good candidate for the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title?

Phillips: I think what makes me a good candidate is the fact that I’m positive, and I’m always trying to make the world a better place. Other than the Miss Southeastern pageant, I’m in multiple things and organizations to help basically to make the world a better place. Miss Southeastern just basically gives me a bigger platform to spread the word.

TLR: What would being crowned mean to you?

Phillips: Being crowned means that my voice would be heard, so that’s actually good. I’ll be able to have a lot of people standing behind me with my social impact that I want to get out and spread the word to other people. So, being Miss Southeastern would definitely have a more positive outlook on the world and things that I want to change.

#6 – Victoria Reid

Classification: Sophomore        Major: Communication        Platform: Dress for Success        Talent: Monologue

TLR: What makes you a good candidate for the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title?

Reid: I think one thing that makes me a good candidate for the title is this is actually my hometown. I’m from here. I represent the area well. I know it well, and I think that’s something that puts me over the edge from the other competitors.

TLR: What would being crowned mean to you?

Reid: Being crowned, to me, would mean a lot. Stepping out and doing a pageant is really something out of my comfort zone. I grew up playing sports. I want to be an ESPN sideline reporter when I grow up. So, I guess taking out the feminine side for myself and then it paying off and I win would be like, “Oh, you can be a girl and be successful at it too.”

#7 – Omaira Romero

Classification: Freshman        Major: Athletic Training        Platform: Dress for Success        Talent: Dance

TLR: What makes you a good candidate for the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title?

Romero: I feel like though I’m still a freshman, I still have a good amount of impact and I have a long duration of school time. So, I feel like if I do something now, I feel like I’d be a good candidate because though I’m a freshman, I could still make a big choice/decision.

TLR: What would being crowned mean to you?

Romero: It would mean that I am the face of Southeastern, and I represent Southeastern as a whole, and I feel like that would be a good thing because in my past, like in high school, I was very active in the school, being there and being very spirited and attending everything I could. I feel like now, though I’m in a sorority, I feel like being crowned Miss Southeastern, I can have an impact here – be very much a part of the school as I was in high school and also being the face. I would make the school a better place for everyone and in the future to come here, to choose Southeastern.

#8 – Jayla Grayson

Classification: Freshman        Major: Athletic Training        Platform: Body Positivity        Talent: Poetry

TLR: What makes you a good candidate for the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title?

Grayson: I’m a good candidate because I’m caring, and I care about everyone. I’m compassionate as well, but I’m motivated to work to change things. I’m motivated, I’m not just gonna be like, “Oh, I have a crown.” No, I have a crown, and I’m gonna work for this crown.

TLR: What would being crowned mean to you?

Grayson: It means a lot. I was just telling someone the other day that I’m excited about the scholarship, but I’m more excited about the title because it’s like, “Hey, I’m Miss Southeastern. Let me show you why I represent my school.” Southeastern wasn’t my first choice, but I’ve grown to like it and I love it here. It’s like home.

#9 – Abby Eubanks

Classification: Sophomore        Major: Nursing        Platform: Fighting Childhood Obesity: Let’s Move        Talent: Baton Twirling

TLR: What makes you a good candidate for the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title?

Eubanks: I was an orientation leader before I entered this pageant, and now I’m a campus tour guide. I just really want to advocate for this campus and to just become a different ambassador for the campus, and I feel like this is a unique way to do that.

TLR: What would being crowned mean to you?

Eubanks: It would mean everything. I’ve never done a pageant before. So, this is a brand new experience to me, and being crowned would make me so happy to be able to be an ambassador for the campus and promote Southeastern because I truly do love Southeastern.

#10 – Cameron Hooper

Classification: Junior        Major: Kinesiology        Platform: Juvenile Arthritis        Talent: Monologue

TLR: What makes you a good candidate for the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title?

Hooper: What makes me a good candidate is I would be able to spread light to the university, and it would give me an opportunity to talk about and inform people about my platform, juvenile arthritis.

TLR: What would being crowned mean to you?

Hooper: It would mean that I would have ample opportunities to spread awareness about my platform and show other organizations and the community what it means to me.

#11 – Janine Hatcher

Classification: Senior        Major: Business Administration        Platform: R.I.P – Respect Individual Potential        Talent: Classical Cello

TLR: What makes you a good candidate for the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title?

Hatcher: My platform is Respect Individual Potential, R.I.P. So, R.I.P., we really usually associate with Rest In Peace. I come from an area where adolescent violence, children’s suicide, the rate of non-graduating teens was really an issue. We got tired of saying R.I.P. to the kids that were taking their lives or involved in violence and spent their life behind bars or didn’t graduate and didn’t reach their full potential. I just wanna spread that platform out from Miss Southeastern because I already have a voice, but it gives a bigger voice and a wider audience for me to share that.

TLR: What would being crowned mean to you?

Hatcher: Being crowned would be an opportunity and a means and a platform to spread my platform and my social initiative. Also, it would mean dedicating every ounce of will, effort, grace and diligence to better myself as a person and then inspiring everybody around me to do the same.

#12 – Maya Weber

Classification: Junior        Major: Marketing        Platform: Childhood Cancer Awareness        Talent: Motivational Speech

TLR: What makes you a good candidate for the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title?

Weber: I think that we’re all great candidates. I think that we’ll all do excellent, but what I believe makes me a good candidate is that I’m always ready to represent Southeastern in many ways, whether it’s within my organizations or whether it’s on campus or off campus. I am ready to promote my platform every single week on this campus and off campus. I think that I have the willpower and the hard work ethic to be able to fulfill my role as Miss Southeastern.

TLR: What would being crowned mean to you?

Weber: Being crowned Miss Southeastern would mean a lot to me because I tried to do it last year, but I had a complication in my family. Knowing that I’m doing this again for my uncle would mean a lot to me because I know this is something that he was looking forward to seeing me do, so it means a lot within just family sense for me.

#13 – Catherine Spanogianni

Classification: Junior        Major: Management        Platform: The Climate Mobilization        Talent: Teaching

TLR: What makes you a good candidate for the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title?

Spanogianni: I think I bring something different to the table because I’m not the everyday pageant girl. This is my first time doing this, and I’m stepping out of my comfort zone, but I want to bring more awareness to the fact that everyone’s different. I also want to showcase my culture as well because Southeastern’s very diverse, and I’m very diverse as well. I’m from Greece, I’m not from here.

TLR: What would being crowned mean to you?

Spanogianni: Being crowned would mean a lot to me because I would be able to promote my platform and promote diversity within our campus and our world.

#14 – Erica Boudreaux

Classification: Freshman        Major: Mathematics        Platform: Social Anxiety Disorder        Talent: Teaching

TLR: What makes you a good candidate for the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title?

Boudreaux: My platform is Social Anxiety Disorder. I personally have this disorder and growing up, I knew something was wrong with me, but nobody ever told me what was wrong with me. I never understood myself. Growing up, I never got diagnosed by a doctor, but I diagnosed myself, but I know that I’m right. I really just want to make that known because all these kids that have this disorder, anxiety in general, that it’s okay to deal with this. It’s manageable.

TLR: What would being crowned mean to you?

Boudreaux: Being crowned would mean the world honestly because this is a huge step for me.

#15 – Gillian Hebert

Classification: Freshman        Major: Early Childhood Education         Platform: Women’s Wellness Initiative        Talent: Dance

TLR: What makes you a good candidate for the Miss Southeastern Louisiana University title?

Hebert: I think I’m a good candidate because I work well with people. I’m able to talk well with others, and I feel like I’m a good representative of my generation and definitely my area of college.

TLR: What would being crowned mean to you?

Hebert: It would mean a lot. Last year, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. For me, doing something where you put a body that’s failed you up in front of people and up on stage, it’s a real self-conscious kind of thing, and to me it would mean taking my life back from illness and really just throwing myself out there and getting over diagnosis and working through treatment.