A new Miss Southeastern was crowned as the Campus Activity Board hosted its annual Miss Southeastern Louisiana University pageant.

This year, 15 contestants competed for the title of Miss Southeastern Louisiana University 2020 at the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts on Nov. 22.  The pageant consisted of a private interview, an onstage interview, a talent portion and an evening wear and social impact presentation. 

Janine Hatcher, a senior business administration major from Chesapeake, Virginia, won the title of Miss Southeastern 2020 as she achieved the highest accumulated score for her performance throughout the pageant. 

Hatcher described how stage presence and self-confidence led to her success.

“One of the things I talked about in my interview was not comparing myself to other contestants and just focusing on competing with myself,” said Hatcher. “Being the best version and giving the best version of me that I can, I think that had a lot to do with it.” The pageant winner also expressed gratitude for her fellow contestants and shared what she hopes to accomplish during her reign.

“I’m so grateful with the experience I’ve had with the other contestants,” shared Hatcher. “They were just really encouraging. Everybody was really supportive, and I think we gave each other confidence and confidence within ourselves as well. I look forward to having events to spread awareness to my platform and also getting more involved into our school.”

Prior to the announcement of Miss Southeastern 2020, awards were given to contestants who achieved high scores in specific categories.

Cameron Hooper, a junior kinesiology major, described how it felt to win the People’s Choice Award and the Miracle Maker Award.

“It was such a fun time,” expressed Hooper. “It was so rewarding for all the hard work I put in the past few weeks. It was my first pageant, so I didn’t know what to expect out of it. It was just more than I could ever expect to get.”

Chelsey Blank, Miss Southeastern Louisiana University 2019, described how the experience has impacted her.

“It’s done so many things,” shared Blank. “You meet so many people, and you get to impact them as well them impacting you. So, just sharing passions is something that I’ve cherished most from this year, and it’s really helped me grow to see that there’s so much more than just my platform. It’s really awesome.”

Blank left with some final words of encouragement for Miss Southeastern 2020.

“I really think she’s going to do a great job,” shared Blank. “She’s the full package right there. I think that no matter what she does, I think she’s going to succeed and do great things.”

With her new title, Hatcher will have the opportunity to partake in local charity events, spread awareness on her platform, R.I.P. – Respect Individual Potential, and represent the university as Miss Southeastern Louisiana University.