The fall season is the time of pageantry. Following the 2011 installments of Miss Universe and Miss Southeastern, the Miss Black and Gold pageant offers the chance for a select number of women to show off their intelligence and grace.

The pageant, sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Theatre. It is free for students who want to attend. The fraternity is offering participants the chance to earn a scholarship, and represent the university at the district level of competition.

According to the reigning Miss Black and Gold and 2011 Homecoming Queen Jacy Carpenter, the pageant is about more than just being beautiful. It is about showing off the brains behind the beauty.

“Miss Black and Gold is a scholarship pageant so it’s not necessarily about beauty, but it is about poise and grace,” said Carpenter. “Academics play a huge part. The majority of points in this pageant are based on your GPA. It’s really an opportunity to honor a young woman who upholds the ideals of scholarship and service and class.”

The contestants for this year’s pageant are six Southeastern women who have been through an application process. The process started at the Miss Black and Gold informational held at the beginning of the semester.

According to Alpha Phi Alpha President CarDarrius Murphy, the participants will compete in front of a panel of three judges who will score them throughout the pageant.

“They have a talent portion and question and answer portion. In the past, the question has been some type of political question. They also have an interview with the judges,” said Murphy.

Alpha Phi Alpha secretary and chair for Miss Black and Gold Ricky Richard elaborated on the point that academics are important in this contest.

“They base it off of GPA. About 35-40 percent of the score comes from what they do around school,” said Richard.

In addition to winning a crown, sash and title of Miss Black and Gold 2011, the contestants are competing for a scholarship and the opportunity to go represent the university at the next level of competition.

“They will also be competing to compete at the state level,” said Carpenter. “When you compete at the district level, which is the state level, you represent your school and compete for Miss Louisiana Black and Gold.”

Both Carpenter and Richard emphasized the point of how the contest is looking for a woman who can best represent the university as Miss Black and Gold.

“Don’t be intimidated because it’s not necessarily a beauty pageant,” said Richard. “If you’re a good leader on campus and you’re trying to get a degree on campus, that’s what we’re looking for.”

“They want a queen who is an individual, who is unique and who stands out,” said Carpenter. “They want someone who is a strong minded woman who can represent the organization in the best way possible wherever she goes. Let the real you stand out and focus on being an individual.”