Jonnie Jones III of building 38 and Erica Nelson of building 39 left an unforgettable mark on the 6th annual University College scholarship pageant on Oct. 5 as they earned their way into pageant history as Mr. and Miss UC.
The pageant’s purpose is to promote leadership, social skills, success, and give the winners a well deserved scholarship. Jones said, “For me being Mr. UC is a fantasy, but I thank God for the opportunity, not just to be here and look pretty, but get some work done, souls saved and minds changed. I love it already. I’m very excited about what I’ll be doing for the freshmen because I believe God is going to use me as a light for those left in the dark. I know there are those who will hate, but God bless them, and then those who will think I’m getting big headed.”
The pageant itself opens many doors for the participants and leaves a lifelong legacy that will not soon be forgotten at Prairie View. Miss UC 2003-04 Brandie M. Terrell said “During my reign as Miss UC, many windows and doors of opportunity were opened to me. Up to date, I have been able to utilize the various contacts I received. My experience as a leader in my class has helped me to evolve into an even smarter leader today.”
Even before the actual show started, the crowd was wowed by the entertaining sound of D.J. Merk, until the master of ceremonies, Derrick Lindsey, calmed everyone down to begin the show. The introduction to the pageant was a breath-taking tribute to the late Nina Simone, and showcased contestants’ ability to work together and harmonize in one accord. The wide range of talent included dancing, singing, piano, and poetry. The talent portion was followed by an informative question and answer session. Contestants were asked impromptu questions that kept them on their feet, and gave the judges a partially accurate view of the type of individuals they were.
The first runners-up were Jeremy Plummer of building 45 and Shalondria Taylor of building 40. Both gave outstanding performances.
That night the pageant had an air of desolation. In her sixth year as pageant director, Jodi Chandler announced that this was the last pageant she would direct and made sure to leave a mark that would never be forgotten.
Tiarra Tucker, a freshman biology major, said, “It wasn’t exactly what I expected, but all in all, a great experience. As the night came to an end, and titles were given, it was easy to see that the contestants were not only competitors, but had become fast friends for life.