For reigning Miss Ball State University, beauty pageants are not just about making a good impression, they are a way to develop skills as a professional woman.
Since her first competition after graduating from high school, Lauren Petersen said the experience she's gained has helped her become a more well-rounded person.
"I can't offer this year's contestants any words of encouragement," she said. "It isn't about walking away with a title. It's about the experience and being a professional young woman. I hope they stay true to their personalities and goals."
Pageant Coordinator Carol Kosisko described the group of 17 contestants in Saturday's Miss Ball State pageant as having very genuine personalities.
"I can't tell you of any ‘Pageant Pattys,'" she said. "On stage or in sweatpants, they're the same girl."
Kosisko said the girls started approaching her around August after the pageant schedule became available. She said one advantage of having a pageant so late in the school year is the contestants can polish their talents after participating in summer contests.
This year's Miss Ball State pageant is at 5 p.m. Saturday at Pruis Hall. Kosisko said she remembers about 400 to 500 people in the crowd last year, but she hopes a door prize incentive will double the attendance.
The Student Foundation is sponsoring a trip valued at $1,000 to Florida for six days and five nights for one winner. Airfare, lodging, and $100 spending money will be included in the prize.
Petersen helped with advertisements for the door prize.
"Usually it's just friends and close family in the crowd, but hopefully this will bring more people out," she said.
Petersen said taking part in the Miss Ball State pageant has allowed her to grow as a person and in turn she's applied communication skills to a professional internship. Petersen said she enjoyed the opportunity to mentor five children in Muncie with her platform for Make a Wish Foundation. She also has applied skills in communication and personal interaction gained through pageant participation to an urban planning internship in the Indianapolis area.
"When I came to Ball State, one of the main things I liked about the urban planning department was taking others' ideas about life and creating the world we live in," she said. "The number one skill you can ever have is good communication."
Kosisko said the amount of scholarship money awarded through the Miss Ball State Pageant is second only to the Miss Elkhart County competition. She said $1,000 is available in scholarship funds for Miss Ball State.
Last year, Petersen won a $1,500 scholarship from Ball State, which was applied directly to her Bursar account. She won additional $250 prizes for Leadership and Miss Congeniality, and a $500 book scholarship.
Petersen remembers watching Miss Congeniality with her friends before competing in the Miss Indiana contest, finding it fitting since she had won the Miss Congeniality title in the 2009 Miss Ball State pageant. She also won the Hoosier Leadership Award at last year's Miss Indiana competition. She said the image of beauty pageants has changed over the past few years.
"Today's pageant queen is someone who's involved in the community, intelligent, witty and charismatic," she said.
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