Gadilhe wins crown, scholarship

The newest Miss University of Southern Mississippi, Emily Gadilhe, was met with a standing ovation in the Performing Arts Center Friday night as Katelyn Ellzey, the former titleholder, passed down her crown.

Gadilhe, a junior microbiology and pre-med major from Birmingham, Ala., won the crown, a trophy and a $1500 scholarship during the pageant which was hosted by the SGA.

"I'm so excited; I can hardly breathe!" said Gadilhe shortly after her win. "I love my school, and I'm so glad I get to represent. Southern Miss to the top!"

Gadilhe won additional awards including best interview, highest grade point average and a $200 scholarship for selling the most advertisements. She said her main focus now is to prepare for the Miss Mississippi pageant in Vicksburg this summer.

"Starting now, I'm going to be a very busy girl," said Gadilhe.

Kristen Turnage, a freshman elementary education major from Gulfport, was awarded first alternate and a $700 scholarship. She will claim the crown in the event Gadilhe is unable to perform her duties. Turnage also won the Best Talent Award.

Jennifer Johnson, a sophomore dance performance and choreography major from Meridian, won the title of second alternate, a $500 scholarship and the award for Best Swimwear.

Virginia Zitzelberger won an award and a $75 scholarship for displaying true Southern Miss spirit, and the Director's Award went to Keona Anderson for having the best attitude and being consistently punctual throughout the pageant process.

Jessica Hughes, a sophomore business technology education major from Jackson, was in the audience supporting Johnson, her sorority sister.

"I think that the pageant was great. It had a lot of good talent and it also exhibited a lot of class that here at Southern Miss, we do have," Hughes said.

Organizers were glad the pageant went as planned.

"[The pageant] just ran like clockwork," said Gail Sims, the student director and head of the pageant committee. "We got the show done and it was a success."

Contestants wore Mardi Gras masks while they danced on stage and the pageant's moderator, Brenda Parker, the recent host of Midday on WDAM-TV and USM alumni, joked with the crowd and even took off her high-heel shoes before asking the contestants interview questions on stage.