Katherine Greer is the New Miss UNCP

By Gavin Wyse

And the winner of the 48th Miss UNC Pembroke Scholarship Pageant is…contestant number 5, Miss Katherine Amelia Greer.

Greer, a 19-year-old freshman from Fuquay-Varina, N.C., beat out four contestants to become the new Miss UNCP. She will go on to compete June 22 in the Miss North Carolina Pageant.

Greer received a $1000 scholarship, a 10-caret class ring courtesy of the UNCP Bookstore, a free portrait from Kinlaw Studios, a $500 wardrobe allowance toward the state pageant and, of course, the official crown.

"I was very surprised and excited to win," Greer said. "I really didn't expect to win at all."

The pageant consisted of three parts as well as an interview with the judges prior to the evening. The interview was worth 30 percent of the overall marks with 15 percent each going for the swimsuit and evening gown competitions. The remaining 40 percent of the score came from the talent show.

It was the talent show that Greer felt gave her a chance to win. She sang a Mozart opera. The originality of the song certainly had some affect on the judges.

"I worked on it with my voice coach and it just felt right," said Greer explaining why she chose Mozart.

A special education major, Greer's platform is that autistic kids should not be separated from other children in the school system. They should all be accepted.

For the swimsuit competition she wore a pink one-piece outfit and for the evening gown competition she wore a long black dress with silver straps.

She replaces Jessica Reed whose year and a half reign came to an end.

It turned into an emotional night for Reed who praised and thanked all those who helped and supported her. She made sure future contestants would not forget her by leaving behind a $100 scholarship in the Reed family name.

The first ever winner of the Jessica Reed and Family Service Scholarship award was Brandi Faye Cutler based on her positive and eager community service work.

The Miss Congeniality winner was Anna Lucas, a sophomore from Raleigh, and the first runner-up was Melissa Ann Strickland, who will replace Greer if she is unable to attend any of her future commitments. Strickland is a sophomore business administration major from Maxton, N.C.

The Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening was current Miss N.C. Ashley Nicole House. There was some other great entertainment on hand.

The opening dance number set the mood as the UNCP dance team and the contestants dance in the "jungle," which was the theme for the night. There was also a performance by David Broomhead, who won the UNCP talent show and Reed danced to Charlie Daniels' "A Devil Went Down to Georgia."

But the night most definitely belonged to Greer, the new Miss UNCP.

Gavin Wyse is a senior journalism major at UNCP.

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