University of North Alabama - Diorama Yearbook (Florence, AL)

Page 19 text:

L beautiful tradition Miss UNA Alvssa Ashley loins an impressive list [ lovely and talented women with a history of success by Suzanne Tidwell and Richard Welbom Dver the years the Miss pageant has earned a reputation as more just a typical collegiate jty parade. Instead of ng of pretty girls posing itty dresses and winning leir smiles alone, the ant has evolved into al intense days of inter- 5, talent competitions performances before :s alone as well as be- jn audience. The once simple proce- has become an extrava- y prepared, planned, eographed and prac- showcase of some of nost beautiful and tal- I girls on campus. Pageant director Joe ice said that the change progress of the pageant le he is very pleased I feel that much of the sss is owed to the artis- irector of the pageant, rt Allen Holder, Wal- said. Every year, he ;s up with better and better ideas and material. The theme of this year ' s pageant was Tradition. The idea was chosen be- cause of the tradition of suc- cess of past students at the Miss Alabama pageant. The University has had four Miss Alabamas in a nine year period. In the twelve- year history of the state pag- eant, a UNA student has placed every year except three. Tradition was the title of the opening number of the pageant. The song was writ- ten by Holder and performed by Miss tJNA 1984, Amy Beth Jones, and the nine con- testants. Jones was also featured along with the orchestra in rousing renditions of The Last Blues Song and If I Should Love Again, which received cheers from the crowd. The orchestra was composed of students under the direction of Edd Jones. The spotlight wasn ' t just on the contestants. Many in the audience came to get a glimpse of the hosts, CBS daytime drama stars Jay Hamner and Susan Pratt. Hamner and Pratt, both from the popular soap opera The Guiding Light, were a hit with the audience as they emceed the show and fielded questions from the crowd about the future of their soap characters. Hamner had a more per- sonal interest in the pageant in that his wife, who is the head writer for The Guiding Light, is former Miss UNA and Miss Alabama Pam Long. Walking away with not only the title of Miss UNA but winner of the talent com- petitions as well, Alyssa Cissy Ashley ' s tears and thank yous were sincere and heartfelt. Ashley performed the vocal selection Kiss Me In the Rain. The audience re- sponded with applause throughout her perfor- mance. First alternate was Be- linda Sue Lewis, a senior so- cial work major from Hamil- ton, Lewis sang Woman In The Moon. Lisa Rogers, a Homewood sophomore who performed a self-choreo- graphed dance to The Ag- gie song from the musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, was second run- nerup. A dazzling rendition of the contemporary gospel song We Shall Behold Him won sophomore Dedra East- land from Florence her place as third runner-up. Patti Elaine Cox, a sophomore from Pinson, danced her way to fourth alternate with a jazz routine to Le Jazz Hot. The Miss UNA program is considered one of the most important and best run Miss Alabama preliminaries in the state. The extraordinarily high number of winners who go on to shine at higher lev- els is a tradition that prom- ises to continue. GIVING JUDGES one last look be- fore their final decision are contes- tants Terr! Franks, Darnee Case, Lisa Rogers, Pamela McCormack and Cissy Asfiley. The event, held February 21, marked the llth anni- versary of the Miss UNA Pageant. Miss UNA 15

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TWENTY-YEAR OLD junior Cissy Ashley, a commercial music major, enjoys her moment of glory and joy as the new Miss UNA. She received a $1,500 wardrobe from Regency Square Mall and a full tuition schol- arship as well as numerous other prizes and opportunities. MAKING THE MOST of her time in the spotlight is first runnei up Be- linda Sue Lewis. Lewis was one of the seven contesta nts who chose to sing for judges and the audience of almost 1200 In Norton Auditorium.

Page 20 text:

SCOTT ADAY FINDS that a suitcase isn ' t quite enough to move his belongings home for the weekend. No problems there, a cardboard box works just as well. JAN MORRISON and Linda Shumpert pack the hatch for a short weekend In Corinth, MS.