The Mississippi Miss Hospitality competition is announcing two new participation opportunities, a Little Miss Hospitality program designed for young girls ages 6 to 10 and an at-large program for competition contestants.
New this year is the Little Miss Hospitality program. Each local representative will select a Little Miss Hospitality from her hometown to mentor throughout her reign. Little Misses will also appear on stage during competition and be invited to official events during the week. If crowned the next Mississippi Miss Hospitality, the contestant’s Little Miss will be able to serve alongside her as she fulfills her duties and responsibilities as the Mississippi’s Goodwill Ambassador.
Also, the addition of at-large contestants will enable Mississippi communities without a local director to have a representative at the State Competition. Contestants must be a woman between the ages of 18 and 24; a resident of Mississippi; represent her hometown, not the community where she attends college; a high school graduate and have a 2.5 or higher scholastic average. Women interested in competing as an at-large participant must submit an online application to the State Office by April 1, 2018. Applications are available online at MissHospitality.com. A panel will select contestants from the at-large candidate pool based upon a published scoring criteria.
“We have great local directors throughout the state, and we are thrilled to be expanding the State program to find ways to include participants from all 82 counties. As the state’s Goodwill Ambassador, Miss Hospitality will not only serve as a spokesperson for Mississippi but will also represent her hometown area. This is a great opportunity for young women to serve Mississippi and its tourism industry,” Marlo Dorsey, executive director of VisitHATTIESBURG, said.
Presented by VisitHATTIESBURG, the City of Hattiesburg, and the University of Southern Mississippi, the Miss Hospitality program has called Hattiesburg home for 21 years. Once crowned as Mississippi’s Miss Hospitality, the winner serves to promote the state’s economic development and tourism industries through ribbon cuttings, special events, and organized appearances.
“The Miss Hospitality competition has continually grown since its founding in 1949. We are proud of its direction and look forward to meeting this year’s contestants. We believe the contacts, friendships, and skills contestants gain during competition week lay a foundation for success as they return home and continue their educations,” Jennifer Parsons, competition director, said.
The 2018 competition guide and full list of requirements for both at-large contestants and Little Miss Hospitality representatives can be found online at MissHospitality.com.
This year’s Mississippi Miss Hospitality competition will be held at the Historic Saenger Theater in Downtown Hattiesburg on July 20 and 21, 2018. Ticket sales will be announced on the program’s Facebook page and website in late spring.
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