It’s that time of year again, election time. With elections comes the Mr. and Miss FAMU pageant, which is a tradition spanning over 20 years. Qualified candidates are given an opportunity to present their platforms and show their talents.
The Mr. and Miss FAMU 2003 pageant will be held on Saturday at 6 p.m. in Lee Hall. Pageant-goers can obtain tickets at the ticket booth located on the set.
“At the pageant, candidates are allowed an opportunity to display their talents and be seen,” said Mikal Lewis, deputy of the electoral commission.
Candidates for Mr. and Miss FAMU, sophomore, junior and senior attendants and the King and Queen of orange and green will be featured at the pageant.
All candidates have the opportunity to model business, casual and formal attire to show the audience how they carry themselves, but a question and answer portion and talent portion are open the Mr. And Miss FAMU only. Here they will be given a minute and a half to display their talents and 30 seconds to answer questions.
Pageant coordinator Kimberly Kirby said she instructs the female participants on stage etiquette and takes them through a question and answer session to help candidates understand what is expected.
The pageant also includes the spirit presentation in which candidates for King or Queen of Orange and Green are given an allotted time to rouse the crowd.
“They [candidates] find ways to get the crowd in a spirit of cheer using a unique concept to get the crowd involved to see if they have what it takes to get a crowd hyped up,” Kirby said.
She also advises candidates to look the part and be themselves because after the pageant is over, the new friends that they’ve made need to know who they really are.
According to Kirby, pageant-goers can expect a night of entertainment filled with fun and a great deal of information. Performances will include monologue pieces, miming, singing and various dance pieces.
“For the past three years that I have attended Florida A&M University, I have attended every pageant and I can honestly say there is always something different,” said Taalibah Ahmed, junior biology student. “So just expect the unexpected.”
Shayna Webster can be reached at Shayna_Webster@msn.com.