Students congregated to the Jake Gaither Gymnasium, Sunday evening for the University Housing Pageant, with the newest contestants being Mr. and Mrs. Florida A&M University Village East and West.
This year’s theme was “Grease”. Candidates opened with a rendition of the musical “Summer Nights” leaving the crowd enthusiastic for the events that followed.
Rose Jean, the event coordinator, had her start as a pageant volunteer at FAMU.
“The pageant is a positive outlet for students. Students can freely participate, begin the journey to finding themselves and have fun putting on a show for their peers,” Jean said.
The talent show rocked the house with snaps for admirable spoken words, applaused for crooning songstresses and laughter for every act in between.
The most notables were Tyra Ferguson, Miss Palmetto South, who received a standing ovation after singing a prominent Christian ballad “No Greater Love.”
Mr. Village West, Princeton PJ Studstill, lit the gymnasium a blaze with supporters with his modeling show titled “FAMU Goes Pink,” and RaQuan Johnson, Mr. Gibbs Hall, had students out of their seats dancing to his lyrics as he rapped about his journey to FAMU, with a few extra supporters after throwing singles to the crowd.
The formal scene included ladies unveiling glittering gowns and dapper gentlemen with clean cuts and crisp tuxedos.
Judges deliberated and four candidates came for questioning. The two finalists for Miss University Housing were Megan Potts, Miss Young Hall, and Michelle Johnson, Miss FAMU Village West.
For Mr. University Housing contestants were Brian Halloway; Mr. FAMU Village East, and Rudy Ford, Mr. Phase III.
“It’s really good,” first-year nursing student Briana Martin said. A supporter for Faa’ziah Jackson, Miss Truth, Martin thought the event was exciting and the candidates really put on a great show.
For the Mr. and Mrs. 2014-2015 University Housing the winners were Michelle Johnson, a first-year business student and Rudy Ford, a third-year architect student.
“I feel so grateful, I was able to continue my families legacy as FAMU royalty and put FAMU Villages on the map” Johnson said still in shock and ecstatic for her victory.
Johnson plans to unify the residential halls with community service initiatives and hopes to influence more students in the residence halls to make it graduation.
“It’s an honor!” Ford said in between pictures with supporters. “My biggest points are transparency, trust and support. I want my peers to know that I will give them that.”
The pageant achieved a successful turnout having students tweet and Instagram photos under the hash tag #UHP2k14, setting the bar higher for next year’s showcase.