Ole Miss’ 2020 ‘Most Beautiful’ Crowned at Annual Event

By Megan Suttles
Hottytoddy.com intern
mwsuttle@go.olemiss.edu

The Ole Miss Student Activities Association hosted its 69th annual Parade of Beauties contest last night. Out of 67 participants, judges selected contestant 52, Helen McDougald, as Ole Miss’s 2020 Most Beautiful.

McDougald, a sophomore allied health major from Tupelo, says it was always her dream to come to Ole Miss because both of her parents attended, so she was shocked to win the pageant that has taken place annually at the university since 1951.

Ole Miss sophomore Helen McDougald was crowned as Ole Miss’ 2020 Most Beautiful. Photo by Megan Suttles.

“I just looked around and asked ‘Really? Me? I’m still shaking I’m so nervous,” McDougald said.

McDougald’s father, Chuck, is proud of her daughter for winning the competition and believes she has worked hard to earn the title.

“She has done a lot of work on her platform for dyslexia. She’s dyslexic herself, so she’s really passionate about it, so to see it come to this tonight we are really just tickled to death,” he said.

The contestants were scored by five judges who based their decision on a set of interview questions prior to the show, and the evening gown competition, which resulted in a tie for 13 finalists (including the winner).

The judges narrowed the contestants down to the following participants in no specific order:

16. Carley Howell
55. Hannah Jenkins
24. Anna-Claire Campbell
71. Victoria Smith
61. Kasey McKee
5. Sadie Wilson
9. Anna Catherine Kendricks
39. Ayla Light
37. Sydney Russell
27. Hannah Claire Hamric
67. Janis Kruger
69. Abby Johnston

Looking into the future, McDougald says she is excited about all of the experiences she will have as 2020 Most Beautiful, such as being able to participate in the homecoming parade.

“I’m looking forward mostly to going to an Ole Miss game with this crown on and being able to wave and say I was most beautiful at Ole Miss,” she said.