Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce looking for the next Miss Hospitality

By Katelyn McKinney
Hottytoddy.com intern
kamckin1@go.olemiss.edu

The Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce is looking for the next Oxford/Lafayette County Miss Hospitality to be a goodwill ambassador for economic development and tourism — promoting Mississippi statewide, regionally and on a national level.

The 2020 Oxford/Lafayette Miss Hospitality will represent the local community in the 71st Annual Miss Hospitality Competition in Hattiesburg July 13-18, 2020.

Any woman from Oxford or Lafayette County between the ages of 18 and 24 is welcome to apply to become Miss Hospitality.

“At the local level the young lady will serve a full year as our community’s spokesperson, promoting visitation and community development in their hometown,” said Pam Swain, senior vice president of the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce.

The deadline for selecting representatives is March 1.

“We are looking for someone with a genuine personality who has a love for her community and her home state of Mississippi,” Swain said. “She must have interview skills, be outgoing, poised and confident. She must also be available to attend the Miss Hospitality Competition in Hattiesburg in July.”

Oxford Miss Hospitality 2019 Lakyn Gibson. Photo by Joey Brent.

Being Miss Hospitality allows a young woman to gain skills she will use throughout her entire life, according to reigning 2019 Oxford Miss Hospitality Lakyn Gibson.

“The Miss Hospitality competition is unlike any pageant I’ve ever been in because it isn’t just a pageant,” Gibson said. “In this journey, I’ve grown in confidence about myself and how to stand up and represent something I love. I’ve also gained several leadership skills that have helped me further my education and future career. Not to mention, I gained several sweet sisters in the process.”

Anyone interested in pursuing representing Oxford and Lafayette County in the 2020 Miss Hospitality Pageant or with related questions should email Pageant Director Pam Swain at pam@oxfordms.com.

Contestant requirements are as follows:
1. Must be a resident of Mississippi.
2. Must represent her hometown and/or county, not the city where she attends college.
3. Must attend the entirety of the State Competition.
4. Must be a high school graduate who attends or plans to attend college.
5. Must be between the ages of 18 and 24 by the first day of judging, which
begins on Wednesday of competition week.
6. Must have never been married or have children.
7. Must be in good health.
8. Must not hold or pursue another title from the date she is crowned as a local Miss Hospitality through the conclusion of the State Competition or the end of her reign if crowned Mississippi’s Miss Hospitality.
9. Must maintain a minimum 2.5 scholastic average (on a 4.0 system), and arrange a class schedule to be no more than 15 hours per semester if crowned the state titleholder. A current transcript must be provided.
10. May participate on the state level a maximum of two times, with a mandatory 1-year minimum of no participation following her first competition.