HOW CAN I BE A
LOCAL DIRECTOR?
Local contestants have the opportunity to represent their community in the
statewide Miss Hospitality competition through one the following ways as
determined by their local director:
Formal Competition
A. Interview Competition – Contestants will wear a suit or a dress and
engage in a five (5) minute interview with a panel of at least three.
This portion counts for 40% of the total score.
B. Community Commercial Competition – Contestants will model on-
stage an individually chosen cocktail dress. In addition, they will give a
20-second commercial about their community. This portion counts for
15% of the total score.
C. On-Stage Interview Competition – Contestants will have a short on-
stage interview with the emcee. This portion counts for 15% of the total
score.
D. Evening Gown Competition – Contestants will model on-stage in
individually chosen evening gowns. This portion counts for 30% of
the total score.
Hospitality Tea Competition
A. Interview Competition – Contestants will wear a suit or dress and
engage in a five (5) minute interview with a panel of at least three
judges. This portion counts for 60% of the total score.
B. Community Commercial Competition – Contestants will wear an
individually chosen cocktail dress for tea room modeling. In addition,
they will give a 20-second commercial about their community. This
portion counts for 40% of the total score.
Appointment
In the event there is only one entrant for a city or county, this entrant
may be appointed by the local director as that area’s Miss Hospitality.
At-Large
For communities without a local director, those interested in competing
in the Mississippi Miss Hospitality competition may contact the State
Office for information on becoming an at-large participant.
HOSTING A LOCAL COMPETITION
DEADLINES FOR LOCAL DIRECTORS
1. April 16, 2018 – Local Miss Hospitality winners must be selected by this
date. Local directors are to notify State Competition Officials with the
name, address, and phone number of the local Miss Hospitality within
one week of selection or by April 16, 2018. Contestants will not receive
information regarding the State Competition until their names have been
received by State Competition Officials.
2. The deadline for all materials to be received by the State Office is May
25, 2018. THIS DEADLINE WILL BE ENFORCED. A $50 late fee will be
charged to the contestant if all materials are not received by the deadline.
HOW CAN I BE A LOCAL
CONTESTANT?
Local directors serve a very important role in the Mississippi Miss Hospitality
program. If you would like to bring scholarship opportunities to young
women in your community, please email
MsHosp@hattiesburg.org or visit
www.MissHospitality.com for additional information on hosting a local
competition for your area.
Judging
A minimum of three judges is recommended for the local competition.
Selection of the judges is the sole responsibility of the local director or
sponsoring organization.
Judging is based on the following criteria: the person selected should be
intelligent, articulate, photogenic, aggressive without being forward or self-
centered, dignified and attractive; have a friendly spirit that is natural and
spontaneous; be in good health; be gracious and sincere; and possess a
general knowledge of state tourist attractions, history and economy. Special
talents are not required, but accomplishments in public speaking and
communication are of primary importance.
Requirements
Local directors should ensure that the costs incidental to presenting the
local competition are provided. Neither contestants nor their families should
bear these expenses:
• Costs related to hosting the local competition.
• Remittance of the $300 state entry fee, payable to Mississippi Miss
Hospitality, which includes the following:
• Room and board for state competition week (housing, meals,
transportation, and special events).
• Professional black and white photographs to be used for
judging and publicity of the Statewide Program.
• Sash and crown for local Miss Hospitality winners will be
provided to local directors for contestants to wear during reign.
Local Sponsors
Local directors are encouraged to seek community business participation
to assist with costs needed to send the local representative to the State
Competition. Local Miss Hospitality winners often support businesses in
exchange for a sponsorship. Below are examples of these sponsorships:
• Entry Fee - Local businesses may want to provide the $300
entry fee.
• Advertisement Layouts – Local professionals can aid in
photography services and the design of ad pages for the
Official Program Book at the State Competition.
• Wardrobe – A local clothing store may want to donate an outfit
or evening gown for the local contestant to wear during
competition week.
CONTESTANT REQUIREMENTS
1. Must be a resident of Mississippi.
2. Must represent her hometown and/or county, not the city where she
attends college.
3. All local Miss Hospitality winners are required to attend the State
Competition.
4. Must be a high school graduate who attends or plans to attend college,
must never have been married or have had children, and must be between
the ages of 18 and 24 by the first day of judging (Wednesday) of the
competition week.
5. A contestant must not hold or pursue another title from the date she is
crowned as a local Miss Hospitality winner through the conclusion of the
State Competition or the end of her reign if she is crowned Mississippi’s
Miss Hospitality.
6. Must have a minimum 2.5 scholastic average (on a 4.0 system), and a
current transcript must be provided.
7. Must be in good health.
8. Young women who have entered the State Competition previously are not
eligible to participate again.
STATE COMPETITION
REQUIREMENTS
1. Local contestants chosen to represent their communities must
attend a contestant workshop scheduled for June 9, 2018, in
Hattiesburg from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Official headshots will be taken
during this event. In the case of a conflict, please contact the State
Office immediately.
2. Each contestant must submit her
Official Application Packet
including application, medical release form, official transcript, ad
sales, ad layout originals in PDF format, and registration fee by
May 25, 2018. A $50 late fee will be charged for packets received
after this date.
3. Contestants must sell 4 FULL PAGES of advertising at $350 per
page in the Mississippi Miss Hospitality Program Book. All ad
money and ad layouts are due on or before May 25, 2018.
4. If a contestant currently attends an out-of-state college or university
and wins the State Competition, she must immediately enroll in a
college or university in Mississippi. A scholarship will be provided.
5. Contestants must be able to do their own hair and make-up at the
State Competition. There will be no one allowed in the dorm or
backstage before the competitions.
6. Contestants must appoint a Little Miss Hospitality representative to
serve alongside her during her reign. Little Miss name and contact
information shall be provided to the state office by April 16, 2018.
An addition to Mississippi Miss Hospitality in 2018 is the Little Miss
Hospitality program. This program is designed for contestants
to serve as mentors to young ladies in their communities aged
6-10 years old. Upon being crowned a local representative, each
contestant shall choose a Little Miss from her hometown/county to
share her journey.
The registration fee for each Little Miss Hospitality is $250, which
should be provided by the Little Miss’ family and / or a local sponsor.
If a Little Miss Hospitality cannot be identified in the area
represented by a local Miss Hospitality, contestants may select a
young girl from other areas of the state. Please contact the State
Office with any questions.
Participation in the
Little Miss Hospitality program includes:
• Crown and sash provided by the State Program.
• Commemorative t-shirt provided by the State Program.
• Invitations to attend official events with contestants such as the
Friday Autograph Party and Saturday Social.
• Photo included in the Mississippi Miss Hospitality Official Program.
• Opportunity to appear on-stage during both nights of competition.
A long, white dress provided by the Little Miss should be worn
on-stage. The same dress may be worn both nights of competition.
• Ticket for Little Miss to attend both nights of the Mississippi Miss
Hospitality competition.
• Autographed photograph of Mississippi Miss Hospitality.
• Opportunity to attend local events (ribbon cuttings, grand
openings, and other similar events) alongside local
representatives leading up to and following State Competition
as determined by local director.
LITTLE MISS HOSPITALITY
MISSISSIPPI
STATE COMPETITIONS AND JUDGING
One-on-One Interview Competition
This competition will take place on Wednesday of State Competition week. Each judge will
meet with each contestant for three (3) minutes. The basic tool for conducting this interview
is the contestant’s Official Application, which lists personal credits and serves as a guide
for getting to know the contestant. Each contestant should wear a business suit or dress
and heels for this competition.
Panel Interview Competition
The Panel Interview Competition is a five (5) minute competition held on Thursday of the
competition week. Direct, concise and relevant questions ranging from world affairs to state
and local politics, information on the state of Mississippi, ambitions, goals and personal
interests may be asked. Each contestant should wear a business suit or dress and heels
for this competition.
Mississippi Speech Competition
Each contestant will have 90 seconds to present an original speech based on the question
“How would you promote our state to a visitor of Mississippi?” No visual aids may be
used. Contestants will present the speech before the judges on Friday morning of the
competition week. The contestants will wear Miss Hospitality t-shirts (provided) and black
shorts for this competition.
Contestants will model a solid colored cocktail dress of their choice. When selecting a
dress, take into consideration that there will be a production number performed. In addition
to modeling the cocktail dress on-stage, contestants will present an original 20-second
commercial on some important aspect of their city or county.
Evening Gown Competition
Contestants will model an evening gown of any color. When selecting a dress, take into
consideration there will be a production number performed. During the Evening Gown
Competition on Saturday night, the Top 10 will be asked an on-stage question by the
emcees. This portion will be scored separately from the Evening Gown Competition.
Other awards include: Top 3 Speech, Top Ad Sales, Spirit of Miss Hospitality and Most
Photogenic Award
.
Friday Night Preliminary Scoring
Panel Interview*
25%
One-on-One Interview*
15%
Mississippi Speech*
20%
Community Commercial
20%
Evening Gown
20%
TOTAL 100%
Saturday Night Final Competition
Panel Interview**
25%
Mississippi Speech**
20%
Community Commercial
20%
Evening Gown
20%
On-Stage Interview
15%
TOTAL 100%
STATE PAGEANT
SCHOLARSHIPS AND PRIZES
The Mississippi Miss Hospitality Pageant offers more than
$100,000 in scholarships and prizes.
The following colleges and businesses provided
scholarships to the winner and alternates: Belhaven
College, Blue Mountain College, Copiah-Lincoln
Community College, East Central Community College,
East Mississippi Community College, Hinds Community
College, Holmes Community College, Itawamba
Community College, Jackson State University, Jones
County Junior College, Meridian Community College,
Mississippi College, Mississippi Delta Community College,
Mississippi State University, Mississippi Valley State
University, Northeast Mississippi Community College,
Northwest Mississippi Community College, Pearl River
Community College, Rust College, Southwest Mississippi
Community College, University of Mississippi, University
of Southern Mississippi, William Carey University, Forrest
General Hospital, Lawrence and Bonnie Warren, HMP
Nursing Services, The First National Bank, Merit Health
Wesley, Great Southern Bank, Walnut Square Gifts
and Stationery, Regions Bank, London and Stetelman
Realtors, Floyd’s Formals, The Staples Family, Howard
Industries, Community Bank, Mississippi Power, Barnes
and Noble at Southern Miss, Priority One Bank, Accents,
Rebekah Staples, Former Miss Hospitalities and the
Mississippi Miss Hospitality Board of Directors.
The 2017 Mississippi Miss Hospitality Pageant was
presented by VisitHattiesburg and MDA in conjunction
with Forrest General Hospital, USM and the City of
Hattiesburg.
Diamond Patrons ($2,000+): Bourne Brothers Printing
Platinum ($1,000): Aramark-USM Catering, Bonnie and
Lawrence Warren, HMP Nursing, Mary Kay Cosmetics
(Nancy Johnson), Mississippi Tourism Association, Parris
Jewelers, Petro Nissan, Phillips Family, Southern Oaks
House and Gardens, Susan’s Shoppe, U-Save Car and
Truck Rental, USM Photo Services, University Florist
Gold Patrons ($500): Belle G, Bloom’s A Garden Shop,
Chick-fil-A, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, The Express
Bus Company, The First Bank, Heather’s Collection at
Susan’s Shoppe, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Newk’s, Patio
44, Rebekah Staples, Southland Florist, Tabella, Walnut
Square Pharmacy
Silver Patrons ($250): Barnes and Noble at Southern
Miss, Community Bank, Corner Market-The Roberts
Company, Floyd’s Formals, Great Southern National Bank,
Howard Industries, Magnolia State Bank, Mississippi
Power, Pine Belt Graphics, Priority One Bank, Regions
Bank, Slaughter Family, Staples Family
Bronze Patrons ($100) : Eve Marie’s
GIFTS: Belle G, Breadsmith, Chick-fil-A of Hattiesburg,
Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Commercial Stationary,
Corner Market, Dillard’s, Eve Marie’s, Flathau’s Fine
Foods, The French Market, Hattiesburg Clinic, HMP
Nursing Services, Jody’s Bakery, Little Caesar’s, Logan’s
Roadhouse, The Lucky Rabbit, Mary Kay Cosmetics,
Mississippi Dyslexia Centers, Oak Grove Family Dentistry,
On Your Toes Dance Studio, Pine Belt Graphics, The
Rusty Chandelier, Smoothie King, Southern Bone and
Joint, Sweet Peppers, Sweet Tweets, University Florist,
USM Photo Services, Walnut Square Gifts and Stationery
Jay Slaughter Memorial Scholarship Donors: HMP
Nursing, Covington County Chamber of Commerce,
Marie Shoemake, Morgan Brothers Millwork, Ann Tatum
McPherson, Marissa Landon, Mary Beth Wilkerson,
Deanna Prewett, Kelsie Young
misshospitality.com | Five Convention Center Plaza Hattiesburg, MS 39401 | mshosp@hattiesburg.org
* Denotes scoring brought forward for preliminary night of competition
**Denotes score brought forward for final night of competition