Young ladies from across the state are preparing to gather in Hattiesburg to compete in the 67th Annual Mississippi Miss Hospitality Program – a tradition that began in 1949.

Meridian’s Miss Hospitality Emma Moffett and Lauderdale County’s Miss Hospitality Chasity Williams will join the group of contestants vying for the title of Mississippi Miss Hospitality. Contestants spend this week, rehearsing and volunteering in Hattiesburg. The onstage competition is Friday and Saturday at the Saenger Theatre.

“Emma and Chasity are excellent representatives for Meridian and Lauderdale County,” said Penny Randall, Meridian/Lauderdale County Miss Hospitality Program Director. “I know they will do their very best to promote tourism and economic development in our area.”

Randall adds that both young ladies are very capable of earning the title of Mississippi’s Miss Hospitality just like Meridian representatives Hailey Thomas did in 2013 and Bonnie Blue Dulaney did in 2014.

“We want to continue to show that our area has outstanding young ladies who care about their state and want to promote tourism,” Randall added.  

Moffett, 20, is a graduate of Russell Christian Academy, where she was valedictorian, and Meridian Community College. At MCC, she was a member of the Honor’s College, Ivy League and Phi Theta Kappa. She is currently a student at Mississippi State University majoring in English and Public Relations. Her career goal is to be a college professor. A member of Bailey Presbyterian Church, Moffett is a volunteer with the Salvation Army Thrift Store and Aslane’s Mission. She is also a summer intern with Meridian’s Care Lodge.

“The culture of Mississippi embodies a welcoming atmosphere that sets it apart from other states,” Moffett said. “Every day I experience the thoughtfulness of my community in many capacities. This abundance of friendliness and generosity among Mississippians is one of the reasons Mississippi is known as the Hospitality State.”

Williams, 19, is a graduate of Northeast Lauderdale High School and currently a student at Meridian Community College majoring in Business. She is a member of Ivy League, a student recruiter, vice president of the Culture Club and a Dean’s List Scholar. Her career goal is to become a federal human resource manager.

“Mississippians are very respectful of one another and family values are important to us. Our state is one big family,” Williams said.

As a member of Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church, Williams serves as a mentor to young girls and praise dance choreographer.

Contestants, ages 18 to 24, will compete for more than $100,000 in scholarships and prizes. The winner will travel more than 30,000 miles during her reign, promoting Mississippi’s tourism and economic development and serving as the state’s goodwill ambassador, sharing the spirit of the hospitality state with everyone she meets.

Contestants will compete in various events such as:

• Panel Interview – Direct, concise, and relevant questions ranging from world affairs to state and local politics, information on the State of Mississippi, ambitions and goals and personal interests.

• One-On-One Interview Competition – Each judge will meet with each contestant for three minutes. The basic tool for conducting this interview is the contestant’s fact sheet, which is a resume of personal credits and a guide for getting to know the contestant.

• Mississippi Speech Competition – Each contestant will have 90 seconds to present an original speech on “How would you promote our state to a visitor of Mississippi.”

• Commercial/ Black Dress Competition – Contestants will model a black cocktail dress during which the contestant will present an original 20-second commercial on the importance of their city or county.

• Evening Gown Competition – Contestants will model an evening gown of any color on stage.

The mission of the Mississippi Miss Hospitality Pageant is to identify, honor, and utilize young ladies to promote Mississippi’s tourism, industry, and economic development by serving as Mississippi’s Goodwill Ambassador.

In 1949, under Gov. Fielding Wright and the Mississippi Legislature, the Miss Hospitality Pageant began. In 1986 the legislature voted to discontinue the pageant. The Starkville Area Chamber of Commerce asked and received the sponsorship. The pageant was incorporated in 1987, and remained in Starkville until 1997. In 1997, the Starkville Board of Directors began searching for another city to serve as the State Pageant’s new location. Hattiesburg petitioned and received the sponsorship in December of 1997.

The pageant is presented by the Hattiesburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, the City of Hattiesburg, and the University of Southern Mississippi. During the pageant week, contestants are provided with opportunities to polish their public speaking and interview skills, as well as their poise and interpersonal relations among fellow contestants, judges, and pageant officials.

The Meridian/Lauderdale County Miss Hospitality Program is sponsored by Lauderdale County Tourism. For more information about the Meridian/Lauderdale County Miss Hospitality Program contact, Penny Randall at (601) 481-5712.