Most women would be petrified to walk across a stage in a swimsuit in front of hundreds of people.
Tomorrow night, 24 women will do just that.
The Miss Auburn University scholarship pageant will take place at 7 p.m. in the Student Activities Center.
"The winner, if they're an in-state student, receives a full year of in-state tuition," said Michelle Murphy, executive director and adviser to the Miss AU pageant. "If they are an out-of-state student, it basically winds up being about two-thirds of their tuition."
Murphy said the first through fourth-place runners-up receive a portion of scholarship money as well.
In addition to the swimsuit section, contestants will face talent and evening-wear sections, as well as an on-stage question.
On-stage questions generally relate to current events, Murphy said.
Contestants' scores are also determined by an interview that takes place on the day of the pageant.
Miss AU makes about 100 appearances in the community during her yearlong reign, Murphy said.
"That could be assisting with SGA-related activities or events, such as blood drives or the Big Event--things of that nature," Murphy said. "It could also be that she's visiting local schools, reading to students, helping out with events like parent-teacher association nights."
Current Miss AU Rebecca Hart, senior in communication disorders, said the appearances have been her favorite aspect of the experience.
"It's so fun to go to an appearance and have little girls come up to you and to see how excited they get," Hart said. "They really think that you're a princess, and it's just really fun to see that and to be able to interact with them and talk to them and provide a positive role model for them."
Miss AU is part of the three-tiered Miss America system. The newly crowned Miss AU will compete in the Miss Alabama pageant in June. The winner will then go on to the Miss America pageant.
Murphy said the Miss AU pageant is more than a beauty pageant.
"It is a pageant for however you want to interpret that, but I think it stands for so much more," she said. "I think by all of those areas of competition, it's both the inside intelligence and beauty shining on the outside as well."
Megan Murphy, director of the pageant and junior in communication disorders, said she expects the next Miss AU to grow as a person during her reign.
"It's a growing experience," she said. "That's the whole point. And I want them to have fun. It's such an honor to be Miss AU, so they need to live it up."
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