Miss Homecoming 2014 candidates share their platforms

Kellie Jones - senior - supply chain management
Platform: Love Your Selfie
Jones' campaign, Love Your Selfie, aims to promote self-confidence and acceptance on college campuses in the social media age.

"My platform centers around comparison and how social media has made that a growing issue," Jones said. "It's really easy to feel like you aren't measuring up to the people around you, but instead of seeing what other people have that you don't, you should appreciate what you have and think more positively."

Jones said her platform stems from her own personal struggle.
Take Away:

Jones said she had no thoughts to run for Miss Homecoming until nominated by her sorority, Chi Omega, but considers it an honor to represent all of Auburn's female student body.

"I hope for it to be a role model for younger girls," Jones said. "If they're struggling with the things that I've struggled with in my past, I hope I'm relatable and they can come talk to me."

Francis Harris - senior - child life

September is pediatric cancer awareness month.

Harris's campaign will raise money to benefit Kayla Perry, an Auburn freshman currently undergoing cancer treatment in Atlanta.

Funds raised during her campaign will be donated to Perry's foundation; Open Hands, Overflowing Hearts.

"Kayla and I have been meeting and one of the things she would love to do is make Auburn's campus and other organizations aware of her foundation," Harris said. "She has started a '100 Ways, 100 Days' campaign, and she and I have been talking about ways of raising money after this campaign."

Take Away:

Though the initial goal of her campaign is to promote awareness, if elected Harris said she will continue to raise money for pediatric cancer relief throughout the year.

"It is so under-funded," Harris said. "It doesn't need to stop once September is over. They can't stop from going to chemotherapy, so why should I stop raising money?"

Jackson's campaign is centered on wellness, encouraging individuals to be healthy mentally, physically and spiritually throughout the week. Partnering with Active Minds Auburn, Jackson's campaign will use the student voice to raise awareness about mental health, donating all proceeds and profits to the organization.

"Every one out of four college students struggles with mental health," Jackson said. "Depression, anxiety, it's all very real for college students."

Take Away:

"It's so easy to get caught up in the small details, wanting everything to go exactly how you planned it out and getting caught up in the rush of trying to get everything together by campaign week," Jackson said. "This is such a unique experience, it can be so much fun if I just slow myself down sometimes and really enjoy every moment."

Henley's campaign is working with the organization Insure Your Right, a humanitarian charity that operates in Africa.

"I've spent my past two summers in Africa and it's completely changed my entire world," Henley said. "After my freshman year I went to Africa for the first time and fell in love with the people and the culture, but something that hit me really hard was the women I met there. Our goal is raise money to send sewing machines over there. For every sewing machine we send over, that's another life saved, that's a woman that's going to have a job and an income and have hope."

Take Away:

Henley said she's excited to share something she's passionate about with the Auburn community and wants to show it's possible to change someone's life on the other side of the world.

"I think Miss Homecoming is one of the coolest traditions on campus," Henley said. "It's a great way for five women to have a week set aside where they get to share something they love, something that has meant a lot in their life that they want to see Auburn passionate about and involved with. That's what this is all about."

Foster's campaign is especially personal, but one that she wants to share with the University in order to help make a difference in struggling parts of the world.

"My dad passed away in 2006, and there's actually an orphanage in Kenya in memory of him called the Kevin House," Foster said. "I've been over there several times to work, and you look at these kids, they only have the clothes on their back, they don't know where their next meal is going to come from, and, yet, they have this joy that's contagious. They just captured my heart."

Take Away:

Managing Foster's campaign is Elizabeth Moody, junior in early childhood education and a sitting member of both the SGA cabinet and senate.

"When you're working on a campaign and trying to create a campaign that Auburn students can get behind, you can't do it by yourself," Foster said. "I've learned to depend on a lot of other people to get through it and have just appreciated a ton of help. This is not something that any one person can do. It's a team effort, and having a team behind me has been pretty incredible."