The top 20 candidates competing for Miss Homecoming were called out of the crowds outside Cater Hall Tuesday, Sept. 2.
Callie Henley, Hailey Simpson, Kellie Jones, Natalie Roberson, Francie Harris, Leah Seay, Leanne Portera, Annie Scibetta, Meg McGuffin, Kirby Webb, Morgan Cooper, Lindsey Schapker, Lydia Bowman, Catherine Pariseau, Paige Dean, Emily Higgins, Daly Foster, Sarah Kelly, Alexis Jackson and Daniela Munoz Rogers were announced in no particular order as officially in the running for the title of Miss Homecoming 2014.
"It's really exciting but it's also really humbling at the same time," said Leanne Portera, senior in social work. "I look around and I know all these girls and they're all fantastic and to know that I'm in the same class as them is very humbling, I don't know how to describe it."
Having passed the first round of interviews, Portera and her peers will prepare for the next round of interviews set to take place Wednesday, Sept. 3.
"First round wasn't that bad, it was really just trying to get to know our personalities and just questions about what Miss Homecoming stands for and what you think that she should represent," said Kellie Jones, senior in supply chain management. "As for tomorrow there really isn't much to prepare for. You do need to talk about the platform so that's something we'll all be thinking about."
Alex Jay, director of elections and Sloane Bell, executive director of elections announced the semifinalists from Cater Hall as crowds of supporters cheered the candidates on.
All undergraduate females in their fourth year with a 2.5 cumulative GPA or better are eligible for nomination.
The top five finalists will be announced after the second round of interviews and begin their campus-wide campaigns for the title of Miss Homecoming.
"The first round was a lot of fun, I think we'll all say that," said Callie Henley, senior in communication disorders. "Just getting to completely be yourself and answer questions about your personality, what you like, just talk about your platform and getting to expand on that in the second round will be fun also."
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