The Miss Tennessee Scholar-ship Pageant will be held on June 18-21 in Jackson, Tenn. at the Civic Center. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday are preliminary nights and will not be televised. Based on contestant performance during preliminaries, the first order of business for the televised Saturday night of the pageant is the announcement of the top 10 finalists. Thirty-four young women from across the state will be vying for the title of Miss Tennessee, and each contestant will receive a minimum of $1000 in scholarship money. One of the greatest opportunities a contestant wishing to pursue a scholastic career has is the availability of many scholarships in which she can apply. A grand total of $95,000 will be awarded the evening of June 21.

The Pacer: How has your life changed since you've been Miss UTM?

Hailey Brown: Preparation for this pageant requires much time and discipline. Besides the many projects, paperwork, and deadlines I have had for Miss Tennessee, I have also put much of my extra time into studying for the MCAT, which is in two weeks. With all of these things plus my classes I am currently taking, I knew I wouldn't be able to work this semester, and I have had a part-time job since I was fifteen. It has been nice not having a job, but I have been just as busy if not busier, with this new focus. It has been a great experience being a representative of our university.

The Pacer: Has Valli Kugler (Miss Tennessee and last year's Miss UTM) given you any suggestions for the pageant?

HB: Valli really encouraged me to enter a preliminary. Even when she had won Miss UTM last year and had not yet gone to Miss Tennessee, she was urging me to compete. After her success at Miss Tennessee, I saw her at the Obion County Fair where she emceed, and she told me she knew I could do it and just to try. I talked to Valli one other time last fall, and she pretty much told me to enter Miss UTM. I finally listened and did start to prepare, and I am so happy I did. She hasn't given me any advice directly, but she was a speaker at the Miss Tennessee workshop that all contestants attended, and she gave all of us some extremely helpful tips. She said not to worry about other contestants that week. Also to just be yourself and enjoy the experience. And finally, my favorite thing that she that day: Not to try to be someone that you aren't, Miss Tennessee is something you already are. That gave me a peace of mind. If I don't get anything at the pageant, I know it just wasn't part of God's plan for me.

The Pacer: What is your platform and why did you choose it?

HB: Several family members of mine are [afflicted] with different forms of arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most debilitating form and my grandfather has been [afflicted] with it for 20 years. As I have seen him become crippled by his disease, and found out that 40 million Americans have this same disease, I wanted to become an advocate and support arthritis organizations. Arthritis awareness is my platform, and is something I have enjoyed researching because it ties into the medical field, which is what I wish to have a career in someday. Seventy million Americans, mostly women, suffer from arthritis, and a cause, therefore a cure, is close to being found. Since the rheumatoid form is hereditary, I could have it-so I want to learn as much as I can about how to prevent it and the proper ways to take care of myself.

The Pacer: What's one thing most people would be surprised to know about you?

HB: It's really a gift that I have been blessed with: I can play piano by ear and haven't seen one sheet of piano music since I started learning my Miss Tennessee talent song. It's a very difficult, classical, jazzy song, and I have learned the whole song from my teacher by listening to him and watching him play it. I played a different song for Miss UTM, and learned that song the same way. I did take lessons at a young age, and can read sheet music, but prefer to learn my songs this way. It's just easier for me.

Hailey Brown, a senior Biology/Pre-medicine major, won the title of Miss UTM. She is twenty-years-old and plans to receive her Bachelor of Science degree in December 2003.