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09.26.06 Erskine senior to compete in Miss North Carolina USA pageant Catherine Tolbert is a busy young woman. Tolbert, a senior from Statesville, N.C., and a business major at Erskine College, has added the Miss North Carolina USA pageant to her hectic schedule, which already includes serving as vice president of the student body, chair of Erskine's South Carolina Student Legislature, Senior Class treasurer and Athenian treasurer, and working with Project S.M.I.L.E., among many other activities. The pageant takes place Oct. 27-28 at the High Point Theatre and Exhibition Center and the Radisson Hotel in High Point, N.C. Tolbert raised money to participate in the pageant by sending out 96 letters soliciting support from people in Statesville and surrounding areas. A preliminary round will take place on Friday, Oct. 27, when all contestants will participate in all aspects of the pageant — personal interview, swimsuit and evening gown. On Saturday, contestants will be interviewed during the day and finals will take place that night. Tolbert said 15 women would then compete for the title. "I would love to be Miss North Carolina USA," she said, "but I'm not going to be upset if that doesn't happen." Tolbert said she's not the "typical" pageant participant and doesn't think most of the young women who participate in pageants fit the stereotypical image that beauty queens have in our society. She said she's preparing herself physically by eating healthy foods, not "starving myself," and by participating in the Erskine walking program, "Erskine on the Move." The biggest advantage of competing in a pageant like Miss North Carolina USA is the chance to network with people in various circles in preparation for the future, Tolbert said. Part of the aim of the pageant is to raise awareness of breast and ovarian cancer, she said, and she also sees it as an opportunity to spotlight the YMCA-sponsored Youth in Government program that she's involved with in North Carolina. The reigning Miss Erskine, Tolbert has competed in a handful of pageants since high school. Her first pageant was sort of happenstance — Tolbert was president of the Junior Jaycees, a group that sponsored the Miss South Iredell pageant, and she decided to enter the competition. She also participated in the Carolinas Carousel pageant and the Iredell Junior Miss event, where she finished second runner-up and won the academic award, in addition to winning the Miss Erskine pageant last year. It is ironic that Tolbert was named Miss Erskine, since she had decided to attend another school, N.C. State University, and had already had her ID made there two weeks before classes started at Erskine. A series of conversations with people who had a connection to Erskine made her decide at the last minute to adjust her plans and come to Due West. Tolbert had planned to be a chemical engineer at the 30,000-student university in Raleigh, but has become a business major at a school where the student body numbers about 600. She doesn't regret her decision. "I feel blessed to be here," Tolbert said. "I feel I'm really growing in my faith here and am surrounded by Christian friends in a Christian environment, and I think that's really important." |
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