A big crown to fill

The race for the crown has begun. The 15 contestants of this year's Miss Indiana University Pageant have been involved in a whirlwind of preparations in hopes of becoming the next Miss IUB.\nThe pageant, to be held at 4 p.m. Sunday in Alumni Hall of the Indiana Memorial Union, will be the second Miss IUB competition since it made a comeback in 2006 after a 37-year absence.\nThis year's contestant group ranges in experience from state-level pageants to no previous experience at all, said the pageant's executive director, Lindsay Shipps Etienne. \n"I feel so strong about this year's pool of contestants," she said. "It's so refreshing to see people who have never dealt with pageants coming together with those who have and seeing the work come together."\nAside from competing for $6,000 in scholarships from the IU Foundation, the winner will go on to compete against 26 other local-level winners in the Miss Indiana Pageant in June.\nThe contestants for Miss IUB will be judged on formal interviews and their talent, evening gowns, swimsuits and onstage interviews. \nThe 2006 winner, graduate student Betsy Uschkrat, went on to win Miss Indiana as well and competed against 51\nother contestants Jan. 29 at the Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas.\nOn Sunday, Uschkrat will hand over her IUB crown to the 2007 winner, and she hopes Bloomington will receive her successor as warmly as the city embraced her. \n"Bloomington opened its arms to me," she said. "I couldn't have asked for more support from the community or the campus. It has been wonderful."\nStepping down from her Miss IUB duties, Uschkrat plans to continue her involvement with the pageant, through advice from her personal experiences, as she steps in as a mock judge for this year's competition.\nAmong the official group of judges for this year's pageant are Indiana state Rep. Peggy Welch, former Miss New Jersey Heather Narducci, local 96.7 WBWB DJ Aaron Shane and IU Foundation representative Jonathan Purvis.\nThe newly crowned Miss IUB will spend 2007 representing her school at different functions, benefits and community events, including her first official appearance giving a speech to the Kiwanis Club of Bloomington. \nAnd with a group of 15 that Etienne calls "fantastic," she said has no doubt the new winner will make an impact on the IU community. \n"I feel confident that this year's winner can carry on the success of Betsy Uschkrat," she said, "though she will certainly have some big shoes to fill." \nAdmission for this year's pageant is free for all IU students by showing their student IDs. Admission is $10 for nonstudents.