Hayley Hulin
LV Life Editor
Contestants competed for the Miss SAE crown in the Campus Center Ballroom Friday night in Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity’s fifth annual pageant and philanthropy event.
Senior radio broadcasting major Megan Keller left the night victorious as the new Miss SAE.
The pageant consisted of three judged portions: walk, questions and talent.
Junior business administration major Amanda Alcorn, junior biology major Sarah Chang, junior psychology major Victoria Matveev, junior kinesiology major Cristal Montiel, senior kinesiology major Tara Breyer, senior business administration major Blanca Gonzalez, senior liberal studies major Valerie Martinez and Keller competed for the title and money for the philanthropy of their choice.
The men of SAE and pageant contestants raised $3,201 and collected 107 cans for their food drive. Half the proceeds will go to the Children’s Miracle Network and the other half will go to the Be Perfect Foundation.
“I admit I have a negative connotation of pageants,” junior child development major Frances Viste said. “But this one’s different because no one has plotted against each other. They all have a good relationship with each other.”
Members of the fraternity escorted each contestant on stage during their walk and questions portions of the pageant.
The women were asked questions by the judges, such as the contestant’s opinion on the legalization of marijuana, why they wanted to win Miss SAE and what their generation’s biggest contribution to society will be.
After the questions portion, the contestants presented their talents, which ranged from making ice cream with liquid nitrogen to performing with a barbershop quartet.
“I’m really impressed with Sarah Chang, who made ice cream,” said senior business administration major and previous Miss SAE, Christine Romero.
During two intermissions the audience was able to purchase tickets to use as votes for contestants they hoped would win.
After rap and dance performances by the Sigma Alpha Epsilon members at the end of the show, Keller was announced as the new Miss SAE.
“I’m surprised because all of the girls are so amazing,” Keller said. “Everybody is so talented and smart.”
It was the first time in four years that Keller had sung in front of an audience, she said.
“I have never done a pageant before,” Keller said. “I love to perform, but doing a pageant is so nerve-racking, but one of the best experiences of my life.”
Half of the profits made from sold tickets and donations went to Keller’s chosen philanthropy, the Be Perfect Foundation, whose mission is to “advance personal independence and wellness of individuals with spinal cord injuries.”
University of La Verne alumnus Hal Hargrave founded Be Perfect.
“Hal Hargrave decided to start Be Perfect to offer financial and emotional aid to those living with paralysis,” Keller said.
“He has given a lot to me. He makes sure I’m going in the right direction and I wanted to give back to his philanthropy.”
The men of SAE wanted to throw a respectful pageant that also served as a philanthropy event.
“The mission is not about just raising money,” said junior physics major and Miss SAE co-chairman, Joseph Eggers. “It’s an opportunity for the girls to be themselves. It’s a chance for them to participate in a pageant — something they may not have done otherwise.”
Hayley Hulin can be reached at hayley.hulin@laverne.edu.
Correction
In an earlier version of this story, senior Megan Keller was misidentified as a broadcast journalism major. She is actually a radio broadcasting major. The Campus Times regrets the error.
