Special to The Messenger

Feb. 14, 2000 10 PM

Heather Moran of Greenville has been selected Miss Troy State University 2000.

Along with her crown, Moran earns the opportunity to compete for the title of Miss Alabama and a one-year scholarship to Troy State University.

Moran, a sophomore nursing major, is a graduate of Ft. Dale Academy. She is a member of the TSU Collegiate Singers, the Student Government Association, the Freshman Forum, the Trojan All-Stars and Phi Mu Fraternity. She has been involved in piano for 12 years and dance for four years. Her goal is to become a nurse anesthetist. Moran played the piano for the talent competition.

Her first runner up is Larissa Brand, a freshman elementary education major from Chelsea. The Chelsea High School graduate is a member of the Freshman Forum,

the University Dancers, Chi

Omega sorority, Campus

Outreach and Diamond Dears.

She has also been a dancer for the Super Bowl.

Second runner up is Christina Bedingfield, a graduate of Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery. A sophomore education major specializing in collaborative education, Bedingfield serves as vice president of campus relations for Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. She is also a member of the Student Government Association, the TSU Collegiate Singers, the Institutional Effectiveness Committee, the Adams Center Union Board and she serves as a volunteer for the Troy Housing Authority.

She sang a Broadway selection for the talent portion of the competition.

Troy resident Kelly Hawkins, a freshman English major, was selected third runner up in the competition. Hawkins is a member of Phi Mu Fraternity and Freshman Forum. She was first runner up in Pike County’s Junior Miss pageant and was selected for the National Youth Leadership Forum on Law.

Hawkins has 13 years of dance experience and 10 years of training on piano. For her talent competition, Hawkins sang a solo for her talent portion of the pageant.

Amy Philips-Redclift, a graduate of Smithson Valley High School, is fourth runner up. The freshman political science major is involved in Freshman Forum, Campus Outreach and the honors program. She serves as alumnae liaison for Alpha Delta Gamma sorority. She sang for her talent.

Swimsuit winner is Jamie Mitchell of Brantley. The Brantley High School graduate, is a senior elementary education major. She is a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority, the TSU Diamond Dears, Circle K, Student Government Association, president of the Drama Club, and vice president of Civitan.

She was 1996 Crenshaw Junior Miss, and 1997 and 1999 Miss Alfa Crenshaw. She plans to continue graduate studies at Troy State University.

The winners received their crowns in what pageant director Debra Kelly said was a record crowd in the last seven years she has been affiliated with the pageant.

"We don’t have totals yet," she said, "but we had to open the balcony for the first time at this pageant. Turnout was extremely good."

Kelly said the crowd was enthusiastic about the pageant and public reaction was positive.

"It went very well, and I have had a lot of positive feedback," she said.

Moran will be eligible to represent Troy State University at the Miss Alabama Pageant scheduled in June. The Miss TSU Pageant is affiliated with the Miss America Pageant.