By Emily Lohec | Staff Writer
Flashback to 69 years ago— Lily Russell, the original “Baylor beauty” herself, paved the way for women on Baylor’s campus, coining the term “Baylor girl” as a woman who leads with grace and integrity at the university.
Baylor’s Kappa Kappa Gamma chapter used Baylor Beauties, a show beginning from the “Baylor girl” tradition, as a platform to raise awareness and profits for philanthropy.
The show consists of 32 female students, eight from each class, that were nominated from various organizations on campus. They were then voted on in a university-wide election by their class.
This year’s Baylor Beauties show will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Bill Daniel Student Center’s Barfield Drawing Room. The ticket admissions are $5 for adults and $3 for students. All proceeds will go to Kappa Kappa Gamma’s philanthropy Reading Is Fundamental.
Bourne senior Savannah Cone is one of the university events chairmen for the fall 2019 Baylor Beauties Charity Style Show. Cone finds the charitable spirit of Kappa Kappa Gamma advisor Tommye Lou Davis to be contagious when it comes setting an example for the women participating.
“Tommye Lou Davis has always donated a gracious amount of her time to this program to promote the gift of love, confidence and determination women uphold,” Cone said. “I also love getting to celebrate Baylor’s traditions and being able to help plan and organize this event that has given me an opportunity unlike any other and one that has such a special place in many people’s hearts.”
Baylor Beauties is an event for anyone in the Baylor community to attend. Students and faculty can be found in the audience, as well as Baylor alumni, who are also encouraged to go to the event.
“Not only have I enjoyed working with all the girls who are walking down the runway, but I have loved getting to see the grandmas and moms who were in it get to spend this time with their daughter experiencing it together,” Cone said. “It’s neat to see the reception of it and how excited everyone is to be participating in something that has been going on for so long.”
Dallas junior Sydney Kilpatrick, co-chair for Baylor Beauties, said that the show is a great way to give back to the Waco community and witness first-hand how hard work and dedication can help in providing proceeds for a philanthropy.
She said that not only will the female students help raise the contributions for charity, but that the women participating will also dive deeper into how confidence and courage will develop their character.
“The overall message conveyed through Baylor Beauties is to inspire confidence for the young women,” Kilpatrick said. “For most people, this is not a normal thing to do, so it might push them out of their comfort zone and help their confidence throughout college and later in life.”
Cone said that the cliché saying that confidence is key is an attribute that this charity style show is hoping to ignite.
“Baylor Beauties is really to showcase the girls,” Cone said. “We’re hoping to instill confidence in not just the girls in the show, but all who are in the audience, with the courage to be themselves.”
