By Sarah Pinkerton | Staff Writer
Alumni, family and students gathered Monday night as the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority honored 40 girls across campus for their inner beauty and strength at the 70th Baylor Beauty Charity Style Show in the Barfield Drawing Room of the Bill Daniel Student Center.
10 girls from each class and 11 seniors, were selected to participate in the show. All proceeds were donated to Kappa Kappa Gamma’s philanthropy “Reading is Fundamental.”
There were 14 winners that represented each class: freshmen Ginger Gordon, Sadie Hopkins, Avery Lake, Townes Quinn and Payton Willey; sophomores Caroline Howell, Avery Phillips and Alexandra Walker; juniors Emma Black, Avery Paxton and Barb Vinson and seniors Mary Claire Brock, Molly Middlebrook and Chloe Smith took the lead.
The sorority reached out to 300 campus organizations, asking them to nominate members that represented the mission of their organization as well as both inner and outer beauty. There was then an all-university voting day where the contestants were chosen.
Contestants at Monday’s event represented Kappa Kappa Gamma, Delta Delta Delta, Pi Beta Phi, Alpha Delta Pi, Kappa Sigma and the various charities and organizations the girls are involved in.
University event chairs for Kappa Kappa Gamma, Austin junior Anna-Nicole Morris and Kansas City sophomore Paige McClelland organized and planned the event behind the scenes. They additionally introduced the event while Melissa senior Kennedy Hart, Kappa Kappa Gamma president, commentated for the event.
Contestants first showed off casual dresses while Hart discussed their extra-curricular involvements. They were then escorted by male students as they showed off their formal dresses and answered questions based on their passions and inspirations as an individual.
The dresses were chosen by the girls to represent their personalities while three judges observed the show.
“It’s really cool to hear about what different girls are involved in and they’re always so different. There’s no one cookie cutter girl, each girl is so different so that’s really sweet,” Morris said.
In addition, the Tommye Lou Davis award, in honor of the style show adviser and longtime Baylor professor, was presented for the first time to Mrs. Davis herself. The award will be granted to girls who represent the grace, truth and wisdom of Tommye Lou Davis for many years to come.
“The amount that she cares and loves for every girl as an individual across campus, she loves Waco, she loves Baylor, she loves the sorority life, Panhellenic life and she has poured into so many individuals and touched so many lives and helped so many people grow,” Mclellan said.
Contestants were judged based on 50% for looks, 25% for stage presence and 25% for their Q&A session in order to show their all-around personalities.
“A common misconception is that this is just a beauty pageant which is really far from the truth,” Mclellan said. “It is a charity style show where we have such a unique opportunity to raise money for our philanthropy.”
