Parade of Favorites
One of the most enduring traditions of Lee is the annual Parade of Favorites pageant. In 1962, part-time Lee professor Duran Palmertree had a vision for a pageant at Lee similar to those he attended during his studies at the University of Mississippi and Duke University. Receiving the approval of Lee President Ray H. Hughes, Palmertree met with others who shared his vision and, together, they organized the annual pageant known as “Parade of Favorites.” Palmertree was sponsor of the college yearbook, Vindagua, and the competition initially was sponsored by the Vindagua staff. The competition offers a true pageant experience, complete with elaborate set designs, talent competitions, and formal dress. Since 2009 it includes an emphasis on the specific causes important to each contestant.
The first Parade of Favorites was held at the campus auditorium on December 7, 1962, as a two-night event with twenty-four participants, each selected by a class or campus club as its representative. From the initial 24 students, the audience selected 10 young women as their top favorites. From those 10 students, a secret committee chose the top 5 finalists to be featured in the 1963 Vindagua. Betty Jo Byrd of Lakeland, Florida, became Lee’s first Miss Parade of Favorites (also referred to as Miss POF) in the Spring of 1963.
Of that first pageant, the 1963 Vindagua records, “‘This program tonight is the culmination of many weeks of work and preparation by the twenty-four young ladies whose performances you will enjoy. They have engaged in private interviews, indulged in teas, practiced smiles and generally speaking have been just charming.’ Each young lady was chosen by a class, club, or an organization to represent it in the program. Determining criteria of selection were grace, talent, Christian leadership and beauty. The Favorites selected and gave an artistic performance of five to six minutes before the student body in one performance night. These performances included vocal renditions, dramatic readings, instrumentals, pantomimes and poetic recitations. Ten girls were selected as finalists by vote of the audience.”
The 1983 Vindagua explains the level of intensity and the commitment required to participate in the competition, “For some girls, practice begins as early as Christmas vacation. Arranging music, picking out costumes and evening dresses, designing and building props are all a part of the pre-pageant preparation. After hours and hours of individual effort, the girls get together to begin rehearsals that lasted until two and three o’clock in the morning. One by one the choreographers, the escorts, the musicians, and the emcee were added until everything was time down to the last second.”
Palmertree served as the first Master of Ceremonies, a service he continued for several years. Danny Murray was another popular emcee through the years.
The talent showcase has been held at various times through the years, sometimes in late December or even January or February. However, for the first 47 years it typically was held each Spring. In 2009, the Student Leadership Council recommended changing the event to the Fall semester to provide students with a significant event to close out the first semester of the academic year. As a result, there were two competitions in 2009, one in the Spring, when Rachael Huber was crowned Miss POF 2009, and again in the Fall, when Alexandra Powell was crowned Miss POF Fall 2009. Additionally, the emphasis also changed in the Fall of 2009 to focus more on the specific causes championed by the contestants. The scoring method was revised to allow contestants an opportunity to intentionally promote their platform for their cause.
In addition to Miss POF, awards are given to the First Runner-up and one each for Service, Talent, Congeniality, the Interview, and to an Escort. The Kay McDaniel Woman of Achievement Award is given to a contestant who has overcome adversity and challenges.
An annual student-led showcase, Parade of Favorites remains one of the university’s most anticipated events on campus.
/ L.F. Morgan
The first Parade of Favorites was held at the campus auditorium on December 7, 1962, as a two-night event with twenty-four participants, each selected by a class or campus club as its representative. From the initial 24 students, the audience selected 10 young women as their top favorites. From those 10 students, a secret committee chose the top 5 finalists to be featured in the 1963 Vindagua. Betty Jo Byrd of Lakeland, Florida, became Lee’s first Miss Parade of Favorites (also referred to as Miss POF) in the Spring of 1963.
Of that first pageant, the 1963 Vindagua records, “‘This program tonight is the culmination of many weeks of work and preparation by the twenty-four young ladies whose performances you will enjoy. They have engaged in private interviews, indulged in teas, practiced smiles and generally speaking have been just charming.’ Each young lady was chosen by a class, club, or an organization to represent it in the program. Determining criteria of selection were grace, talent, Christian leadership and beauty. The Favorites selected and gave an artistic performance of five to six minutes before the student body in one performance night. These performances included vocal renditions, dramatic readings, instrumentals, pantomimes and poetic recitations. Ten girls were selected as finalists by vote of the audience.”
The 1983 Vindagua explains the level of intensity and the commitment required to participate in the competition, “For some girls, practice begins as early as Christmas vacation. Arranging music, picking out costumes and evening dresses, designing and building props are all a part of the pre-pageant preparation. After hours and hours of individual effort, the girls get together to begin rehearsals that lasted until two and three o’clock in the morning. One by one the choreographers, the escorts, the musicians, and the emcee were added until everything was time down to the last second.”
Palmertree served as the first Master of Ceremonies, a service he continued for several years. Danny Murray was another popular emcee through the years.
The talent showcase has been held at various times through the years, sometimes in late December or even January or February. However, for the first 47 years it typically was held each Spring. In 2009, the Student Leadership Council recommended changing the event to the Fall semester to provide students with a significant event to close out the first semester of the academic year. As a result, there were two competitions in 2009, one in the Spring, when Rachael Huber was crowned Miss POF 2009, and again in the Fall, when Alexandra Powell was crowned Miss POF Fall 2009. Additionally, the emphasis also changed in the Fall of 2009 to focus more on the specific causes championed by the contestants. The scoring method was revised to allow contestants an opportunity to intentionally promote their platform for their cause.
In addition to Miss POF, awards are given to the First Runner-up and one each for Service, Talent, Congeniality, the Interview, and to an Escort. The Kay McDaniel Woman of Achievement Award is given to a contestant who has overcome adversity and challenges.
An annual student-led showcase, Parade of Favorites remains one of the university’s most anticipated events on campus.
/ L.F. Morgan
Miss POF 1963
Betty Jo Byrd |
1972 Parade of Favorites
(L-R): Pat Williams, Miss Congeniality; Phyllis Lane, 2nd Runner-up; Helen Foley, Miss POF; Joan Davis, 1st Runner-up, and Judy Markham, 3rd Runner-up |
Miss POF 1974
Angela Wetherington is presented her trophy by Lee President Charles W. Conn |
Miss POF 1991
Tanya Rose |
Miss POF 2001
Kendra Stacey |
Parade of Favorites 2015
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Those crowned Miss Parade of Favorites at Lee since 1963 include:
YEAR |
MISS PARADE OF FAVORITES |
1963 |
Betty Jo Byrd |
1964 |
Wanda Johnson |
1965 |
Donna Pharr |
1966 |
Darlia McLuhan |
1967 |
Carol Turner |
1968 |
Donna Wilbanks |
1969 |
Tanya Trimble |
1970 |
Sonia Lane |
1971 |
Vicky Caraway |
1972 |
Helen Foley |
1973 |
Julia Haar |
1974 |
Angela Wetherington |
1975 |
Susan Johnson |
1976 |
Diane James |
1977 |
Donna Waldee |
1978 |
Joan K. Mays |
1979 |
Anita Ball |
1980 |
Kim Dawsey |
1981 |
Sonya Jo Vinson |
1982 |
Tammy Clark |
1983 |
Trinette Wingo |
1984 |
Regina Sears |
1985 |
Melinda Higginbotham |
1986 |
Ann Chang |
1987 |
Kathy Coleman |
1988 |
Debbie Schierbaum |
1989 |
Lisa Frazier |
1990 |
Angie Duncan |
1991 |
Tanya Rose |
1992 |
Esther Wine |
1993 |
Deanna O'Bannon |
1994 |
Velvet Liles |
1995 |
Esther Wong |
1996 |
Emily Holloway |
1997 |
Merica Patton |
1998 |
Rebecca Van Dyne |
1999 |
Julia Brackett |
2000 |
Sheba John |
2001 |
Kendra Stacey |
2002 |
April McCuen |
2003 |
Amber Ratliff |
2004 |
Stefanie Black |
2005 |
Candice Lowe |
2006 |
Lindsey Kyles |
2007 |
Jennifer Wallace |
2008 |
Lindsey Calhoun |
2009 |
Rachael Huber |
2009 (Fall) |
Alexandra Powell |
2010 |
Hillary Tedrick |
2011 |
Amber Kienlen |
2012 |
Erica Bradley |
2013 |
Olivia Looney |
2014 |
Ariana Kim |
2015 |
Christina Sarmiento |
2016 |
Rebekah Mura |
2017 |
Lydia Thompson |
2018 |
Brittney Perez |
2019 |
Blaire Terrell |
2020 |
POF was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
2021 |
Taylor Brannon |
2022 |
Karli Tilley |