CONTRIBUTED BY SUSCC
OPELIKA —
Alyssa Hurst of Lineville, Alabama, was crowned Miss Southern Union 2023 during the college’s annual pageant held Jan. 19. Hurst will now go on to compete in the Miss Alabama Pageant, which will be held in Birmingham in this summer.
This year, four young women competed for the title of Miss Southern Union. Contestants were judged in private interview, talent, eveningwear and on-stage question. In addition to each of the judged categories, contestants are required to select a social impact initiative, choosing a topic in which they are currently involved or about which they feel strongly, such as a form of community service.
Hurst was also named the winner of the talent competition and was the recipient of the Cotney Deas Legacy Scholarship, a $1,000 cash scholarship given by Jason and Casey Cotney Deas.
Brynli Mitchell of Sylacauga was named as first runner-up. Also competing in the pageant were Caroline Brown of Roanoke and Daisy Gilmer of Opelika.
Miss Southern Union earns up to $10,000 in cash and in-kind scholarships each year. The Miss Southern Union Pageant is an official preliminary of the Miss Alabama/Miss America Pageant.
For more information, or to schedule an appearance by Miss Southern Union, contact Shondae Brown, director of the Miss Southern Union pageant, at 256-395-2211.