Athens, Ga. – Shelby McLeod, a third-year public relations major and music business student, was crowned Miss University of Georgia 2012 at the annual scholarship pageant held Oct. 8 in the Tate Student Center.
McLeod is the daughter of Jeff and Kay McLeod of Madison, Ga.
Jennifer Johnson, a fourth-year advertising major from Marietta, was named first runner-up. Abby Killough, a fourth-year communication sciences and disorders major from Bainbridge, received second runner-up honors and was awarded best interview. Lia Racanelli, a fourth-year publication management major from Lynchburg, Va., was third runner-up. Courtney Giebler, second-year pre-pharmacy major from Fayetteville, was fourth runner-up.
The Floreida Harrell Miss Congeniality Scholarship was awarded for the second consecutive year to Kayla McIntosh, a senior health promotion major from Cumming. The People’s Choice Award, voted on by audience members, went to Susannah Haddad, a first-year pre-journalism major from Austin, Texas.
McLeod will compete in the Miss Georgia Pageant in June 2012. The winner of that pageant will go on to the Miss America Pageant.
The Miss America Organization at the local, state, and national levels represents the largest private scholarship foundation for women in the United States. This year, scholarship assistance totaling more than $45 million was available to contestants at all three levels. The Miss America Organization, established in 1921, is a nonprofit civic corporation.
The Miss UGA Scholarship Pageant is a program within UGA’s Division of Student Affairs. For more information, call 706/542-8514 or see www.missuga.uga.edu.
