Miss Hospitality is looking for its next Miss Hospitality and Little Miss Hospitality in the LOU community.

Competition is gearing up and the local branch for the two pageants are open to any young lady interested in participating. Deadline for interest emails for the local Miss Hospitality competition is January 1, 2022 at 5 pm. The local Miss Hospitality Oxford Competition will take place in the Oxford Conference Center at 2 pm on January 15, 2022.

Founded in 1949, under Governor Fielding Wright and the Mississippi Legislature, the Mississippi Miss Hospitality Competition has spent 70 years championing the state’s tourism and economic development sectors while supporting Mississippi’s best and brightest young women through a robust scholarship program. The Little Miss Hospitality was added to the program in 2018. 

“When it comes to Miss Hospitality, I wholeheartedly believe that the fact that they are focused on bringing people to Mississippi and allowing women to learn about their hometown gives that hometown love and that state love,” said Danielle Maury, Director of Miss Hospitality Oxford. “You have got to love where you live.”

Miss Hospitality is designed for ladies ages 18 to 24 who seek to showcase beauty and grace while celebrating intelligent and sincere qualities of the modern woman. Little Miss Hospitalities must be between 6 and 10 years old and preference should be given to a child within the contestant’s community.

According to Maury, the competition encourages contestants to learn more about their town history through working as their community’s spokesperson, promoting visitation and development in their hometowns. 

Maury said Miss Hospitality works to challenge the prejudice many people have against the Magnolia state.

“This system allows women to dive deep into Mississippi’s roots and into their hometown roots to really promote Mississippi statewide and even on a national level,” she said.

The Miss Hospitality program has supported talented and intelligent women for more than 70 years through a scholarship and prize program. Contestants are eligible for more than $100,000 in scholarships and prizes, including cash and college-granted funds. The next Mississippi Miss Hospitality will receive a $25,000 prize package. 

Mississippi Miss Hospitality partners with colleges and universities across the state to provide opportunities for contestants to further their education. The program is appreciative of a strong patron program, ensuring a fantastic prize package for contestants. The contestant crowned the State title holder must attend school in Mississippi and enroll in a maximum of 15 credit hours per semester during her reign. 

According to Maury, contestants leave the program with lifelong friendships, communication and interview skills, confidence in public speaking, and a better understanding of their home state. 

Each contestant will be judged based on the following criteria: the person selected must be intelligent, articulate, photogenic, aggressive without being forward or self-centered, dignified and attractive; have a friendly spirit that is natural and spontaneous; be in good health; be gracious and sincere; and possess a general knowledge of state tourist attractions, history, and economy. Special talents are not required, but accomplishments in public speaking and communication will be appreciated.

“The Oxford-Lafayette County community of women is a multi-talented, very intelligent, very community service based group of young women that we have,” said Maury. “This is an opportunity for them to allow that to shine while also representing the best city in the state and that’s Oxford.”

The young lady crowned the state’s Miss Hospitality serves as the official goodwill ambassador for Mississippi, traveling regionally and nationally to promote the Hospitality State and share her story. She also enjoys her part of more than $100,000 in prizes and scholarships offered by our program. 

“Our main job is to allow these women to shine,” said Maury. “This is a good opportunity for women to get scholarships and put back money into Mississippi via secondary education.”

For more information on Mississippi Miss Hospitality Oxford or to become the next Miss Hospitality/Little Miss Hospitality of Oxford-Lafayette County, contact Director Danielle Maury at misshospitalityoxfordlc@gmail.com.

Mississippi Miss Hospitality is presented by VisitHATTIESBUG,  the City of Hattiesburg, Mississippi Development Authority, Forrest General Hospital, The University of Southern Mississippi, and the Historic Saenger Theater.