The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 18, 1987, Page 6, Image 6
Features ??
6 THE GAMECOCK Wednesday, November 18. 1987
Military hi
queens cap
Rv f'l.AlUK niKPKNRROTK
Staff writer
The first thing that comes to mind
when thinking of Army ROTC is not
usually homecoming queen titles.
Two women in USC's Army
ROTC program changed that this fall
when they were each named
homecoming queens.
This year, Melanie Williams, a
political science senior, was crowned
l r:
v>v o iiuiiivv,uiitui5 anu riau
Johnson, also a political science
senior, was crowned Virginia
Military Institute's homecoming
queen.
Johnson was named VMI's
homecoming queen through her involvement
in the ROTC program.
"Last summer at ROTC advanced
camp at Fort Bragg, one of my fellow
cadets was from VMI," Johnson
said. "Since VMI is an all-male
school, they always choose their
homecoming queen from other
sellouts, anu ne suomiuea my picture.
It was a real thrill to win."
Johnson, who attends Columbia
College, is able to attend the ROTC
classes at USC under a crossenrollment
agreement that allows
students from other schools without
ROTC programs to take advantage
of USC's offerings.
Johnson is a recipient of a twoUSC
student
to Miss US^
By TAMARA WILLIS
Features editor
A USC student was recently
j n4; ? c ? -1- 1 ? ?
V.IUWHCU iviii)> ouuin v^aiuima, cunning
her to compete in the Miss USA
Pageant.
Early childhood education junior
April Abel traveled to Myrtle Beach
the weekend of Nov. 6 to compete in
the Miss South Carolina-USA
Pageant. She and 38 others in her
division spent the weekend competing
at VVilright Auditorium on the
Coastal Carolina campus.
The categories were swim suit,
evening gown and interview. The
win voiuuia nau iu iutv.v wiiu tacn
judge for three minutes and were asked
a surprise question while on stage.
Host Robert Hallock asked Abel
about her hobby of collecting
baskets. She said he asked her what
her favorite basket was like and
whether she would give it to him. She
told him no because it was too
special.
Abel said the weekend was filled
with interviews, rehearsal with
iviMpti; fnr th/? Anoni 11 n
%.%x, ^pv...?5
number, dinners and a lot of fun.
She said she deeided to compete in
the pageant in March and received
her application in the mail in July.
She sent the required photo and
biographical information and received
her acceptance within two weeks.
After being accepted as a competitor,
she began working out and
watching what she ate. She said she
did not have any kind of coaching,
but competed in a few pageants and
did some modeling as a teenager.
On Nov. 7, Abel was crowned Miss
South Carolina. "1 was really ex
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imecoming
tture titles
year ROTC scholarship and is planning
a career in the military,
preferably in aviation.
Williams plans to attend law
school after finishing her
undergraduate work. She said she appreciates
the options her ROTC
training offers.
Both queens say experience in Army
ROTC has taught them leadership
skills, how to deal with people in
an v/|^ii-iiiiiiuv.u, a^^cinvt way unu
how to analyze situations so they can
act appropriately.
Johnson says the training also
helped her in the competition for the
1986 Miss South Carolina title in
which she finished in the Top 20.
"Talk about competition; it was
worse than ROTC summer camp. At
camp all I had to worry about was
camouflage. 1 didn't have to worry
about my eyelashes or fingernails,"
Johnson said.
ROTC training helped Williams
rccnoni'/c hr?w f:?r she rmilH nncli
herself. She said it helped distinguish
between the times when she should
lead and when she should follow.
"It's training that really hones
your judgement, and that's
something you can use the rest of
your life."
t on her way
k rageant
citcd. It was something I've always
wanted to do. I had always watched
the pageants on television and saw
the girls waving, but I never thought
it would be me."
Abel said she had about 30 people
cheering for her on the night of the
contest. Her dad sponsored her and
was very supportive throughout, she
said. "When 1 won, my dad was
ecstatic. He must have jumped a mile
high in the audience."
Abel received cash awards,
clothing, cosmetics and other prizes.
She will also get to interview with
talent and modeling agencies in New
York. - ~
She will compete in the Miss USA
Pageant in March. It will be held in
El Paso, Texas. The pageant will be
nationally televised, and the winner
will receive $250,(XX) in cash and
prizes.
Abel said she will be staying out of
school next semester, because she will
have to be gone three weeks in
February to prepare for the
competition.
"I'm looking forward to going to
Miss USA in March, but I still can't
grasp the fact that 1 am actually
going."
She said she plans to return to
school when the competition is over.
She is a member of Alpha Delta Pi
sorority. She also (caches dance in
Lexington and is a volunteer at Epworth
Children's Home.
She plans to teach first grade when
she completes her education and
would also like to pursue a master's
degree in speech pathology, she said.
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Melanie Williams (left) and Fran Johnson take part in a military exercise, a pi
USC's Homecoming Queen, and Johnson was crowncd Homecoming Queen at
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April Abel, the reigning Miss South Carolina.
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art of their ROTC training at (JSC. Earlier this fall, Williams was named
Virginia Military Institute.
ON 1
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i/o
From staff reports sale for Whitney Houston. Tickets
McKlssick Museum are SI7.SO.
Nov. 19 to 20: There will be a Tickets for events at Carolina
meeting of volunteers for "The Coliseum may be purchased at the
First Egyptians" exhibit. Anyone coliseum box office, Taylor Street
interested in serving as a volunteer Pharmacy and all other usual
for the exhibit may attend the outlets. Tickets may be ordered by
meeting at McKissick. For more in- phone and charged to a Mastercard
formation, call 777-7251. or VISA by dialing 777-6586. A $2
. ^ . . service charge will be added to the
Nov. 23To JaATty^Wft *WMte *Hota1. Tickets also may be orderacP ^ <
off V/iMf* ^n exhibit of molded ' by mail. For ctfntfcrt updatfcSr cfcn
plastic relief sculptures by Califor- the concert line, 777-7640.
nia artist Ralf Parton will be on
exhibit. (JSC Syphony Orchestra
Nov. 23: The orchestra will per
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ivivrvisaivr. is v^icn ihjiii 7 a.m. iu iorm d COnCCn 81 II1C 1 OWIlStlip
4 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Auditorium at 8 p.m. Tickets arc
Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. $4 for adults and $2 for students
Sundays. Admission is free. For and senior citizens.
more information, call 777-7251
during those hours. - I.ongstreet Theatre
Through December 6: Tickets
Library Exhibits are on sale for Female Transport by
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iiuuugii jan. , i7oo. iw cucve uoocn wnn Ann urener
U.S. Constitution: S.C. Signers" is directing. Performance dates are
on exhibit in the S.C. Legal History Nov. 20 to 22 and Dec. 2 to 6. SunRoom
of USC's law school library, day matinees are at 3 p.m., and all
The exhibit of letters and personal other performances are at 8 p.m.
correspondence is open 9 a.m. to 5 Tickets are $7 and $6 for adults, $6
p.m. weekdays. Admission is free. and $5 for senior citizens and USC
For more information, call faculty, and $4 and $3 for students. '
777-3405. Tickets may be reserved by calling
777-2551/2552 from noon to 5
Carolina Coliseum p.m. Monday to Saturday or one
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