Junior wins scholarship, earns Miss Purdue title

By Sarah Szczepanski
Assistant Features Editor

Krista Kober was crowned the 2001 winner of the Miss Purdue Scholarship pageant Sunday afternoon in the Long Center in Lafayette.

Kober, a junior in the School of Nursing, was among the seven other contestants that competed for the title, which grants the winner $1,100 in scholarship money, along with a chance to compete in the Miss Indiana competition and even possibly the Miss America competition.

"I’m really excited and really surprised," said Kober, who presented a vocal performance. "All the girls that competed were great."

The second runner-up for Miss Purdue 2001 was Valerie Miller, a senior in the School of Education, who presented a jazz dance performance. The first runner-up was Whitney Weeks, a junior in the School of Management, who presented a tap dance performance.

The competition was judged based on scores from a previously completed private interview with the judges, worth 30 percent; swimsuit competition, worth 15 percent; a talent section, worth 40 percent; and finally an evening wear presentation, also worth15 percent.

Breanne Rhoton, Miss Purdue 2000, who presented the award to Kober, addressed the audience for her farewell speech.

"This has given me many wonderful opportunities," she said.

Another pageant winner of that year, Miss Indiana 2000, Betsy Bobel, agreed that pageants allow opportunities to help others.

Bobel, who competed in the Miss America competition, said she was able to get many things accomplished during her reign.

"The best parts is what I do every day," said Bobel.

Miss Purdue 2001 will have a chance to present her platform, which is based on a social issue, to work on during her reign.

Kober’s platform deals with the education and prevention of elderly abuse. She hopes to accomplish this through education and awareness throughout the community this year.

"I have a lot of goals to provide information to people around campus," Kober said. "I want to teach people about what is going on."

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