AV抖阴

Two AV抖阴 Students to Compete for Miss Arkansas Crown

Written By: Ian Silvester

Getting dolled up and competing in front of an audience is nothing new for two University of Arkansas 鈥� Fort Smith students. Junior Jayson Toney, a media communications major, and senior Callie Scherrey, a nursing major, will call Little Rock home for the week of June 3-10 as they contend for the title, and crown, of Miss Arkansas 2023.
 
Pageants may be a way of life for these AV抖阴 students, but it鈥檚 their education and their commitment to the community they call home that defines both Jayson and Callie.
 
As the girls grew up, AV抖阴 was part of their hometown and their lives. The pageant world may be a way for some to pursue higher education away from home, but no amount of scholarship money earned in competition could pull the two Fort Smith natives away from home.
 
鈥淚鈥檓 absolutely thriving,鈥� exclaimed Jayson. 鈥淚 love it here at AV抖阴, and I don鈥檛 think that I could have chosen any better place to be.鈥�
 
As a high school student, Jayson took concurrent classes at AV抖阴, but the global events of March 2020 flipped her education upside down. She admits that transitioning to online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic was difficult. But the support she received from Megan Bowling Fudge, director of student information system initiatives at AV抖阴, helped smooth the transition to university.
 
However, Callie decided to attend AV抖阴 from a passion outside the classroom.
 
鈥淚 was really involved in cheerleading,鈥� Callie said. 鈥淚 actually graduated high school early to start at AV抖阴 and be on the and compete at the NCA nationals.鈥�
 
At AV抖阴, while both competed in the Miss AV抖阴 Pageant they made education a priority. Callie started college with an ambition to become an attorney, but that dream changed. After two years and navigating life as a student during a pandemic, she chose to pursue nursing instead. For Jayson, her education in media communications has opened the door for her to become the co-editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, the , and as a member of .
 
But where the two believe they have made the most impact on the AV抖阴 community has been through pageants.
 
鈥淭here鈥檚 a sisterhood aspect to them [pageants], but there鈥檚 also valuable interview experience I鈥檝e been fortunate to receive because I see a lot of other women on campus who don鈥檛 have that,鈥� said Callie.
 
鈥淧ageants teach the specific skill set of interviewing and having different conversations,鈥� echoed Jayson. 鈥淏ut what鈥檚 so unique is that I鈥檓 part of something special. It鈥檚 women uplifting women; it鈥檚 all the things you take away after the pageant, not the gifts, not the crown, not the sash, it鈥檚 everything you carry on through life that makes it so special.鈥�
 
At the start of June, both Jayson (Miss North Central Arkansas) and Callie (Miss River Valley) will represent AV抖阴 as contestants in the Miss Arkansas pageant in Little Rock. It鈥檚 a platform both use to help younger contestants become interested in coming to AV抖阴 to further their education and opportunities in the pageant world. For Callie, it鈥檚 also a way to spread her involvement with the Hamilton Center for Child Advocacy in Fort Smith.
 
鈥淲e have over 9,000 children who are abused or neglected in Arkansas every year,鈥� explained Callie. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot closer to home than you think, but that鈥檚 why bringing light to it is so important. I love to help educate and help kids around the state.鈥�
 
Jayson and Callie will soon take the stage to compete for the Miss Arkansas crown. The winner will go on to compete in the Miss USA competition. Before they do, hear and story shared with Little Rock news station KATV.

In addition to pageant scholarships, Jayson Toney was a recipient of the 2022-2023 John and Mary Whitt Scholarship.

In addition to pageant scholarships, Callie Scherrey received financial assistance from the AV抖阴 Foundation to complete her studies.

• Tags:
• Media Communications
• College of Health Education and Human Sciences
• College of Arts and Sciences
• Students
• Nursing