Break out the dinner plates, napkins and forks and set the table.

Michael To, management information systems sophomore, will prepare a traditional Vietnamese dish for his talent portion in the Miss and Mr. Asian OU Pageant tonight at the Ramada Inn at Interstate 35 and Lindsey Street.The judges and a few guests of honor will sample the food.

Chris Le, Asian American Student Association president and architecture junior, said this is the first time a contestant will cook for their talent.

"Sometimes we have a unique talent away from the traditional piano playing or singing like an interpretive dance or a poetry reading, but this talent is definitely like not like any we have had before," he said. "I think it is a great way to demonstrate Asian culture since food is a big part of our culture."

Le said he does not feel the food will bribe or manipulate the judges in any manner.

The evening will begin at 6 p.m. with a buffet dinner catered by Orient Express. The pageant will follow at

7 p.m.

"I think people will be happier with the food this year because we did not have the university cater it," said Elizabeth Tran, AASA vice president and international business and marketing junior.

The AASA is hosting the pageant, and the Vietnamese Student Association, Oklahoma Undergraduate India Society, and Filipino American Association are co-hosting.

The master of ceremonies will be Elizabeth Tran, marketing and international business junior, and Beau Mitchell, University College freshman.

This year's nine contestants are Patricia Tran, zoology sophomore; Betty Luu, University College freshman; Yvonne Midkiff, University College freshman; Monica Hsu, pre-med junior; Andy Nguyen, pharmacy senior; John Nguyen, pre-pharmacy sophomore; Minh Hoang, management information systems sophomore; Michael To, management information systems sophomore and Jimmy Le, University College freshman.

Maianh Nguyen, AASA press secretary and pre-pharmacy sophomore, said the contestants will be judged based on a 100-point system. Each contestant will be judged based on raffle ticket sales, personal interview before the pageant, traditional dress, talent and the impromptu question during the pageant, she said.

"The contestants have been preparing for quite some time, and some of them are nervous about the talent portion, but I think almost all of them are more nervous about the personal interview," she said.


To learn more about the Asian American Student Association, visit www.ou.edu/student/aasa.
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