Move over Miss America, Miss Lambda Chi Alpha Pledge will be crowned tonight at Meacham Auditorium in Oklahoma Memorial Union.
The pageant, featuring 12 women from each of the Panhellenic Association's houses, will benefit Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Cleveland County, said Jared Buchan, international business sophomore and executive director of the pageant.
The event begins at 8 p.m. Admission is $7 with proceeds going directly to Big Brothers and Big Sisters.
The organization assists 180 Cleveland County boys and girls by matching them with an older role model, said, Diane Murphree, the organization's executive director. OU students make up 86 percent of the agency's volunteers.
"They (volunteers) feel like they're really helping change someone's life," Murphree said.
College students helping is unique because the children look-up to them as someone they would like to be, Murphree said.
Individual Lambda Chi Alpha members already involved in Big Brothers and Big Sisters helped prompt the fraternity's interest in giving pageant proceeds to the organization, Buchan said.
Hoping to raise $5,000 for the mentor program, Lambda Chi Alpha has been committed to assisting Big Brother and Big Sisters through the pageant.
"It's just an enjoyable show, it's for a great cause," Buchan said.
The pageant will follow a typical pageant's form with sportswear, evening gown, talent and interview categories for the 17th annual Pledge Pageant.
Representing Pi Beta Phi sorority, Valerie Webb, University College freshman, said the event provides an opportunity to raise money for a worthy organization.
"Big Bothers and Big Sisters is a great organization that benefits lots of children in the area," Webb said. "It sets a standard for people that are for giving back to the community."
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