The Daily O’Collegian

Three OSU women competed for the crown at the Hispanic Student Association’s fourth annual Miss Hispanic OSU competition Saturday night.

Erica Escobar, a biochemistry and molecular biology sophomore who was celebrating her 20th birthday, received the title and a $1,000 scholarship.

“I am so happy because I get to be Miss Hispanic OSU this year,” Escobar said. “I can go through with everything I wanted to do while I was getting ready for this.”

Escobar’s platform is to improve the educational experience for Hispanic students. She said she will develop a tutoring program through HSA, specifically targeting those who speak little or no English.

Fellow contestants Lilia Mendoza and Tracy Mast named Escobar Miss Congeniality, who also obtained the Miss Academic Scholar title for having the highest grade point average. This was her second time to compete in the pageant.

“I am so excited that she won. I’ve been around her for two years now, so we’ve had a friendship going on from the beginning,” said Kayla Mast 2003 Miss Hispanic OSU and human development and family science junior.

In addition to coordinating next year’s pageant, Escobar will be expected to represent the Hispanic population by appearing at OSU festivities, such as the homecoming parade and attend traditional celebrations, such as Cinco de Mayo.

The competition began with personal interviews conducted by judges Isaac Davila, Samonna Asare, Dahlia Molloy and Adeline Longoria on Saturday afternoon.

The evening portion opened with a drum solo by Jonathon Ortiz, titled “Lucid Rythms.” The contestants then entered the stage dressed in black evening gowns and presented their platforms.

Tracy Mast, a nursing freshman and winner of the Miss Entrepreneur title for her ad sales, advocated against child abuse in Hispanic families while Mendoza, a psychology sophomore and first runner-up, wanted to increase the use of healthcare.

While the judges’ scores were tallied, HSA member Yvonne Cardenas sang “There You Are.”

During the fashion competition, the contestants wore clothing depicting their culture, areas of interest and personality.

Escobar wore a Columbian, off-the-shoulder dress with ribbons depicting the colors of the Columbian flag sewn onto it. She wore a red carnation in her hair, which is the national flower of Spain.

Mendoza wore a traditional dress from the Yucatan Peninsula, complete with colorful beads and sandals. The white cotton dress featured a floral pattern and lace around the collar and the hemline.

“My friend had visited the Yucatan in Mexico and then bought the dress there,” Mendoza said.

Mast’s black sequin dress represented the “quinceañera,” a Mexican tradition in which a girl celebrates her 15th birthday. The black ruffles along the bottom of the dress accentuated her Spanish roots, and a red flower pinned to the dress acknowledged her grandmother. The sequins symbolized her vibrant personality.

After an intermission, the women modeled their evening wear and answered questions from the judges.

Escobar was asked her opinion on the media’s representation of Hispanics.

“Most Hispanics are not portrayed as the loving and caring people that I know that they are,” Escobar said. “Most of the time they are portrayed as gang members or illegal aliens.”

Escobar asked for an increase in shows depicting the family values that are upheld by the Hispanic culture.

The evening ended with a farewell to the former queen, Kayla Mast, and the crowning of the 2004 Miss Hispanic OSU.