Miss Samford
Scholarship Competition
November 1, 2025, Wright Center
More than $20,000 in scholarships will be awarded.
Our mission is to “Empower Women to Lead” - to distribute scholarships, build confidence, cultivate professional and life skills, promote healthy living and serve the community.
The Miss Samford University Scholarship Competition has a rich tradition and history of success as an official preliminary to the Miss Alabama and Miss America competitions. Since 1948, nine Miss Samford winners went on to win the title of Miss Alabama, and one Samford student went on to become Miss America!
So what is the Miss America Opportunity about?
The four points of the iconic Miss America crown symbolize success, style, service and scholarship.
Success
Participating in the Miss America Organization (MAO) not only helps you pay for college and prepare for a career, it provides opportunities to gain additional life experince, work on issues of importance to society, enhance your personal and professional skills and develop your talents.
Style
Your personal style is like a signature—unique to you and easily recognizable to others. Your style should be based solely on what you like, what looks good on you and how you portray it with confidence. Your signature style gives you the edge you need for pageant success.
Service
MAO founded the platform concept requiring contestants to choose issues relevant to our society. Once chosen, titleholders across the country use their stature to address their platform issues with community-service organizations, business and civic leaders, the media and others.
Scholarship
Most women who have or plan to compete in MAO have done so to earn scholarships to further their education. MAO empowers young women to achieve their personal and professional goals, while providing a forum in which to express their opinions, talent and intelligence.
Competition Phases
Private Interview
30% of total score
Interviews are 10 minutes, with a 30-second opening statement and a 9:30 interview. There are typically 5 to 7 judges on a panel, and the interview is press style, with the delegate standing at a podium. Delegates are questioned on their community service initiative and background as presented on the fact sheet: educational and career goals, interests, hobbies, and extracurricular activities. Scoring is based on overall communication skills, including personality, intelligence, opinions, emotional control, overall first impression, and personal appearance.
Lifestyle and Fitness
20% of total score
Each delegate will model fitness wear. Rebel Athletic is an official sponsor of Miss America. The fitness wear should be from the Rebel Athletic Miss America Red collection of the contestant's choosing*. Shoes/socks and accessories such as hair bows and earrings are also of the contestant’s choosing. The Lifestyle and Fitness competition is designed to determine the contestant's fitness level and obtain a glimpse into her daily routine and lifestyle. The contestant’s drive, energy, and presence are likewise considered.
* If you do not have Rebel fitness apparel you may wear fitness apparel of your choice (preference will be for all RED - Samford logos a plus!). Think yoga wear, tennis skirts, fitted tank tops, etc. Choose something flattering to your body type.
Talent/HERstory
20% of total score
Each delegate will perform either a 90 second talent or HERstory (A HERstory is a spoken word/slam poem/monologue that inspires, captivates and entertains.) Scoring is based on the delegate’s skill and personality, interpretive ability, technical skill level, stage presence, and the totality of all elements, including costume, props, voice, use of body, and choreography.
Evening Gown
20% of total score
Each delegate will walk onstage in a gown of her choosing, representing what she would wear to walk the red carpet or a black tie event. Overall “first impression”; sense of confidence, composure, and poise; personality and stage presence; walk, carriage, posture, and beauty; sense of style and appropriateness of the evening gown are evaluated.
On Stage Conversation
10% of total score
Each delegate will answer a question about her community service initiative with detail, poise, and confidence. The delegate’s ability as a spokesperson and role model are considered.
Why Participate?
Scholarships
More than $20,000 in scholarships (in-kind) toward Samford University tuition and fees for undergraduate and graduate students
- Miss Samford University 1 year — $15,000 scholarship
- First Runner-Up 1 year — $2,500 scholarship
- Second Runner-Up 1 year — $1,500 scholarship
- Non-finalist Interview Winner 1 year — $500 scholarship
- Non-finalist Talent Winner 1 year — $500 scholarship
The opportunity to win additional scholarships at Miss Alabama (which distributed $139,000 last year)
Professional Development
Learn to interview, speak to an audience, advocate for a cause, and network within the university and with outside partners.
Sisterhood
Make lifelong friends with other like-minded, motivated women.
Growth
Foster a positive, self-motivated mindset to achieve your goals.
Glamour
This is your chance to have red carpet moments!
