University crowns new Miss TAMUK

Darcy Guerrero has been crowned Miss TAMUK 2018, succeeding former pageant winner Elyssa Benavides and winning a scholarship of $2,000.

The Miss TAMUK scholarship pageant took place Saturday, April 14, at Jones Auditorium debuting with the theme “Lost in the 50s.” The pageant came after a day of personal interviews with the candidates, during which participants were expected to answer questions centered around the candidates’ personalities, interests, and their knowledge of current events.

Three judges discussed and graded the interviews, returning the next night to judge the main event. Vilma Gomez, a consultant at CEV multimedia, Jim Kunua, manager of Schlitterbahn Riverpark, and Melanie Fugate, operations manager for Heavin, Otto, and Levitt Insurance, acted as this year’s judges, grading on a rubric supplied by the Office of Student Activities.

Additional titles and scholarships were given to candidates during the night. The pageant runner-up, Brenda Riojas, received a $1,200 scholarship, while the third place spot, awarded to Samantha Brock, is granted a $750 scholarship.

Guerrero not only walks away as the winner of the pageant having been granted a generous scholarship, but will also begin her duties as an ambassador for the university; in which she will take on responsibilities such as charity work and act as a campus speaker.

“I’m ready to change lives, that is what I want to do,” Guerrero stated as her first proclamation to the Texas A&M University—Kingsville student body.

Guerrero continued, “My plans are to create more spirit within the university. Personally, I see that we need more