Dr. Briggs Hopson, chairman and president of the executive board of trustees for the Miss Mississippi Corporation, greets Miss Jones County Laranda Moffett, center, while her mother, Patricia Moffett, looks on Sunday at the Vicksburg Convention Center during the orientation and registration.(The Vicksburg Post/C. Todd Sherman)

[07/01/02]Reunion was in the air at the Vicksburg Convention Center Sunday morning as the 39 Miss Mississippi contestants registered for this week’s competition.

Jennifer Adcock, 22, of Hattiesburg, for example, is returning for her fourth time as a contestant. “I’ve made a lot of friends,” she said. She said that returning each year is a plus.

“You are more experienced, more comfortable, more relaxed,” she said. “You know what to expect and what you’re getting yourself into.”

Adcock said the scholarship money is what keeps her coming back. “Every year you’re a contestant, you earn more,” she said.

President and chairman of the Miss Mississippi Corporation Dr. Briggs Hopson said that if it were not for the scholarship money, he would not be involved.

“If we quit promoting education, I would have gotten out a long time ago,” said Hopson, who has been working with the corporation for 27 years. “It allows growth in you. I want one of these to become the first woman governor of the State of Mississippi or the first woman president of the United States.”

Adcock will compete this year as Miss West Central. She is a student at the University of Southern Mississippi where she is a speech communication major.

“It’s always fun to see new girls,” Adcock said. “They’re so excited about it.”

One of those first-time contestants, Calley Dunn of Columbia, has wanted to be Miss America as long as she can remember.

“I remember watching Heather Whitestone (Miss America 1995) and thinking, If she can do it, so can I,'” said Dunn, who competes this year as Miss Southwest. “The Miss America program is really aimed more at the platform and the social work and the speaking.”

Her platform is overcoming depression, an illness for which she has received treatment. Dunn is an international business major at the University of Mississippi.

“It’s a great opportunity to reach family and simply educate the public as to the symptoms of depression,” she said. “Especially after September 11, the problem has really come into focus.”

“We’re looking forward to a great, new Miss Mississippi,” Hopson said.

Rehearsals will dominate the days and nights of contestants until Wednesday when the first round of preliminary competition is held. Rounds two and three lead to the selection of a top 10 for competition in Saturday’s finals.