Q&A with Miss Auburn-Opelika USA
As many might already know, the Miss Alabama USA pageant is coming to the new Gogue Performing Arts Center in October, and nobody could be more excited about it than our very own Miss Auburn-Opelika, Kelly Hutchinson. AO Tourism had the pleasure of meeting with Kelly, and this is what we learned:
Tell us a little about your background. Where are you from? I’m a current senior at Auburn University studying communication and marketing, and I am from Marietta, Georgia.
What was your first pageant experience like? I grew up doing competition dance my entire life but always wanted to try pageants. After competing at a small state fair pageant in my hometown, I met the current Miss Georgia for the Miss America Organization and she encouraged me to compete for Miss Georgia’s Outstanding Teen. I decided to go at large - meaning I paid my own way and did not have a board behind me helping me which isn’t very common. I ended up winning the title of Miss Georgia’s Outstanding Teen 2013 and went on to compete at Miss America’s Outstanding Teen. I was very shocked and never expected I would win being only fifteen and it being my first state pageant. After that, I become completely hooked on pageants.
What brought you to Auburn? My brother is three years older than me and was being recruited by many schools to punt for the football team. He ended up deciding on Auburn and my very first visit to Auburn was his first football game on the team. I completely fell in love with Auburn and the entire campus and knew it would be where I would end up as well.
Other than pageants, what other activities/groups have you been involved in? I’m very involved on Auburn’s campus. I am a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and have held numerous leadership positions within my sorority in the past. I am also a member of Auburn’s Panhellenic Cabinet as the Director of Miss Panhellenic meaning I am in charge of planning this year's Miss Panhellenic pageant. I am very excited about it! I am also a member of Mortar Board honor society and spent the past year as a member of the Auburn Tiger Paws dance team.
Are you excited to be competing at the GPAC? I couldn’t believe it when I saw the news on Instagram that Miss Alabama USA would be in Auburn at the GPAC! It could not be a more perfect home for the pageant. The GPAC is fulfilling a huge need we had in the community and I can’t wait to show all the other contestants just how great Auburn is!
What are your goals/hope for the future? I am planning on attending law school after graduating from Auburn University this December.
Any advice to young girls interested in pageants? I would tell them to go for it, but to never lose themselves in the process. A lot of times girls may think there is a certain "pageant girl mold” they need to fit into and change themselves to fit that, but that isn’t the case at all. Pageants are all about women empowerment and celebrating our differences so it’s important to be 100 percent authentically yourself.
What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time? I love working out and staying very active. I also love to travel and visit new places. I am so excited to be spending five weeks studying abroad this summer.
What are some of your favorite spots in Auburn-Opelika? My favorite place to shop is Behind the Glass, I modeled for the boutique for a long time and even worked there. My absolute favorite restaurants are Taco Mama in downtown Auburn and Ma Fia’s in Opelika. Of course, there’s nothing better than getting a Toomer’s lemonade and sitting in front of Samford. I am truly so lucky to attend such a beautiful, amazing university and am so honored to be representing this community at the Miss Alabama USA 2020 pageant.
Don't miss out on what's happening in Auburn-Opelika!
Sign up for our e-newsletter here.