National Pageant for Black College Men Comes to Houston in April
The
Mr. Collegiate African-American Pageant (MCAAP) is back! Black male
college students, primarily from historically black colleges and
universities (HBCU’s) and other universities across the nation are
invited to compete in 2008 pageant set for the event, set for April 2-5 in Houston, Texas. Mr. Collegiate was created in 1990 and the first pageant was held in April 1992. According to Frederick Roberts, a spokesperson for the pageant, the MCAAP's mission is to empower Black men with role modeling, character education, values clarification, and to embrace every opportunity given to him in a proper manner. This year's theme is "Be Ye Transformed: Our Heritage, Our Legacy.” The pageant is being sponsored in conjunction with the National Leadership Summit on the Black Male.
"Students
should participate in the pageant because it provides them the
opportunity to develop the spirit of competition," Roberts said. "Additionally,
the pageant provides programs for personal and professional
development, self-esteem and confidence building, enhancement of
leadership skills and developing a sense of responsibility to help the
[Black] race."
Candidates
will compete in five categories: personal and private interview;
platform expression; talent; evening wear; and on-stage interview
question. The young men will be judged by a panel consisting of professionals from the entertainment, academic and business community. Past judges have included mayors, council members, and executive producers of America's pageant systems, recording artists, professors and business owners.
The
winners of the pageant will receive more than $10,000 in scholarships
and prizes (iPods, Dell laptop computer, verizon services, etc.) and the
opportunity to represent the pageant throughout the year and receive
media coverage (e.g. Montell, Oprah, ET!, USA Today, MTV, BET, etc.)
