Brains? Check. Talent? Check. Tiaras? Check.

Fourteen women will go head-to-head Saturday to decide who will become the third Miss Grand Valley State University.

GVSU junior Krystal Wilson has held the title of Miss GVSU for a year, but this weekend she will have to pass on her crown to someone new. The next Miss GVSU will be crowned at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Cook-Dewitt Center.

“I think that the ideal Miss GVSU should be someone who knows who they are and how they relate with the community,” Wilson said. “She should have poise and confidence and be passionate about GVSU’s community.”

Amy Post, Miss GVSU executive director, said the ideal Miss GVSU should represent four areas: scholarship, service, style and success.

“Really, anyone who wants to be a leader or is a leader can compete,” Wilson said. “It really could be anybody.”

A panel of five judges will judge the contestants based on their talent, interview, swimsuit, evening gown and an on-stage question.

After the top five contestants are determined, each judge will rank the contestants in the order of how he wants them to finish.

“Miss GVSU is required to make numerous appearances on behalf of her personal community service platform throughout the year of service,” Post said. “She attends various public appearances at other charitable fundraising events. She also goes on to compete at Miss Michigan, since Miss Grand Valley is an official preliminary pageant to Miss Michigan.”

The Miss GVSU pageant is part of the official Miss America Organization, Miss GVSU strives to empower local women who can represent both the community and themselves.

“The goal of the Miss America Organization is to provide an opportunity for talented, educated and passionate young women to pursue their personal and professional goals,” said Erin Jenkinson, a contestant in this year’s pageant. “It also gives young women a vehicle to express their viewpoints toward politics, culture and the community.”

During the past year, Wilson said she has benefited a great amount from various scholarship opportunities that were made available to her as Miss GVSU.

“The Miss America program is the largest scholarship fund for women,” she said. “The scholarship itself ends up being $45 million annually between all the local pageants.”

Tickets will be sold at the door for $20 for general admission, or $15 with a GVSU student ID.

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