Phillips looks back on pageant win

After competing and placing twice already the pageant, junior nursing major Crystopher Phillips finally claimed the crown of Miss ASU on Feb. 25.

A native of Jonesboro, Phillips is in her third year at ASU and her first year in the nursing program. After obtaining her Bachelors of Nursing she plans to go on to acquire a degree as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.

Phillips is passionate about cheerleading and dance and is a former ASU cheerleader. She is also a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, First Baptist University ReMix group, and regularly attends the Baptist Collegiate Ministry.

Having never competed in a pageant until her freshman year when she did Miss ASU, Phillips said she does them now because they have given her something to work and compete for.

"Growing up I never really got the opportunities to compete or participate in many athletic or entertainment programs," Phillips said. "As a college freshman the Miss ASU pageant drew my attention as an outlet to experience working towards and competing for a title that I deem admirable."

In preparing for a pageant, a contestant has to work to be in mental, physical and emotional shape to compete. Phillips worked with a personal trainer for months to achieve desired physical fitness. She also worked daily at being able to answer questions about events happening in the world.

"My mom and I worked daily talking about current events and discussing moral and ethical issues, developing my viewpoints and communication skills," Phillips said.

Phillips had the crowd on the edge of their seats with her talent routine at the Miss ASU pageant, a version of Michael Jackson's dance to "Bad." Having never been a trained dancer, Savannah Nall worked with her to choreograph the dance.

"The best part that night was my talent," Phillips said. "I knew after the first few seconds that the crowd was enjoying my dance and I could feel their energy and excitement. That was the greatest minute and a half of the night."

Upon being crowned Miss ASU, Phillips said she was in a state of disbelief.

"I was thrilled to be named Miss ASU 2010. As Anna crowned me, I could not help it, I began to cry," Phillips said.

An ex-sorority sister and long-time acquaintance of Phillips, sophomore photojournalism major Kelsey Cherry, said Phillips was very deserving of her crown.

"It's inspiring to see someone be up there in support of a platform that they have truly lived and believe in," Cherry said. "And let's be honest-that [M.J.] dance was off the chain."

Each contestant in the pageant is required to have a platform. Phillips chose one close to her own heart, "Option for Adoption: Children and Teens."

"I chose this platform because I too was one of the children in that situation," Phillips said. "I was fortunate enough to find my forever family and I am so blessed to be a part of it. If I could even help one child have that opportunity, I would feel as though all my hard work had paid off."

Phillips said the person who has inspired her the most to be the person she is today is her mom. She said without her, she would not have had the opportunity to attend college, much less be crowned Miss ASU 2010.

"She is my mentor, friend and loving mother that I greatly appreciate," Phillips said. "She and her family took me in and loved me as their own. I do not know where I would be today without them."