War Eagle!

Greetings!

This past week was filled with so many Auburn University spirited events. It was time again for members of the SGA and other students to re-paint the tiger paws down Donahue Drive and on Toomer's Corner. Each year a team of dedicated students diligently touch up the orange tiger paws guiding driver's to Jordan Hare Stadium. I had a blast being a part of this team, and luckily did not get orange paint all over myself. It was a lot a fun to drive past these areas the next morning and see the result of the hours of hard work put into this project.

 A group of students are pictured above re-painting the big tiger paw at the intersection of Donahue and Samford. We were out until nearly midnight, so we were definitely lagging by the last stretch of road! Take a drive down Donahue and admire our handy work!!

An afternoon with Aubie is always a good time! I had my photo shoot this week for the 2012 Aubie calendar. I have the pleasure of being featured with Aubie himself for the month of February. Of course, we had many different poses and ideas, and the final one will be presented in the next Aubie calendar. Be sure to pick up a copy and check it out!

And the week could not have been complete without a performance at the last Camp War Eagle pep rally of the year. I performed my Miss Alabama baton routine to "Conga" for the entering freshman and camp counselors. It seemed very fitting since I performed at the first CWE pep rally of the summer. I always have a great time performing for the student body, and I am thrilled for fall to arrive so I can begin performing with the Auburn University Marching Band on Pat Dye field with the other 15 Auburn majorettes!

I'm looking forward to bringing you more updates as fall draws closer and my final semester as Miss Auburn University 2011 approaches.

With Love  & War Eagle,
Emilee

Miss Alabama: 90 Years of Excellence

Hello!

The past month or so has been a complete whirlwind! I last left you all after Miracle Friday at the Columbus Regional Hospital, and I feel as though that was a lifetime ago!

My first appearance at the Miss Alabama pageant was completely unforgettable, but the weeks before the pageant were filled with hard work, practice, mock interviews, and continuous appearances. I have been so blessed to be surrounded by the most loving and supportive friends, family, and mentors. The numerous mock interviews and those who thought of the most difficult and tricky questions greatly prepared me for my Miss Alabama interview. It felt as though the entire process was a conversation rather than a stressful interview environment.

I also got a lot of practice with my twirling routine for the talent portion of the pageant, which is in my opinion, the most fun aspect of the experience! I performed at a baton recital with the Shelby Starlets in Alabaster, at Richland Elementary School in Auburn for their talent show, and at a Camp War Eagle pep rally for AU's incoming freshman! All of these experiences enhanced an aspect of my routine and gave me the opportunity to perform in front of all kinds of people. I am pictured below (just after performing) with one of the student's at the Shelby Starlet baton recital who has on an Auburn orange uniform!!

After preparing so extensively for all aspects of competition, there was still one daunting task in front of me- packing!! I had begun packing about a week or so before I actually departed for Birmingham becuase I was so worried about forgetting something for my first time at Miss Alabama! After countless lists and double, triple, and quadruple checks, I loaded up my car and met my family in Birmingham the night before I moved in to the AD Pi house at Samford.

Throughout Sunday and Monday, I stayed on top of the news and continued preparing for my interview on Tuesday afternoon. In between rehearsals, all of us either napped on the floor of the auditorium or studied notes quietly- these two days were filled with anticipation and excitement for me! I was looking forward to my interview so much that when Tuesday arrived, there was not a bit of me that was nervous. I was excited:
 excited to meet these judges; excited to share myself with them; and excited for my hard work to pay off!

Not only did my interview go smoothly, I had fun in the process!! That became my goal for the week. Apart from wanting to become Miss Alabama, I wanted to learn, grow, and have fun!

After interviews, preliminary competition began! I began with evening gown on Wednesday night. It was a stress-free area of competition to begin my first night of my first Miss Alabama pageant with. I enjoyed the night and of course, performing and being on stage! And finally, I got to see my family and supporters that night after the show had ended. I am pictured above with my two sweer cousins who were my bigest fans! After several rounds of hugs, we departed again for the dorms.

Thursday night was talent and Friday night was swimsuit and onstage questions, and I can honestly say that I enjoyed and grew from each aspect of these days. I had let go of my worries and concerns and simply performed the best that I could. These days flew by, and before I knew it, Saturday had arrived.

I woke up that morning compeltely aware of what the day held. The luncheon was amazing and it was so enlightening to hear some past Miss Alabama's speak- I became overwhelmed with the love encircling all of us that day. The picture below is of my Aunt Cathy and myself at the luncheon. It would be the last time that I would be around this particular group of special young women and be able to enjoy the dynamic that we all felt. The new Miss Alabama was going to be crowned tonight. There would be surprises and there would be hurt feelings, and everyone was very nervous and unsure. But I was thankful with however the night played out.

This journey all began when I stepped out on a limb and explored a different side of myself. And it all started with a passion for learning, for serving others, and for the state that I love. Whatever was to happen that night was fine with me- I was already proud of myself!

When my name was called for the Top Ten finalists, I think I could have fainted from happiness! There were areas of my competition that I knew I could improve upon, and all I wanted was the opporutnity to do so. I wanted the opporunity to leave it all on the stage and know for a fact that I had done my very best.

And that is exactly what I did! I had an amazing night and enjoyed every second of it. None of it was taken for granted, and I know that the knowledge and tools that Saturday night gave me will supplement my actions in all areas of my life- it can only be described as unforgettable.

I could not have cheered any louder for the new Miss Alabama 2011, Courtney Porter! She represents such a brave and comforting spirit and will make a wonderful Miss Alabama. Her positive attitude and uplifting outlook only contributed to the energy of the week.

I am looking forward to a slightly calmer next couple of weeks of visiting with my family (above is a picture of my cousin and I the day after the pageant had ended) and some upcoming appearances as Miss Auburn University and being able to implement all I have learned from this past week into real life!

With Love & War Eagle,

Emilee

Planes, Limos, and CMN Balloons

Greetings!

I have had so many different and varied experiences the past couple of weeks, and I have been caught up in such a whirlwind of excitement that I haven't had a chance to post lately! I left you last after the Miss AU Pancake Breakfast in April, where we raised over $500 for Children's Miracle Network...

On April 21st, I traveled with some of the Auburn Alumni Association members, Coach Gus Malzahn, and Aubie to Florida for the Emerald Coast Alumni Meeting! We boarded a small private (orange and blue!) plane in Auburn and traveled to Destin, Florida. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted with a limo that took us to the meeting! I was tempted to pinch myself to test if this was real or not- what an amazing experience!

We arrived at the Emerald Coast meeting and met some Auburn alumni at the door who escorted us in. As I kept trying to follow the others that I had traveled with into the meeting, I was continually stopped and found myself at the door for several minutes greeting and mingling with some of the most kind hearted people I have had the pleasure of meeting.

As you can see, they showed us a lot of love in Destin! After a wonderful dinner and some speeches by Alumni Club VP and by Coach Malzahn, we left the meeting for Auburn. It was so surreal to leave Auburn at 4 and arrive back by 10 with so much happening in between! I am so thankful so have taken part in such a rare opportunity. And I certainly expressed to the Auburn Alumni Association that I am free to travel with them again whenever they would like me to!!

The Miss Alabama Workshop weekend approached and left very quickly in my opinion. My mother and I stayed at the historic Tutwiler hotel in downtown Birmingham during the weekend. On Saturday, I was up bright and early to arrive at Samford University with my wardrobe. My group of contestants was ushered into production number choreography rehearsal. We had a great time learning a bit of the numbers, but mostly enjoyed letting of some steam and getting to know each other even more. After production number rehearsal, we tried on our entire wardrobe for some Miss Alabama staff and they provided suggestions and approval for each contestant to ensure that we look our best and most beautiful during the week of the pageant! On Saturday night, the Miss Alabama Gala was hosted at the Tutwiler hotel.

I am pictured above second from the right with some of the other wonderful Miss Alabama contestants. This is just after our introductions at the Gala. Sunday brought talent approvals. Each contestant was able to perform her talent on the stage in the Wright Center of Samford and get a feel for the room, and in my case, the lighting. My baton routine to "Conga" went well and I am more excited than ever to perform for the audience at the pageant! The end of the weekend has made me even more excited for the week of Miss Alabama and for the time all of the contestants will be able to spend with each other!

After workshop weekend on that Sunday night, I served as the emcee for the Sustain-A-Wear fashion show on Auburn's Campus. Student designers entered the competition and had to make their garments out of recycled materials. It was really fun to see such creative designs and to be able to help at this event. I admire the students of ASAP (Auburn Sustainability Action Program) and all of their unique ways of promoting sustainability and making it appealing to all majors and personalities.

Pictured above is the winning design and myself behind the podium introducing it to the judges and the audience!


As you may know, I am involved with a group on campus called Campus Kitchens. We strive to take leftover food from on campus and serve it in high need areas around the community in order to fight hunger and strive for food sustainability! During the last weekend of spring semester, we had a pick up from a dining hall on campus where we received a LOT of food! Everything from lettuce to cookies to turkey! As the Community Partnership Liaison for Campus Kitchens, I coordinated this pick up and the drop off at Ease House, a nursing home for those in poverty who aren't able to support their own care. The ladies at Ease House were thrilled when my little white SUV pulled up full of food! We unloaded the food and it was immediately served to all the residents. I am looking forward to all the numerous pick ups and distributions we will have this summer!

Before I left Auburn for a week at home with my family, I visited the Columbus Regional Children's Miracle Network hospital for Miracle Friday. I was able to help with the lunch rush by taking up money and directing people to the correct area and to get a look at some of the great baskets for the raffle. I greatly enjoyed my first visit to Columbus Regional and was happy that I could help in some way.

I look forward to updating you all again soon on the last couple of weeks until Miss Alabama and all of my experiences that week!

With Love & War Eagle,
Emilee

Pancakes for CMN

Greetings!

After all the preparation and hard work, the Miss AU Pancake Breakfast finally arrived this past Saturday morning. Even though it made for an early morning (5 a.m.!), the result of the breakfast had us all smiling and giddy! We received all kinds of guests from those who had seen our ad in the paper and were planning to come to those who saw the signs as they drove by and wanted to support a good cause.

 Myself with the new Miss AU Directors at the Pancake Breakfast

I had a great time greeting guests and checking on and mingling with tables. I found myself talking about CMN and the role it plays in our local community, making small talk about the A-day game that afternoon, and just being friendly and sharing the happiness I felt to be contributing to the local hospital in Colunbus. Children's Miracle Network hospitals help more than 17 million children a year and have more than 170 children hospitals. We reached our goal of $250 and are projecting a total net profit of over $500 all of which will be donated to Children's Miracle Network and go towards the care of children in the Columbus and Auburn area. 

But this result could not have been possible without so many great people. The manager and employees of Longhorn Steakhouse in Opelika are incredibly generous and patient, and none of it would have been possible without their cooperation and expertise. We also had some really great student volunteers who served as waitresses for the morning. Most were either good friends, Miss Alabama contestants, or Miss Auburn University contestants who have a heart for serving and graciously gave up their time. And a big "thank you" to my parents, brother, and director, Michelle Murphy for helping with all the behind the scenes work and guiding me through this experience.

I also had the pleasure of judging Auburn's Got Talent this Friday night. I had a great time watching the variety of talents that Auburn students have to offer from comedy routines to magic tricks to singing and songwriting. The contestants all put forth a great performance and thoroughly impressed all of the judges! A first, second, and third place was awarded, but they were all winners to me just by practicing a talent and putting forth the time needed to confidently walk on stage and present their skills. We also were able to watch a few special performances during deliberation. AU Rhythm and the AU Capella's performed and impressed the audience with their obvious talent!

  The AU Capella's and I at Auburn's Got Talent

I am looking forward to sharing the exact amount of money that we raised at the Miss AU Pancake Breakfast and will donating very soon!

With Love & War Eagle,
Emilee

Have Faith. End Hunger.

Greetings!

I have matured so much this week with respect to my personal platform: domestic hunger awareness. While fasting on Thursday, I devoted my time usually spent eating meals to listening to an amazing speaker, Greg Sims.

Greg is the Southeast Field Organizer for a faith based group called Bread for the World that works to end hunger and empower citizens to communicate with their local politicians so that ending hunger is a priority among our nation's leaders. Greg (who asked me to not call him 'Mr. Sims') spoke to a few students from the Committee of 19 at Auburn and anyone else who was interested about advocacy and awareness.

He could have not chosen a more fitting audience for this topic. As students, we are continually puzzled by reaching our fellow Auburn men and women as well as the rest of the state, country, and world. Awareness and advocacy are especially important to me as I work to fight domestic hunger and encourage others to do the same. Greg had a lot of amazing ideas that are sure to be implemented here at Auburn very soon, and he shed some light on contacting local senators and congressmen and encouraging them to support hunger relief efforts.

I would also like to remind everyone that the Miss Auburn University Pancake Breakfast is THIS SATURDAY! Come join us at Longhorn Steakhouse in Tiger Town from 7:30 to 10:00 for a fabulous breakfast. Tickets are only $5.00 and are still on sale from myself or in Room 3130 of the Student Center; they will also be sold at the door that morning. It should be a lot of fun and a great way to kick off A-day in Auburn!

 With Love & War Eagle,
Emilee

Do What is in Front of You

Greetings!

What an empowering and fun week!

I was invited to serve as a judge at the Iron Chef Cooking Competition, which was part of Spring Fling Week at Auburn University courtesy of UPC. 6 groups of students had one hour to prepare a dish that had to include chicken, potatoes, and the secret ingredient, peppers and jalapenos. I was a little nervous upon hearing that jalapenos were to be included in every dish since I am not a fan of spicy foods, but each group managed to incorporate it in a subtle and flavorful way!

After walking around and observing each kitchen and getting a sneak peak of some dishes, the tasting began. I'll have to admit that it was quite a treat to be able to taste 6 superb meals! After a tough decision, a winner was named. I am so impressed with the talent and passion here at Auburn for almost anything imaginable- little did I know that there were some Iron Chefs wandering around campus.

My life was further enriched this week by being a part of the Hunger March to Notasulga. As part of the War on Hunger, the Committee of 19 and other passionate students walked the 13 miles from Auburn to Notasulga in order to raise awareness about the hunger issues right next door. After the walk, we engaged in a day of community service around the area doing anything from fixing a roof to distributing food at Notasulga Methodist Church through the mobile food pantry.

I personally got to install insulation and help build a deck for an incredibly genuine and kind woman in Loachapoka, which is in between Auburn and Notasulga. After a full 8 hours of work, we were definitely exhausted, but immensely proud and humbled to have helped the community in some way.

Join myself and Feeding America by participating in the Hunger Fast going on nationwide this Thursday, April 7th. This movement is an effort to raise awareness about those who go to bed hungry each day in the United States and remind our politicians that federal programs and their benefits are needed among our impoverished neighbors. Visit www.hungerfast.org to get more information on the fast. This day can be whatever you make it, whether it's skipping one meal, skipping breakfast and lunch for a celebratory dinner, or an entire day of fasting. However you choose to be a part of the movement, I encourage you to use the time you would normally be dedicating to meals for donating your time or energy to making a difference for someone who is hungry or anyone you encounter!
Pancakes pancakes pancakes! Don't forget the Miss AU Pancake Breakfast is Saturday, April 16th at Longhorn Steakhouse in Tiger Town from 7:30 to 10:00. Come celebrate A-day with us and enjoy a great breakfast for only $5.00!

With Love and War Eagle,
Emilee

Springing Forward

Greetings!

After a restful yet productive spring break with my amazing family and friends, I am definitely geared up for some great spring events! This coming weekend of April 1-3, the Committee of 19 at Auburn is putting on the 3rd Annual Hunger March. We will march from Auburn to Notasulga starting at noon, and then participate in numerous community service and development projects throughout the weekend. I cannot wait to update you all on the great results that are sure to come from this experience.

Please register for the Hunger March if you haven't done so already. Registering is easy and there are so many wonderful people eager to help you with the process. Visit Spidle 210 on Auburn's campus and get involved in this once in a lifetime experience!

And don't forget about the Miss Auburn University Pancake Breakfast on April 16th!! I will be hosting a pancake breakfast the morning of A-day at Longhorn Steakhouse in Tigertown from 7:30-10. Tickets are only 5 dollars and may be purchased from myself or can be purchased at the door. It should be a great Auburn atmosphere and perfect for the morning of A-day.

A big kudos to all those who participated in the Big Event and especially to those who were involved in organizing it! So many great projects were occurring all over Lee County and so many lives were positively impacted. I had the pleasure of both volunteering at the East Alabama Food Bank and helping out around Notasulga High School. At Notasulga, I met so many amazing people and was even asked to serve as their graduation speaker, which I am honored to do. Volunteers painted the interior, put up new signs, landscaped, and put up inspirational power words throughout the building.

I spent my time helping with landscaping and painting the railing at the entrance of the school. It was amazing to see what the hard work of passionate students can accomplish and how important this sense of community really is. I'm sure more details are to come regarding the specific accomplishments of yesterday afternoon.

Register for Hunger March or contact Spidle 210 to donate to the endeavors of all of these passionate students and get your ticket for the Miss AU Pancake Breakfast!

With Love and War Eagle!
Emilee