Former Miss America to speak at ‘Beauty Week’ panel discussion

By Rachel Morse, Staff Writer

Jane Jayroe Gamble

A university organization will engage the community in a week dedicated to inner beauty.

Kappa Phi, a service-based, Christian sorority, will host a series of events Monday to March 2 to expose how people have let others define what beauty is to them. All events, except Pasta Night, are free and open to the campus community.

The women’s goal is to spread the message that beauty is not limited to certain people, said Kaylin Westbrook, member of the beauty week planning committee.

“No matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter what you do, you are beautiful no matter what,” she said.

One of the week’s events will feature a panel discussion  of women, including, Jane Jayroe, alumna and former Miss America; Ali Shan, religion alumna; Moose Tyler, visiting instructor of mass communications; and a member of the Oklahoma Eating Disorder Association.

Panel members will discuss beauty with participants at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center.

“Since we are on a campus where there are so many performing arts majors, images are kind of amplified,” Westbrook said “There is a lot of pressure to look a certain way.”

Other events will include a documentary screening at 7 p.m. Monday in the Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center, a bake sale outside the cafeteria and dinner Wednesday, Zumba Night at 8 p.m. March 1 and a campuswide challenge to forego wearing makeup March 2, Westbrook said.

Kappa Phi will finish the week with a $5 pasta dinner March 1 in Watson Lounge in Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel.

All proceeds from the bake sale and Pasta Night will go to the Oklahoma Eating Disorder Association.

Kelsey Ricks, political science sophomore, said the events are designed to show the value inside every individual.

“We hope that each event really brings awareness to people,” she said. “That they would know there are people who appreciate them just the way they are.”

Kappa Phi’s goal for the week extends beyond just the message of beauty, Westbrook said. The organization is trying to make an impact by engaging the entire campus and making their presence known.

“People might not know who we are and what we are about,” she said.