The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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June 3, 2009

Gaskill receives scholar award

Miss Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Jordan Gaskill, of Waynoka, was awarded for the second year in a row the $1,000 Miss State Scholar Award from the Miss America Organization in conjunction with the Miss Oklahoma Pageant, currently under way in Tulsa.

Gaskill received the award at a Kiwanis luncheon for all contestants Monday in Tulsa. The scholarship is awarded during state pageants to one woman in each state based on academic excellence.

Gaskill is a biology major at Northwestern.

The scholarship was established in 1998 as part of the Miss America Organization’s initiative to increase scholarship giving at the state and local levels. Candidates are evaluated strictly on academics based on the last two years of their transcripts. Scholarship America has the ability to weight the grades in terms of course content, academic standing of the institution and other factors.

Steve Valencia, associate vice president for university relations, said Northwestern is proud of Gaskill’s achievement.

“We are very proud of Jordan and how she has performed and represented the university at the pageant,” he said.

Also Miss Oklahoma City, Brittany Jo Bisel, of Okeene, tied with Miss Mustang in two categories in the first preliminary performance of the Miss Oklahoma pageant.

Bisel sang, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” Tuesday night and Miss Mustang, Annalise Freeman, of Oklahoma City, sang the aria, “O Mio Babbino Caro.”

The $1,000 talent and $500 newcomer talent scholarships were divided among the two.

Miss Oklahoma will be crowned Saturday during the pageant finals beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Mabee Center.

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