> Click here to view a video of the 2008 Crowning of Miss UGA

Liza Kay Pitts, a fourth-year student in the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the University of Georgia, was crowned Miss University of Georgia 2008 at the annual scholarship pageant held Saturday, January 12, 2008 in UGA’s Fine Arts Auditorium. The Elberton, Georgia student also received the “Best Interview” award for her discussion of cancer education and awareness, her platform.

“This honor is ten times as exciting as a Saturday in Sanford Stadium,” she quipped following the pageant. A member of UGA’s Redcoat Marching Band, Pitts performed a rousing dance and twirl number in the talent portion of the competition.

As Miss UGA, Pitts will have the opportunity to advance her platform, titled “Fight Cancer: Touch Lives, Save Lives.” She will also promote “Cure Bears,” a program she founded that provides teddy bears to ill children through the Children’s Miracle Network.

Pitts will compete in the Miss Georgia Pageant in spring 2008; the winner of that pageant goes on to the Miss America Pageant, held each year in September.

Fourth runner up in the Miss UGA Scholarship Pageant was Briana Jewett, an exercise and sports science major from Smyrna, Georgia, and third runner up was Veronica Hunte, a dance major from Chamblee, Georgia. Tiffany Hobbs, a theater and public relations double major, received second runner-up honors, and Erin Beasley, a speech communications major from Martinez, Georgia, was named first runner-up.

The Miss University of Georgia pageant, sponsored annually by the University of Georgia Student Government Association, is an official Miss America preliminary pageant.

The Miss America Organization, at the local, state, and national levels, represents the largest private scholarship foundation for women in the United States. This year, scholarship assistance totaling more than $45 million was available to contestants at all three levels. The Miss America Organization, established in 1921, is a nonprofit civic corporation.

	Liza Pitts Miss University of Georgia 2008
	Liza Pitts with (l-r) Veronica Hunte (3rd runner up), Erin Beasley (1st runner up), Tiffany Hobbs (2nd runner up), Briana Jewett (4th runner up)
	Liza Pitts with her parents, Phil and Kay Pitts of Elberton, GA
	Liza Pitts with (l-r) Michael North, Miss UGA Scholarship Pageant Committee Member; Marian Arnold, Assistant Director, Jerry Anthony, Pageant Director
	Liza Pitts with Osjha Anderson, Miss UGA 1999 and emcee of the pageant