The business of being beautiful

University senior Sharitha McKenzie will compete for the title of Miss USA

By: Tess McBride | News reporter

Issue date: 3/7/07 Section: News

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Media Credit: Christin Palazzolo [Click to enlarge]

For Sharitha McKenzie, a University student and current Miss Oregon USA, beauty pageants are business ventures. Instead of a briefcase, she carries a tackle box full of MAC makeup, and in place of a suit she wears a sash and crown, but like any professional, she's working to sell herself and beat out the competition.

McKenzie, a senior majoring in journalism: electronic media, has been competing in pageants for almost 10 years, and won the Miss Oregon USA crown in September 2006, breaking the streak of three, first-runner-up finishes in a row.

The Miss USA pageant, to be held March 23 in Los Angeles, will put McKenzie face-to-face with her competition and friends from across the country, but she won't let camaraderie get in the way of winning a more prominent title and the opportunity to live in Donald Trump's mansion in New York.

"This is what I've been after since I started," McKenzie said. "Because I was first runner-up so many times, people didn't think I could do it, but because this title didn't come easy for me, I appreciate it more."

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