Paisley Rea Crowned Miss A-State 2027

JONESBORO – Paisley Rea was crowned Miss Arkansas State University 2027 Wednesday night at Riceland Hall in Fowler Center during the 52nd edition of the competition, presented by Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity.

Rea is a freshman communication disorders major from Benton. She performed a contemporary dance to “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength” by Whitney Houston as her talent.

“I’m so excited; Arkansas State has made such a big impact on my life, and I’m just so excited I get to represent the university this year,” Rea said.

Her community service initiative, “MVP: My Value Is Permanent,” shines a spotlight on mental wellness, resilience and self-worth among athletes by empowering them to recognize that their value extends far beyond their performance and achievements.

“I want to start a podcast on campus called ‘MVP Talks,’ where I speak to teammates and athletes about mental health and how they face challenges and what they did to get through those challenges,” Rea added.

She was sponsored by A-State Spirit Squads. Rea received a $5,000 scholarship from A-State, along with gifts and prizes from sponsors.

“Getting to welcome Paisley in the sisterhood is just a dream come true. I recruited her to take part in the Miss A-State pageant for the first time last year, and to see her turn around and win this year is so awesome. I’m excited to get the chance to work with her, be her coach in a sense and help her get to Miss Arkansas,” said Ellie Smith, executive director of the pageant and Miss A-State 2019.

First runner-up was Kennedy Johnson. A junior from Batesville majoring in nursing with a minor in nutrition, she performed a contemporary dance to Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise.” Her community service initiative, “Healthcare Without Boundaries,” aims to educate people about the importance of primary prevention methods and create more accessible pathways to adequate health care resources. Johnson received an $800 scholarship, a silver tray and a bouquet of roses from Pi Kappa Alpha. She was sponsored by friends and family.

Second runner-up was Shawna Whitehurst, a sophomore strategic communication major from Jonesboro. She performed “Rainbow” by Kacey Musgraves. Her community service initiative, “The Challenge of Dyslexia,” advocates for people with learning disabilities. Whitehurst received a $500 scholarship, a silver tray and a bouquet of roses from Pi Kappa Alpha. She was sponsored by Alpha Gamma Delta.

Third runner-up was Reese Carr, a freshman radiologic sciences major from Campbell, Mo. She performed “Beauty and the Beast” from the Disney movie of the same name. Her community service initiative, “Seen Not Missed,” aims to raise awareness of young girls with ADHD and ensure the signs are seen and not missed. Carr received a $250 scholarship, a silver tray and a bouquet of roses from Pi Kappa Alpha. She was sponsored by LT Jewelry and Grandma Hudy.

Fourth runner-up was MaryBeth Penter. A junior radiologic sciences major from Trumann, she performed a cheer stunt routine to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.” Her community service initiative, “Letters of Hope: Early Intervention for Children with Dyslexia,” promotes early identification and raises awareness of the learning disability. She received a $100 scholarship, a bouquet of roses and a silver tray from Pi Kappa Alpha. Penter was sponsored by Alpha Omicron Pi.

The following awards were also presented:

Academic Excellence Award: Sarah Grace Taylor, a freshman agricultural business major from Jonesboro, received a $200 scholarship. She performed a vocal rendition of “I’ve Seen It” by Olivia Dean. Her community service initiative, “Choose the Safe Route,” focuses on reducing car crashes through education and promoting safe driving habits. She was sponsored by Zeta Tau Alpha.

Community Service Award: Alexia Loudermilk, a sophomore animal science major with a pre-veterinary emphasis from Trumann, received a $200 scholarship. She performed a musical theater number to “Money” from “Cabaret.” Her community service initiative, “H.U.S.H. — Hear Us, Support Hashimoto’s,” raises awareness of the autoimmune disease. She was sponsored by Delta Zeta.

Miss Congeniality Award: Tessa Yielding, a senior communication disorders major from Sherwood, received a $200 scholarship. Her talent was a performance of “The Greatest Star” from the musical “Funny Girl.” Her community service initiative, “Let’s Talk About It,” aims to raise awareness of suicide prevention and break down stigmas. She was sponsored by A-State’s National Student Speech Language Hearing Association chapter. 

On Stage Conversation Award: Kennedy Johnson received a $200 scholarship.

People’s Choice Award: Chloe Harpole, a freshman business major, received a $100 scholarship. Her community service initiative, “Peace Through the PACK” (Promoting Art, Connectivity and Knowledge), promotes art and connection as avenues to better mental health on campus. She performed “Never Enough” from “The Greatest Showman.” She was sponsored by Delta Zeta.

Social Media Promotions Award: Reese Carr received a $200 scholarship.

Spirit of a Red Wolf Award: Hadleigh Surprenant, a junior psychology major from Cabot, received a $100 scholarship. She performed a rendition of “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. Her community service initiative, “Kids Who Serve Too,” supports military families in Northeast Arkansas. She was sponsored by Christopher Surprenant with New York Life.

Talent Award: Paisley Rea received a $300 scholarship for her contemporary dance performance to “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength” by Whitney Houston.

The competition featured 11 candidates, all of whom are A-State students. With numerous scholarship opportunities available, Smith encourages students to consider participating.

“Every year, the Miss Arkansas organization awards $300,000 in scholarships, and Miss A-State awards a $5,000 scholarship among other scholarship opportunities. Beyond that, you learn so many other things that will grow you, not only in your years at A-State, but in the years to come in life and in your professional endeavors,” Smith added.

The scholarship competition is an official preliminary contest of the Miss Arkansas pageant in the Miss America system. Rea will begin preparing for the annual competition, held in Little Rock in June, where she will compete for the Miss Arkansas title and additional scholarships and prizes. Throughout the year, Rea will represent the university at events and promote her platform.

Smith said the annual pageant’s success would not be possible without volunteers, donors and sponsors.

“The overall local support we have for this pageant and organization is wonderful, and it only continues to get better every year. Paisley will be well loved, well supported and well prepared for Miss Arkansas,” she said.

The Pi Kappa Alpha chapter at A-State began sponsoring the Miss Arkansas State University competition in 1975, building a lasting history and legacy with the support of those who helped make it possible from the beginning, including Tim O. Brown.