Montana State honor student crowned Miss Montana

BOZEMAN - A Montana State University student on "a mission to be a public servant" was crowned Miss Montana on May 30 in Butte.

Adella Harris, an Honors College ambassador majoring in political science in the College of Letters and Science, won the state title after representing her hometown of Helena as Miss Queen City for only about two months. Because there was no formal competition held for that title, she stepped onto a pageant stage for the first time ever as a Miss Montana contestant.

Harris, who will begin her sophomore year in the fall, is pursuing a degree in political science on a pre-law track. Though she has been at MSU for only a short time, she said her freshman year academic and leadership experiences helped prepare her for the rigors and challenges of statewide competition.

"The political science department taught me to keep my mind open to absolutely all views and to see the person in front of me - not just their opinions, but their greater purpose and calling," she said. "Being an RA changed my life, too."

University Student Housing selected Harris to be a midyear student resident adviser for Hannon Hall. She will continue in a similar position at North Hedges in the coming academic year.

"It builds your skills like no other experience," she said. "As much as my home community did in preparing me for Miss Montana, this past year in Bozeman did the exact same thing."

Upon being crowned, Harris was awarded $5,400 in scholarship money. She also qualified for a full-ride scholarship to Troy University in Alabama but said she won't accept it because she isn't interested in transferring.

"MSU has everything," she said. "I love it."

After graduating, Harris plans to go to law school and be involved in politics, an interest she developed in the fourth grade when she was president of her elementary school student council. She later served as a trustee on the Helena school board and as a House page for the most recent session of the Montana Legislature. Before deciding to enter the Miss Montana pageant, she applied and was a finalist for a U.S. Senate internship. She said she is drawn to political work out of a desire to help people.

"I want to serve others and make the best for them, no matter where my career leads me in the future," she said.

The Miss Montana organization requires contestants to propose a community service initiative it can platform. Harris created "Made for More," whose purpose is to help individuals of any age realize they are "made for more" than they realize.

"I believe identity starts and is formed in young childhood. I also know that identity is a lifelong journey not limited to childhood," she said. "As Miss Montana, my goal is to travel to as many public schools and other places in Montana as possible and share about Made for More." She said the idea didn't originate from within but was ordained by God.

"This year is about serving and loving his people," said Harris, who is an emcee for the Cru campus ministry student organization at MSU.

Harris said her faith is central to her platform, and she dedicated the talent portion of her competition to it, performing a self-choreographed dance to the song "Slower I Go" by SEU Worship. Growing up, she studied ballet for 13 years but hadn't danced since her sophomore year of high school. To "get back in the swing of it," she arranged to use space in MSU's Student Wellness Center to rehearse her performance, practice her fitness routine and perfect her evening gown walks.

As she begins her reign as Miss Montana, Harris said she intends to pay forward the support and generosity she received at MSU and in her hometown by representing the state well on the national stage. Her first chance to do so will be at the Fourth of July parade in Philadelphia celebrating America's 250th birthday.

"As a political science major, I am thrilled to go to Philadelphia," she said.

She then will spend the rest of the summer preparing to compete at the Miss America pageant in August and September.

"I'm super excited and I want, in the humblest way possible, to kick butt for Montana," she said.