Emerson College Sweeps the 2014 Miss Boston & Miss Cambridge Pageant

by Lauren Landry
Associate Editor, BostInno, Streetwise Media

Emerson College swept the 2014 Miss Boston and Miss Cambridge Pageant Sunday, with an alumna and current graduate student capturing the coveted crowns. Meagan Fuller and Michelle Nigro won the titles of Miss Boston and Miss Cambridge, respectively. Fuller is pursuing a masters in health communication at Emerson, while Nigro serves as a communications associate for Dhar Law, LLP, as well as the firm's nonprofit incubator, The Next Mile Project.

The two were among 16 other contestants, getting glitzed and glammed up before receiving a pep talk from last year's Miss Boston and Miss Cambridge, Morgan Berg and Carrie Sunde. Prior to the 2014 pageant, Berg posted a photo on Instagram, admitting that, although she was sad to realize this was the last day of wearing the crown, she is "excited to see what else is in store."

Nigro and Fuller each received a $1,500 academic scholarship, as well as a second scholarship and prize package worth more than $10,000. Throughout the year, the two will also be given the opportunity to further promote the platforms they entered the contest supporting: Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer and Fuller's personal platform "Knocking Out Dropping Out: Promising Youth Success in School." Sunday's pageant, held at the Omni Parker House Hotel, was an official preliminary to the Miss Massachusetts and Miss America contests. And for Fuller and Nigro, that means the weekend's win could be the first of many. "Can't thank everyone who helped me on my road to [Miss Boston] enough," Nigro tweeted out prior to donning the crown. For those who missed Sunday's festivities, we've gathered up photos of all the behind-the-scenes events, including the 2014 Princess Party, where contestants were able to decorate cupcakes and crowns with mini pageant princesses.

Miss Sulawesi Barat wins Miss Indonesia 2014

Source: Tribune News, Indonesia

Miss Sulawesi Barat, 22 year old Maria Asteria Sastrayu defeated 33 other delegates to win the Miss Indonesia 2014 title last night. She was crowned by outgoing title holder and Miss World 2013 top 10 finalist Vania Larissa and the reigning Miss World, Megan Young from the Philippines. Sastrayu stands 1.65m tall and will represent her country at Miss World 2014 in London this November.

The first runner-up was Miss Papua Barat, Ellen Rachel Aragay and the second runner-up was Miss Jawa Timur, Hanna Sugialam. The top 7 were completed by the delegates from Aceh, Jawa Tenggah, Lampung, and DI Yogyakarta.

NANA MERIWETHER'S MODEL BEAUTY!

Source: Access Hollywood

Miss USA 2012 Nana Meriwether helped get the party started at Fashion Week in New York City.

Healthy Hollywood celebrated with Nana and kicked off the weeklong fashion fest in style and with the right attitude, as I got invited to attend the Carrie Hammer show which spotlights “role models, not runway models.” Instead of gorgeous amazons sashaying down the runway, the designer had real women with a mind for business walking in her line of career-oriented fashion. Along with Nana, media executives, entrepreneurs and a host of other savvy women took to the catwalk.

“We are looking for role models, not models. This show has women who have worked hard to get where they are and are still aspiring to do big things,” Nana explained to Healthy Hollywood. Nana, who is friends with the designer, is busy these days with her non-profit organization called The Meriwether Foundation. The foundations run health, education, nutrition, and empowerment programs in impoverished villages in southern Africa. “I have been inspired all throughout my life to give back. The change I want to see in the world is to see that everyone is treated equally and has equal access to better health and a long life,” states Nana.

As a former beauty pageant contestant, she’s also concerned about young women and their sometimes harsh judgments of themselves. “I think too often we compare ourselves to other girls and that can only eat you alive. It’s really important to start building yourself and not look to next person and be jealous or catty. It’s a hard lesson to learn. When I was competing in Miss USA it was really hard not to say ‘I want her hair’ or ‘I want her eyelashes’ or ‘I want her dress.’ But, it is the woman who is mentally strong and competent and ambitious that usually wins Miss USA (or other competitions),” reveals Nana.

While the 28-year-old has let go of her beauty pageants ambitions, she’s still very conscious of looking and feeling good inside and out. “I do a lot of juicing and try to work out at least four times a week. Even if you have 10 minutes, go on a jog for 10 minutes and come back. It really does change your body and your outlook. You’re more awake, your energy is better. I’m a very big advocate of working out.”

For more on Nana’s do-good work, check out www.meriwetherfoundation.org.

-- Terri MacLeod