What are your hobbies?
When taking a break from the rigorous reading of law books, I love to read anything written by Greg Iles or John Grisham. I enjoy these two authors particularly because many of their books are set in Mississippi, making the settings very familiar and allowing me to become immersed in the stories. Other hobbies, taken up recently, are cleaning and organizing. Since beginning law school I perform these two tasks happily as they are a welcome distraction from studying.

What makes you special and unique?
Having the ability to laugh at myself when I know I mess up makes me unique. I try to not take myself too seriously and just enjoy the curve balls that life sometimes throws at me. Knowing how to enjoy life is being able to take everything in stride. Another trait that I feel makes me special is that I am comfortable with people of all ages. From my youngest cousins to my grandparents, I truly enjoy seeing life from their perspectives.

What is the best advice you have ever received?
There was a time when I would get hung up on my mistakes, and someone told me to adapt, recover, and move on or life would pass me by. You can never take pleasure in the present and look to the future if you only worry about mistakes you have made or bad things that may have happened to you in the past.

Name one thing you cannot live without.
My cell phone and laptop!! My cell phone keeps me in touch with my family since I do not live close anymore. Particularly, it gives me a connection to my mother whenever I need her to give me advice, listen to what my professors did in class, or just to chat. My laptop calendar has become my new day-timer; it reminds me of homework, tests, and other events. Needless to say they both are lifesavers!

What is the most valuable lesson you ever learned?
Preparing for each event in my life to the best of my abilities, no matter the outcome, so that I can walk away without regrets is the most valuable lesson I have ever learned. Life is an array of both wonderful and disappointing events. The graciousness in which one deals with both is what shapes a person’s character.

Who is your most valued role model and why?
My family members are my most valued role models. When my aunt passed away unexpectedly, I was able to see a different side of my entire family. Every member found strength to be there for one another. My grandparents, mother, aunts, and uncles were able to lift each other up while dealing with their own grief and provide support for countless others. It was very inspiring and helped me realize how precious life and family really is.

What was your most unexpected moment?
Last year while working at the state capitol, I was called out front to see a visitor. Not knowing who would be there to visit me I quickly got to the front hall where a man introduced himself, handed me a letter and walked away. I walked back to the Senate Chamber and opened what I soon realized was my acceptance letter to law school. I immediately started jumping and screaming. I was so loud I caused the Lieutenant Governor to come out of her office to tend to the commotion. I never expected the Dean of the Law School to hand-deliver my acceptance letter.

What is your workout routine?
I will be perfectly honest; going to the gym is not my favorite thing to do. I must have my IPod and my workout playlist to help make it bearable. I usually do a variety of cardio exercises and change it up on a regular basis. My favorite piece of equipment is the elliptical trainer. I also do strength training with light weights and lots of reps.

What has been your biggest accomplishment to date?
Although I am very proud of my accomplishments in college, I have found that making it successfully through the first year of law school to be the biggest accomplishment to date. Law school is perhaps the most difficult challenge I have faced. Sometimes the days are difficult to push through, but knowing that I can do anything that I set my mind to is a great accomplishment.

What is the best compliment you have ever received?
I am a perfectionist, especially at work. During the middle of the legislative session last year a Senator called my father and told him what a great job I was doing and what a pleasure it was to work with me. That phone call made me realize that people are noticing and appreciating hard work even when they might not directly express it.

What is your secret wish?
I want to be commissioner of the NFL one day. I love football and could watch it all the time. Most of my friends laugh at me because they say the changes I want to make are unreasonable, but I don’t think so at all. First, I would make the players devote a certain number of hours to community service (thankfully a lot of them do this already), and I would allow coaches to penalize players for mistakes. I know you might be thinking "what in the world," but seriously their job is to make plays, tackle people, hold onto the ball, and make kicks. I think that if a kicker misses a PAT then the coach should have the opportunity to fine that player. I know, I know, I might be a little tough but more than anything I would want the people who so many children and teens respect to give back to communities across the nation and encourage children to follow their dreams.

What was your most embarrassing moment?
Being that I am such a klutz, the majority of my embarrassing moments stem from cheerleading events. I was trying out for All-American Cheerleader and in the middle of my tumbling pass when my shoe came off. I was standing there in my cheerleading uniform with one shoe off and one shoe on. It was humiliating since I was in a gym and the entire place was watching me. As I have gotten older I realize that all moments even the not so pleasant ones help me handle other situations, and I don’t really consider them to be embarrassing anymore.

What is your biggest guilty pleasure?
I love to watch or read any of the Harry Potter books and movies. If there is a day when I need to take a break from everything, I simply pop in one of the movies and get lost in the world of "witchcraft and wizardry."

What is your favorite movie and why?
I have a Top 3 (can never pick just one)

- Love Story- It is an amazing movie about two people so in love and not worried about anything but being together. I laugh and cry every time I watch it.

- Shawshank Redemption- I think it is the epitome of the need and importance of hope, no matter how bleak the situation seems. It is the most inspiring movie I have ever watched.

- Sleeping Beauty- Yes, yes, I know, but I love it. I get caught up in the fairytale of it all; having a prince fight for and save the princess is every little girl's dream. This movie stuck with me throughout childhood and is a staple in my movie collection.

What is your favorite color and why?
My favorite color is pink. I know it is a little cliché for a girl, but it just makes me feel so happy. My room is painted a soft pink and my living room is a peachy/pink color. I was a Phi Mu at Ole Miss and the colors were rose and white so needless to say the majority of my T-Shirts have pink on them and all my sorority items are pink. I even have a pink laptop!! What do you like to do for fun... relaxation... recreation?
- For fun I love to spend Saturday afternoons on my couch watching movies or shopping. What girl doesn’t? I don’t have a lot of extra time to do it, but when I get to just sit back and enjoy myself it is so much fun.

- When I need to relax I get in my car and turn the Dave Matthews Band up really loud and just drive. I have used this little trick since I was in high school, and it still works every time. I also use cooking as a method of relaxation. I love to cook, and it is a good way to blow off steam after a long day at school.

- I am not that athletic so my recreational time is usually spent in the gym on the treadmill; although my dad believes that shopping is my favorite recreational activity.

What would be your dream vacation or destination?
Italy!! I love traveling and would give anything to spend two weeks seeing the entire country. I would spend my time getting lost in the culture, scenery, and, of course, the food.

What do you like best about your hometown?
Although I grew up in Bay Springs, since both of my parents have moved away from Bay Springs, Jackson has become by adopted hometown. I think the city is amazing because it is the center of our state for government and tourism. There is always something to do because it provides residents and visitors with shopping, fine dining, and a variety of cultural events to attend. Most importantly it is home to Mississippi College School of Law which is where I spend the majority of my time. I am also here to tell you that Jackson is home to three of the best desserts in the state. The Pecan Caramel Butter Crunch Cake from Char, the Coconut Pie from the Mayflower, and the Tiramisu from Amerigo.

What do you like best about the state of Mississippi, besides our food & hospitality?
I like the fact that Mississippi has something to offer everyone. We have rolling hills in the North, sandy beaches in the South, the history of antebellum homes in Natchez, the battlefields of Vicksburg, and Native American reservations. We are thriving with entertainment and new industry. Mississippians have an undeniable passion for sports and can appreciate the tradition of rivalries. Our roots are deep and our faith is strong. More than anything I love the fact that wherever you may be, you are greeted with a "hi y'all" and a glass of sweet tea.

What's in your CD player or on your iPod right now?
My IPod is full of a variety of music, everything from John Legend to the Rolling Stones to the soundtrack of All Shook Up.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?
In 10 years I will be 33 and will have completed my law degree. I will hopefully be working on a partnership in a major firm and enjoying developing a balance between a successful career and happy home life for my family.

Who am I?
I try to start my day with a positive attitude and live life to the fullest. I am thankful for all the people in my life and know that all of them have helped shape me into the woman I am today. My family is very important to me, and I like to spend as much time with them as possible. Every member of my family helps in my day-to-day life, be it getting ready for exams or preparing for Miss Mississippi. My mother is always there to chat with me on bad days and according to my friends she has the best advice and sayings of anyone they have ever met. My dad will always talk Ole Miss Sports with me through text messages or phone calls and will give me tips on how to perfect the garden at my house. My little sister (in true younger sibling fashion) will always tell me when I mess up and am not wearing the most fashionable outfit. She is so trendy and fashion forward where as I am more conservative and old fashioned. Kelsey always likes to approve my clothes for Miss Mississippi to make sure I am not embarrassing her. I am so thrilled that she has decided to start her college education at the University of Mississippi. I will now have a good reason to go to Oxford and visit all the time.

I have always known what I wanted to do and decided I wanted to be an attorney when I was in high school. But due to the long schooling and lack of information about the profession I did not commit to my choice until I was a junior in college. I have always felt a need to protect children and after looking at different areas of law decided I wanted to be a child advocate attorney. Although I am still leaning toward that facet of the law, I must admit studying criminal law opened my eyes to a field I never considered. It is so interesting and might be something I do in addition to helping children. In order to deal with the stress of law school, I developed a different way of studying for certain exams that allowed me to be goofy and mix it up a little. I would act out different types of crimes on my family and friends and then let them know what I could be charged with. One essential to any argument is being prepared for what your opponent is going to do, so I would also let them know what my defense would be. Needless to say, by the end of the first semester of law school my mom, dad, and countless friends were sick and tired of hearing about assault and battery.

Most people are surprised to know that I love football and actually know what is going on during the games. When I was cheering in high school, I would have to tell the other girls what was happening to prevent using an offense cheer when we were on defense. I am always at Ole Miss Football games cheering for the Rebels (regardless of their record) and am looking forward to a new season under a new coach. I am also developing an interest in basketball, but considering I have NO hand-eye coordination I don’t think I will be playing it anytime soon. I love to hang out with my girl friends and enjoy having "girl lunches" and "ladies night." Basically, it is just a few of us that get together and either do lunch once a week or enjoy dinner at different restaurants in Jackson. I have also developed somewhat of a "green thumb" thanks to my dad and my roommate. I helped in transforming our backyard into a colorful garden where we can spend time outside enjoying nature and watching my dog Bentley play around. I love to cook and desserts are my specialty! I have the biggest sweet tooth, and have had to develop a little trick to curb this need for chocolate while getting ready for swimsuit competition. I found that it is just as much fun to make the desserts as it is to eat them, so I will make something and then give it away to friends. My friends don’t particularly like this because they say while my waistline gets smaller theirs seems to get bigger. It is really the only way to enjoy desserts while preparing to walk across a stage in a swimsuit.

Tell us about your occupational experience.
My parents have always encouraged me to work and know the value of a dollar. I started working when I was in the 11th grade, and have had a variety of jobs since then.

I worked at a pageant and prom dress store in high school. It was wonderful, and I always looked forward to going into work. I will be honest, sometimes girls can be difficult to deal with, but I think that job helped in preparing me for being a titleholder because it made me realize that a smile on your face is always needed.

I was a runner at a law firm in Oxford and this was my first hands-on experience with the law profession. After working there, I knew what type of law I did not want to practice. It was a great chance to see the non-glamorous side of the profession and made me realize that it is not quite as easy as Legally Blond and Law & Order make it out to be.

My favorite job thus far was working as the Head Page to Lieutenant Governor Tuck and the State Senate. I have a love of politics and the process behind it. I was able to see different uses of law degrees from being 2nd in command of the state, to a bill writer, to a lobbyist. As a result of my time at the Capitol, I can see myself doing something in the world of politics at some point. Who knows maybe one day I will be lobbying for or writing the bills that help protect our children from online predators?

Currently I am working at the Alumni Office at Mississippi College School of Law. It is such a fun, relaxing job that gives me the opportunity to network with members of my future profession. I am somewhat obsessive about organization and actually get to organize all the Alumni files, so it is perfect for me!

Tell us about your platform.
My platform is "Being Net Smart: Keeping Children and Teens Safe on the Internet." The advances in computer technology that allow our children to reach out globally to new sources of knowledge and cultural experiences are unfortunately also leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and harm by computer-sex offenders. There are individuals who attempt to sexually exploit children through the use of on-line services and the Internet. These individuals are often willing to devote considerable amounts of time, money, and energy in this process. This threat is a constant battle and the victims are children of all ages, races, and gender. The Internet has become an integral part of our children's lives and most are ill-equipped to protect themselves online. It is my hope to inform children and teens of the dangers and educate a "Net Smart" generation that uses good judgment when making decisions online.

I wanted a platform that was a pressing issue and that I would be able to work with as I got older. A fan of the Internet, I created a "MySpace" account and was horrified at the messages and comments I would receive. I realized that I knew what to do but wondered if a child could handle the same situation. As a result of not bridging the technological gap between parents and children we are leaving children unprepared to handle dangerous situations. Several organizations and government officials are working to change that. Most recently the state of Mississippi in combination with various other states worked with MySpace to develop better parental screens for the website. I think this issue was brought to the forefront of our countries problems when a young girl committed suicide after her online relationship ended. The deception by the adults involved in this incident and the unfortunate results should be a common concern for all parents now and hopefully steps will be taken to ensure children’s safety online.

Our children are our nation’s most valuable asset. They represent the bright future of our country; however, they are among the most vulnerable members of society. Protecting our children from becoming victims of crime must be a national priority. As a nation, we will never rid the country of these predators; therefore, it is our duty to arm their targets and to provide our children with the knowledge needed to protect oneself.