Garrett Holland, a senior accounting major from Brentwood, Tenn., was crowned as the third Mr. University on Thursday, March 20, an event benefiting Grove Grocery, the University of Mississippi’s free food pantry.
“It’s a big surprise. We had some fantastic contestants, everybody put on an amazing performance,” Holland said. “But at the end of the day, it’s an incredible honor to be able to represent the university as Mr. University.”
In addition to Holland becoming Mr. University, he also won the title of Mr. Know-It-All—the award that went to the contestant who scored the most points from the judges during the interview portion of the competition.
Rob Embry, a senior computer science major from, Madison, Miss., won Mr. Talent by singing a cover of “Feeling Good.” Byron Swetman, a senior computer science major from Latimer, Miss., won Mr. Congeniality based off of his first impression with the judges.
Downing Koestler, a senior mechanical engineering major from Oxford, won Mr. Philanthropy. Koestler earned his title by having the most cans donated by audience members to a box in the lobby with his headshot on it. These cans will be donated, in addition to the monetary donation raised by ticket sales, to Grove Grocery.
“I know the Grove Grocery is a great cause and I think everybody’s proud to help support it,” Koestler said.
The evening commenced with a formal wear round in which the 10 contestants were individually introduced to the crowd and the judges by the evening’s emcees— Miss University, junior public policy leadership and integrated marketing communications double major Mackenzie Cox from Concord, N.C., and Mr. Ole Miss, senior integrated marketing communications major Jakota White from Gulfport, Miss.
Cox reflected on her moment under the Ford Center’s lights.
“I’m really thankful to (have been) invited. It’s so different from Miss University, so it’s fun to be on the other side of it and just have a good time and let loose tonight,” Cox said. “Getting to know the guys backstage was so much fun. They had a really great energy back there, you could tell everyone was excited.”
Jack Walker, the senior class president, was instrumental in bringing Mr. University back after it did not take place last spring. Walker reflected on how he feels the event brings the university together.
“I have no complaints. All I have is this brings great hope for the next senior class president and for the students because I think this is something that underclassmen and upperclassmen can experience together one last time before the seniors graduate,” Walker said.
Senior Class Secretary Kam Holt, a senior forensic chemistry major from Seguin, Texas, and Senior Class Vice President, Phoebe Gremaud, a senior biomedical engineering major from Edwardsville, Ill., were also involved in the planning of this lighthearted event.
“The event exceeded my expectations like no other. I was a little bit nervous about some of the talents during rehearsal but they went better than we could have imagined,” Gremaud said. “I’m just so thankful that these boys took it seriously and really just killed it.”
Holt commented on the event from the perspective of being a senior.
“I think my favorite part was getting all of our friends and guys from all different parts of the university together and just getting to have a fun time before we graduate,” Holt said. “It was really bittersweet to know that this was one of the last things that we were gonna do before we walked the stage.”
This was the first Mr. University event that Ellen Williams, a senior multidisciplinary studies major from Oxford, has attended. Williams was in the crowd to support her friends involved in the competition. Williams’ Mr. University experience was an unexpected but enjoyable surprise.
“It’s definitely not what I expected. I expected a little more pageantry, but I’m glad it’s funny,” Williams said. “My favorite part was definitely talent. I was not expecting the creativity behind the sketches but it (was) really fun.”
The evening’s judges were Natasha Jeter, the assistant vice chancellor for student success at the university, Trimiesha Joyner, the spouse of Rebels Defensive Line Coach Randall Joyner and Associate Director of Leadership and Engagement Jordain Hamill, who also serves as the executive director of the Miss University Scholarship Competition.
“I’m the Director for the Miss University Scholarship Competition, so been around pageants a long time, seen a lot of pageants, judged a lot of pageants—I’ve never smiled or laughed more at a pageant in my life,” Hamill said. “Tonight has been so much fun and loved seeing everyone’s creativity and just all the joy that tonight brings.”
