IN THE NEWS

The PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation is thrilled to announce that Miss America 2016, Betty Cantrell, will be the Mistress of Ceremonies at our annual Awards Ceremony and Gala on Saturday, June 17, 2017 at the Hilton Chicago. Betty, whose given name is Baciliky Andris, is an American beauty pageant titleholder who grew up in a Greek family in Warner Robins, Georgia. On September 13, 2015, she was crowned Miss America 2016.

Betty is looking forward to participating in the Foundation's gala as Mistress of Ceremonies. "I was so honored to receive the invitation to be the Mistress of Ceremonies for something so important and close to my heart," she said. "Being a Greek Orthodox Christian in Macon is difficult because there is such a small population, so I am always so excited to support other blossoming Greek youth whenever I can! One of the main reasons I competed in the Miss America Organization is because of the amazing scholarship opportunities and the opportunity to be a good role model for young people everywhere. Therefore, I am so excited to participate in an event that rewards hard-working, Greek American students with scholarships to further their education. I also can't wait to visit Chicago!"

Betty was named after her Greek grandmother. After growing up on a farm and graduating from high school in Georgia, she attended Wesleyan College for a year before transferring to Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. She currently studies vocal performance at Mercer.

Betty entered her first pageant in late 2013, and was crowned Miss Georgia in 2015. In September of that same year, Betty represented Georgia in the Miss America 2016 competition. Her platform was "Healthy Children, Strong America," which encouraged children to make healthy choices and stay physically active. Betty was ultimately crowned Miss America 2016, and won a $50,000 scholarship to support her college education. As Miss America, Betty served as the official National Goodwill Ambassador for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

The PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation's Awards Ceremony and Gala will be held on Saturday, June 17, 2017 at the Hilton Chicago. Save the date and register to receive an invitation to the event, where you can meet Betty and join us as we celebrate our outstanding 2016-17 scholarship recipients. We look forward to seeing you there!