Six of the 35 Miss Tennessee Volunteer Contestants Have UTM Ties

Six of the 35 contestants taking part in the Miss Tennessee Volunteer Pageant this week are students or graduates from the University of Tennessee at Martin.

The pageant will be held July 24-27 at the Carl Perkins Civic Center in Jackson.

The winner of the pageant will qualify for the Miss Volunteer America Pageant held June 18-21, 2025, at the Carl Perkins Civic Center. All 50 states will take part in the national pageant.

The winner of the Miss Tennessee Volunteer Pageant crown will also serve as the governor’s spokesperson for character education and receive $25,000 in scholarship money.

The UT Martin students or graduates taking part in the Miss Tennessee Volunteer Pageant include:

• Maleia Bigham of Turtletown, who was crowned Miss UT Martin Volunteer on Sept. 10. She will be a junior in the coming school year, majoring in fine arts.
• Emily Pennington of McMinnville, who was crowned Miss Fall Fest Volunteer on Sept. 16. She is a 2023 graduate of UT Martin with a degree in communications.
• Meghan Poore of Medina, who was crowned Miss Northwest Tennessee Volunteer on Sept. 16. She is a 2023 graduate of UT Martin with a degree in marketing.
• Madison Sisco of Mercer, who was crowned Miss Middle Tennessee Volunteer on June 22. She is a 2021 graduate of UT Martin with a degree in communications.
• Sierra Smith of Newland, North Carolina, who was crowned Miss Weakley County Volunteer on Nov. 12. She will be a senior in the coming school year, majoring in agricultural business.
• D’Ambrah Watts of Jackson, Mississippi, who was crowned Miss West Tennessee Volunteer on Feb. 15. She will be a junior in the coming school year, majoring in fine arts.

The Miss Tennessee Volunteer Pageant program began in January 2019. Christine Williamson, who had been crowned Miss Tennessee 2018, vacated her crown and became the first Miss Tennessee Volunteer.

The following year, Kerri Arnold, a UTM junior who had also won Miss Scenic City, became the first winner of the Miss Tennessee Volunteer Pageant.

The program expanded nationwide, with the first Miss Volunteer America Pageant being held in 2022.

The Miss Tennessee Volunteer Pageant awards scholarships to its participants. Each contestant will receive a $1,000 scholarship just for competing at the state level. Additional scholarships are awarded based on how the contestants finish. Other scholarships are awarded in categories like community service, academics and congeniality.