Miss Louisiana 2009 Katherine Putnam, a senior at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, addressed 29 talented contestants at the annual kick-off press conference for the 2010 Miss Louisiana Pageant in the Monroe Civic Center, June 21.

ULM senior Katherine Putnam and the reigning Miss Louisiana 2009, speaks at the kick-off of the Miss Louisiana 2010 pageant at the MOnroe Civic Center.

Putnam told the young women – which included Miss ULM Kelsi Crain, ULM senior Hope Anderson and ULM graduate Erica Durr – that she was saddened her reign as Miss Louisiana would soon be coming to an end.

"Just think, the next Miss Louisiana is in this room. Granted, she will have to pry this crown off of my head," she joked.

ULM students in the Miss Louisiana Pageant (from left): Kelsi Crain, Miss ULM 2010; Katherine Putnam, Miss Louisiana 2009; and Hope Anderson.

Putnam, named third runner-up in the 2010 Miss America pageant in January, is scheduled with other contestants for an autograph party at 10 a.m., Saturday, June 26, at the Atrium, 2001 Louisville Ave., Monroe.

Pageant judges, including Lisa Miller, ULM associate provost for enrollment management, will join authors Leo Honeycutt and Holly Clegg as well as Miss America 2004, Ericka Dunlap, for the signing.

On Tuesday June 22, ULM President James E. Cofer and First Lady, Deborah, hosted the 29 Miss Louisiana contestants and their invited guests for a luncheon on the seventh floor of the ULM Library.

Miss Louisiana preliminaries begin Thursday evening, June 24. The live televised event airs locally at 8 p.m. on KNOE-TV and will feature the top 10 contestants.





Photos by ULM's Office of University Relations